The Bishop Guertin boys lacrosse team celebrates its Division I state title win over Bedford in Exeter earlier this month. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

There is nothing with more twists and turns than the Spring Tourney Trail. Last year it almost felt like a preseason tour thanks to the miserable weather and cool temps, but this year had more of an early summer feel and basically rain free. A Trail miracle.

In any event, let’s take one scribe’s nearly three-week final hike of the 2024 high school spring season, and, for that matter, sports year:

TUESDAY, MAY 21

BISHOP GUERTIN HIGH SCHOOL

We arrive at pretty much the same spot we were at a year ago, the three Bishop Guertin tennis courts as the Cardinals were facing Salem in the Division I girls first round. It was a chance of seeing the coaching of Cards mentor Marcel Gamache, who focuses on the mental game as much as anyone. And with just three courts, while the matches may take forever, he can pretty much keep track of everything. Gamache’s Cards eased past Salem 6-2, as one could tell in the latter stages storm clouds were approaching.

Gamache made sure there were no clouds hanging over his team, as he gathered them together the day before and asked them what they wanted out of this tournament. The answer was to compete. “If we play like this all the way through, I don’t care how it comes out, we’re going to play well,” he said. Yes, the Cards lost to Dover 8-1 in the quarters, but the season was a step forward for Gamache’s program.

FRIDAY, MAY 24

NASHUA HIGH SCHOOL SOUTH

If there’s a tourney stop before Memorial Day Weekend, you know once again its tennis. This was a brief one thanks to the Silver Knights opening that evening, but worth it to get a glimpse of Nashua South’s boys quarterfinal with Exeter, as the Panthers were the area’s best boys team overall. But one answer to the first question asked – how’s it going – brought the dire answer from Panthers coach Brice Miller. “Not good,” he said.

Still, his team was alive before doubles thanks to No. 6 Raghev Buddhineni, as he edged Exeter’s Nick Rosa, 9-7. In the end, the Panthers fell in a cruel way – an injury causing a forfeit/withdraw at No.3 doubles en route to a 5-4 loss. “Heartbreaker,” Miller, the former AD at Wilton-Lyndeborough, said.

SATURDAY, MAY 25

PORTSOUTH HIGH SCHOOL

A perfect late spring day for a trip to the Division I Boys and Girls Track Championships. Problem was that a late night due to the Silver Knights opener caused a late departure to the seacoast from Nashua for this trail blazer. Where to park with what would likely be a huge crowd? Last year at Salem if you were able to park in the town itself it was a miracle. But this time it wasn’t bad, a mid-afternoon arrival saw a car pulling out of the main lot, and this scribe’s car pulling in. Short walk to the track in time to see Bishop Guertin’s Matt Giardina win, talk with South’s shot put/discus winner Elyza Mercado, upsetting North favorite Darius Smith.

“I really anticipated in coming in the top three in discus and shot, but I really didn’t think I was going to take first place and beat Darius,” Mercado, a senior, said. “I’ve known him to be the top thrower in New Hampshire.”

The other story was the big win for the North girls 4×400 relay team of Jhanelle Thomas, Christina Juris, Allison Frye and Sarah Frye, same as a year ago at Salem. The group hug with coach Renee Archer showed the emotion of the event.

While trying to get an ID on a runner for a school we wont’t name, one of the athletes gave the name and said, “The Queen. And you can quote me on that.”

There you go.

TUESDAY, MAY 28

CAMP YOUNG JUDEA, AMHERST

Rain on Memorial Day forced postponement of the Division II girls tennis semis for the No. 2 seed Souhegan Sabers, so here we are the next day to our favorite spring tourney site with its glorious huge pool. But that’s under lock and key, and just about 100 yards down an open path away from that you can hear the balls hit the rackets on six of the eight courts. The Sabers cruised past Winnacunnet 8-1, reaching their first Division II final in ages after semifinal losses the previous three seasons. And,once things were decided – they still play out the matches anyway – out came a Saber staple. The cupcakes. Nope, no one offered….sigh. But they sure looked good. On a warm day, so did that pool.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 29

DOVER HIGH SCHOOL

The Souhegan girls tennis team’s trip to the Finals, where an undefeated Oyster River team was waiting. This was yours truly’s first trip to Dover in years, not since a road high school Friday night football game at Dunaway Field in 2013, believe it or not.

