As the end of the 2018-2019 school year approaches at Oyster River High School, the seasons of the spring sports teams are also coming to a close. Both boys and girls lacrosse, baseball, softball, unified volleyball, and tennis have all qualified for their respective postseason tournaments. Whatever each team may have accomplished during the regular season will fall away, as focus shifts to winning one game at a time on the path to a state championship title.
This is part two of two. Part one includes boys and girls lacrosse, baseball, and softball. Part two includes unified volleyball, boys and girls tennis, and boys and girls track and field.
Unified Volleyball
Tuesday 6/4
Semi-Finals – #3 ORHS (4-2) vs. #2 Dover (4-2)
4:00pm @ DHS
The ORHS unified volleyball team concluded their regular season with a record of 4-2, after beating Dover two sets to zero on Tuesday 5/28. On Tuesday 6/4, the Bobcats will take on Dover once again, this time in the semi-final round of the division 1 playoff tournament. In their first season, Oyster River is having an outstanding year as their sights are narrowing on a potential state championship.
Winner plays winner of #5 Manchester Memorial vs. #1 Pembroke
Girls Tennis
Wednesday 5/22
Quarter-Finals – #5 Coe-Brown vs. #4 ORHS
Win 8-1
Friday 5/24
Semi-Finals – #4 ORHS vs. #1 Bow
Loss 6-3
The girls tennis team won their opening quarter-final match at home against CBNA to advance to the semi-finals against one-seeded Bow. Led by a young core, with Heather Schmidt as the only senior on the team, the Bobcats rolled to a 5-1 lead after the singles which was enough to clinch the match. After their win, ORHS had won seven of its last eight matches.
In the semi-finals, Bow came into the match unbeaten, and went on to defeat a talented ORHS team. It took to the second doubles for the Bow Falcons to nail the decisive fifth point in the match to win their 51st consecutive match. Marian Bulkley (‘20), one of the best division 2 players in the state this season, highlighted a Bobcat team that went 11-3 during the regular season.
Saturday 6/1 and Sunday 6/2
The girls singles tournament at SNHU begins on Saturday 6/1 with #5 seeded Marian Bulkley and Lavina Palmer (‘21), both kicking off their matches at 9:00 am. The girls doubles tournament will begin Sunday 6/2 with pairings #7 seed Bulkley and Palmer, and Kirsten Bornkessel (‘20) and Iris Yu (‘20), both 10:00 am match start times.
Boys Tennis
Tuesday 5/21
Quarter-Finals – #7 ORHS vs. #2 Portsmouth
Loss 9-0
In their quarter-final matchup against Portsmouth on the road, the boys tennis team lost to a tough two-seeded team by a score of 9-0. Led by Rohit Kantipudi (‘19), Joe Morell, and Eric Donovan (‘20), and a young trio of Caldicott, Triff, and Poitras (‘23) the Bobcats were bested by a Portsmouth team that went 13-1 in the regular season. Although their season was cut short, there will be much to build upon with a young core of talent left behind for next season.
Saturday 6/1 and Sunday 6/2
The boys singles tournament will begin Saturday 6/1 at Pinkerton Academy. Joseph Morell will be the lone Oyster River representative and will take on Camden Poitras (Londonderry) at 10:00 am. The boys doubles tournament begins Sunday 6/2 also at Pinkerton Academy. Morrell and Caldicott will match up with Dover’s Casey and Vitko in a 10:00 am time slot for the opening round match.
Girls and Boys Track & Field
Meet of Champions Saturday 6/1
After strong finishes from both the Oyster River girls and boys at the D2 State Championship Meet on Saturday 5/25, a handful of ORHS athletes have qualified for the Meet of Champions at UNH on Saturday 6/1. For the girls; Devan McClain (‘19), Amelia Concannon (‘19), Laurel Gordon (‘19), Jennifer Nadig (‘21), Lily Doody (‘20), Charlotte Cousins (‘22), Evelyn Fischer (‘20), and Corinne Quaglieri (‘20) will all compete in their respective events. While for the boys; Max Carpenter (‘19), Owen Fleischer (‘21), Andy O’Brien (‘21), and Sidonio LaBelle-Brown (‘20) will all compete in their respective events. Oyster River is well represented by a group of talented athletes at this years Meet of Champions which showcases competitors from schools of all four divisions.