Football

Mascoma 44, Hillsboro-Deering 6

Highlights: Quarterback Brody Goulette ran for two scores and threw for a third as the second-seeded Mascoma Royals dominated No. 3 seed Hillsboro-Deering in a NHIAA Division IV semifinal game on Saturday in West Canaan.

Mascoma faces No. 1 seed Raymond on Saturday in the championship game.

Goulette scored on first-quarter runs of 29 and 12 yards, and two-point conversions after each put Royals up 16-0. Mascoma extended its lead to 30-0 in the second quarter with running touchdowns by Neil Rugg from 10 yards out and Ethan Lewis from the 1-yard line.

In the third quarter, Mascoma got down to the H-D 3 when Goulette hit Colin Myers in the corner of the end zone to make it 38-0 after a two-point conversion. Paxton Roberts capped the scoring with a run on second-and-goal late in the fourth quarter.

Records: Mascoma 7-1, Hillsboro-Deering 4-4

InterLakes-Moultonborough 18, Stevens 13

Highlights: The No. 6-seeded Cardinals led 13-12 entering the fourth quarter before falling to the third-seeded Lakers in a NHIAA Division III quarterfinal game in Meredith on Saturday.

A Karter Thyne pass to Jharin Valcourt-Garrow in the first quarter and a short run by Zach Richardson just before halftime were the scoring plays for Stevens, which led 13-6 at the break. Cardinal miscues in InterLakes territory in the second half stalled two drives, and the Lakers scored in the fourth quarter for the win.

“We had our opportunities. We just didn’t capitalize on them,” Stevens coach Josh Duford said. “We just didn’t make the plays necessary to win, but I am proud of the way the guys fought.”

Records: Stevens 5-4, InterLakes-Moultonborough 8-1

Gilford 40, Newport 20

Highlights: Newport, seeded fifth, scored twice on the ground and once in the air but could not match the firepower of Gilford in the NHIAA Division III quarterfinal at the No. 4 seed.

The Tigers’ Kobie Curtis and Tyson DiPaola ran for scores, and in between quarterback Aaron Fellows threw to Aiden Couitt for the other Newport score. Fellows also hit Adrian Sanchez for a two-point conversion.

“I am proud of our kids,” Newport coach John Proper said. “We had a great season moving up to division three. Gilford is a really good team that just beat us at all phases.”

Records: Newport 5-4, Gilford 6-3

Cross Country

Faris leads Hanover girls
to third at New Englands

Highlights: Hanover High junior Megan Faris finished eighth at the New England Championships, leading the Bears to third place among 29 teams on Saturday.

In a field of 254 runners, Faris completed the 5K course at Wickham Park in Manchester, Conn., in a time of 18 minutes, 25 seconds. Brooke Strauss of Glastonbury (Conn.) won the race in 17 minutes, 46 seconds. Also scoring for the Hanover girls were Aria Deeb (69th, 19:51), Lea Perreard (71st, 19:53) and Alice Bell (77th, 20:08). Millie Larrick was 83rd (20:11) and Ari Hirschler 137th (20:48) for Hanover girls. Lebanon’s Annelies Hanna was 98th (20:22) and Ava Hayden of Thetford Academy was 108th (20:28).

The Hanover boys were 15th among 30 teams. Sophomore Ben Groves had the best finish for the Bears (45th, 16:28) in the field of 256 runners, with teammates Nandeesh Jain 101st (16:51), Ryan Faris 115th, (17:06) and Donovan Van Citters 147th (17:30).

Mascoma senior Gunner Currier was 50th (16:32) and senior Brady Sloop of Thetford was 94th (16:55).

Hanover coach Eric Picconi said the girls’ finish “stunned everyone” and was a confirmation of their talent.

“They put together a masterpiece of a race to edge Oyster River and nearly all of the New England teams,” Picconi said, adding that Faris had a “commanding performance” backed up by solid finishes from her teammates. “Their depth and strength were both on display and they truly earned the day.”

On the boys side, Picconi said it was an incredibly fast start squeezing runners into a funnel before the wooded section, with Groves managing to get through while the other Bears had to battle.

“It was hard to maneuver through such a relentless, talented field of high school runners,” Picconi said.

Summing up the season, Picconi said both teams, which each won the NHIAA Division II championships, finished “on a high note and should feel nothing other than pride for what they have accomplished.”