This is not father’s Dover HS. No, not after a huge renovation, and the place was a complete zoo with a track meet, various practices, etc. going on on the way to the six new tennis courts that have served as the Division II semis and finals event the last few years. Great to see and talk Giants football with longtime seacoast scribe Al Pike. And, as usual, NHIAA assistant director Dave Rozumek was seated comfortably. It looked good early on for the Sabers, as they were up in the first three matches and actually Callie Perrin got a win at No. 1 But those other leads didn’t hold, the Sabers struggled, and eventually fell 6-3. But as Souhegan coach Bo Dean said, “It was a good season,” Sabers coach Bo Dean said. “I’m not going to let one loss define it. When teams lose in the Super Bowl, they still had a good season. We had a great season; I’ll take 15-2 over 4-10 any day.”

It was tough to see a good Saber athlete Mishka Tower end her high school athletic career, but she did it with an overhand smash to get the third win at No. 2 doubles for Souhegan, the last match of the day.

Just before that, Rozumek emerged from his chair. “You got up!” yours truly noted.

“That was cruel,” came the response.

Time to exit stage left. See you next year, Dover, as these Sabers could very well be back.

The Souhegan girls tennis team watches as Oyster River receives its championship medals and plaque at the Division II finals in Dover. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

THURSDAY, MAY 30

STELLOS STADIUM, NASHUA

Ahhh, home sweet home. The Bishop Guertin girls lacrosse team handled local rival Nashua South 13-3 to advance to the Division I semifinals. The Cards raced out to a 7-0 first quarter lead, were up 11-1 at the half and never looked back. While BG advanced, it marked the end of a great athlete for the Panthers, Ella Benzykri, plus six other seniors. Hugs galore.

“This group I’ve known all through the youth (level), so it’s crazy,” South coach Ciki McIntire said. “It will be very difficult to replace those shoes, they’re almost irreplaceable. You hope they’ve left a real good mark and people want to live up to that.”

Also broadcasting for Nashua ETV, it’s up and down the Stellos stands a few times during the contest. But this was the last time doing that for the school athletic year for this scribe. But there are other constant climbs ahead on this trail.

FRIDAY, MAY 31

MERRIMACK HIGH SCHOOL

Welcome to the Division I baseball quarterfinals, a rescheduling after a rainout on that Thursday. Merrimack vs. Bedford, should be a tight one, right?

Nope. The Bulldogs got 10 runs in the second inning. But for some reason their starting pitcher insisted on throwing over to first if a runner got on. Kid, you’ve got a 10-run lead, chill. Final in a game that took well over two hours, Bedford 14, Merrimack 5. At the end, Merrimack players all hugged, you could tell this was a close team. Good season for a good coach, Mike Dudash, and his players.

SATURDAY, JUNE 1

STELLOS STADIUM

We call this Super Saturday, a day that kicks off the month with quarterfinals in three sports and semis in another, that being girls lacrosse.

It began with a photo stop at Stellos – no climbing up the stands – to see Bishop Guertin take on Concord in boys lacrosse. A mere technicality. But the start time wasn’t. Originally, the plan was to get there near the end of the game, couple photos, get the scoring, and then bolt for Exeter, as the Stellos game was slated for noon. But it got moved to 1 p.m., something we forgot. Oops. Thankfully, fellow ETV broadcaster Rich MacDonough was there, offered to get the scoring. Eternally grateful.

EXETER’S BILL BALL STADIUM

The first of a few trips here – a staple of fall and spring tournaments. It’s the Division I lacrosse girls semis, with the first game being BG taking on Bedford in what promised to be a great matchup.

It was, the Cards holding on for a 14-11 win over the Bulldogs for a return after year’s absence to the Division I finals. It was really a breakout game for Arianna Kouchalakos – whose name has probably been mispronounced or misspelled a zillion times – as she scored six goals.

“I think so, yeah,” she grinned when asked if that was the best game she’s ever had. “We have a lot of motions, a lot of plays set up, designed to help us strive the ways that we want to. In the end, I used it to my advantage.”

But the drama was in Game 2, the Sister Semis, so to speak between the Souhegan Sabers and Portsmouth Clippers. Souhegan is coached by McKinley Curro-Sbordone, and Portsmouth is coached by JoJo Curro. Curro-Sbordone remarked to someone as the Sabers went to get warmed up pregame, “We’re not sisters today.” Their parents were on hand and you could see the stress.

Portsmouth jumped out to a 7-2 lead but the Sabers made it close in the final quarter before falling 12-10. They’ll see each other again next year.

And we’ll be up and down those Bill Ball Stadium stairs in a few days, as the knees begin to weaken.

That’s concludes the second week on the trail, as we get a two day break before the next stop.

TUESDAY, JUNE 4

EXETER’S BILL BALL STADIUM

The second of three trips to the NHIAA’s most popular facility, it seems, for tourney events. It’s the Division I girls lacrosse finals between the Cards and Portsmouth, and Guertin never led in this one while falling 12-7, so following a reign of four straight titles they’re now two without. The Bedford-Portsmouth-Guertin triumvirate of talent is tough to crack, and the championships will likely come from those three down the road.

“Portsmouth came out ready to play and they were a little bit better than us today,” Guertin coach Callie Santos said. “That’s a lesson for next year and an opportunity to move forward.”

Meanwhile, Cardinal fans were checking their live streams to see how the BG softball team was doing in their semifinal against Winnacunnet. Exeter AD Bill Ball was making the rounds in a golf cart; boy we could’ve used that to go up and down the sidelines. We better rest up for football season.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5

HOLMAN STADIUM, NASHUA

Home again. This was by far the best stop on the Trail, a matchup between No. 13 Nashua North vs. powerful No. 1 Pinkerton in the Division I semifinals. It was the first time in eight years there was a Nashua team in the Final Four here, and North showed why they were there, rallying from a 3-0 deficit to take a 4-3 lead before Pinkerton scratched a run across to make it 4-4. North’s Nolan Sullivan was remarkable with four scoreless innings, and Titans coach Zach Harris listened to his freshman – yes freshman – reliever maintain there was no way he was leaving that game. Out for the fifth he went, to the delight of a crowd that was clearly pro North. Double, sac bunt, sac fly, and North’s run was over. But what a run it was.

“Again, the way North’s been playing this last week and a half, they belonged here, they showed they belonged here,” Pinkerton coach Steve Campo said. “The job they’ve done over on that side is unbelievable.”

The Titans captured not only the city’s attention, but the state. The stands were a who’s who of local sports names. But here’s the quote of the spring from Harris, summing up what this run can do for his program:

“We’ve got opposing teams rooting for us, opposing fans, coaches from around the state, everyone’s pulling for North,” he said. “If you’re a kid at our school, or a youth kid in Nashua, and you’re reading about this or were here tonight, how do you not want to come play for us?”

Souhegan’s Dallen Noorda, left, leads the cheers on the bench as the Sabers edged Windham in the boys volleyball semis at Nashua South’s Belanger Gym. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

THURSDAY, JUNE 6

NASHUA SOUTH’S BELANGER GYM

We go indoors. Normally, it’s a two-match semifinal afternoon/evening, but the NHIAA had to move the Hollis Brookline-Dover semi to Oyster River and at an earlier time because of Dover’s graduation.

This was a great semifinal, and the Sabers, down 7-4 in the deciding fifth set, rallied to win 15-12 and 3-2 overall. Windham coach Matt Heckler wasn’t happy with the officials, losing a couple of challenges, but there was nothing he could do. His team blew a 24-20 lead in the second set and probably could have won. Meanwhile, if you think Souhegan’s Chase McBride is a pretty good hockey player (Telegraph Co-Player of the Year for North-Souhegan), you should see him play volleyball, with a whopping 50 assists. But what was amazing was the Sabers gave credit to the energy that came from first-year junior middle blocker Dallen Noorda.

“He is the most excited and most energizing kid I’ve ever seen,” Sabers senior veteran Chase McBride said. “He hypes our team up so much. Honestly, I think this win is partly due to him, just hyping us up in that fifth set.

“We refuse to lose, and that stuck with all of us going in that fifth set.”

On to the Finals. Spoiler alert, that wasn’t one of our personal Trail stops as capable writer Sam Datan covered it, but the Sabers fell to HB 3-0 in the title match two days later.

SATURDAY, JUNE 8

An incredible day that included a whopping five NHIAA championship games involving six local teams. Can’t remember a day like this, amazing. But it was helped thanks to the switch due to facility availability from having the boys lacrosse finals on Sunday, all in one site. But made worse by having each of the three finals at the same time, at different sites. Really? Sigh.

The personal Trail took us to two of the five finals, so here goes:

MANCHESTER’S DELTA DENTAL STADIUM

Welcome to the 10 a.m. Division II baseball title game between No. 2 Souhegan and No. 5 Bow. The Sabers were in their first title game since the legendary Bill Dod’s coaching days (2017) when the won it all over Portsmouth in 2016 and lost to the Clippers the next year.

Of course, for media, the parking is always a wild card. But with our media passes there has never been a problem. So we pull up to the back of the stadium, where the Fisher Cats players usually park, etc. – where we’ve parked for several years. Nope, strict orders not to let anyone not on the list park. Of course we weren’t told to be on a list. “Well, who parks here?” we asked. “Game officials.” OK, how about the other half of the lot, empty? Long story short, we got in, got upstairs, where poor NHIAA official scorer Bill Makarawicz wasn’t given lineups from anyone down on the field. Not a great start to the day.

Or a great day for Souhegan. The Sabers suffered a big inning by Bow in the third, en route to a 13-3 title game loss. But they lose just two seniors, and in head coach Chris Metz’s mind, this is just the beginning.

“We got a taste,” Sabers coach Chris Metz said, his No. 3 team (14-5) outhit 10-6 and the victims of an seven-run Falcons third inning. “We’ll be back, there’s no doubt in my mind. It’s tough to get here every year. But the standard is now set.”

On the way out, the automatic gate installed during the renovation opens (tripped by car approaching) with a truck outside waiting for just that to happen with no attendant around, In he goes.

Really, didn’t need to be this complicated.

EXETER’S BILL BALL STADIUM

The Final Stop. It’s the Division I boys lacrosse title game between Bishop Guertin and Bedford, and we were hoping for a game similar to the 13-12 double overtime win for BG back in late April at Stellos.

It looked that way. Bedford fought back from an 8-5 halftime deficit to tie it up at 10 early in the fourth quarter, but Cards went on a run late to go up by four and was over, eventually a 15-12 Cardinal crown. The Bulldogs really thought this was their year, and one couldn’t blame them. It might have been if Guertin faceoff man Paulo Vazquez hadn’t had another of the great local individual tournament performances (Kouchalakos, Sullivan, etc.) by winning 25 of 28 faceoffs. Almost automatic.

“I’ve always preached blood or ball,” Vazquez said. “And I decide to take blood today. I think I handled the pole well, anything they threw at me I handled it really well, they couldn’t handle it. I come into every game that I’m the best in the nation, and I think I proved it there and throughout the whole season.”

And that was that. BG principal Jason Strniste was debating whether to try to make a trip up to Plymouth to see the Cards in the 7 p.m. softball final, and hopefully he didn’t as he never would have made it, a five-inning mercy rule final.

Next year, NHIAA, let’s see if we can make things less cluttered by going back to the old single site, Sunday format.

But either way, it was a memorable trail, and now it’s time for summer. And more steps to climb at Holman.