Undefeated underdogs will battle for Doug Chandler title

MANCHESTER, N.H. – Two days are down and there’s one day left to go in the 2022 Doug Chandler Holiday Girls’ Basketball Tournament. Thursday’s title matchup will come down to a pair of non-Division I teams that haven’t seen a loss yet in regular season play that beat Division I opponents on Wednesday.

In Wednesday’s semi-final round, Conant defeated Merrimack, 46-34 and later Bow defeated Memorial, 51-32.

Conant’s Brynn Rautiola knocked down a trio of three-pointers in the first quarter alone in the first semi-final, opening up an early 18-6 lead that the Orioles would not surrender, despite a second-quarter comeback from the Tomahawks.

Rautiola led Conant with 20 points, followed by 10 points from teammate Emma Tenters.

Maddie McCaffey led the way for Merrimack with 14 points.

Conant is 5-0 so far in Division III play, having won all of their games by double digits. Bow has been perhaps even more impressive in a 3-0 start so far in Division II where the closest contest was a 25-point victory against John Stark.

The Falcons proved that they can run with any team in the state regardless of division, running out to a 16-5 lead in the first quarter of their contest against Memorial and not looking back.

Alex Larrabee had 12 points for Bow followed by 11 from Bella Laperle and 10 from Kate Labrecque. Memorial did not have any scorers in double digits, with Torle Adumene’s seven points leading the way for the Crusaders.

Bow and Conant will face off for the title on Thursday at Manchester Central High School at 6 p.m.

In Wednesday’s consolation games, Trinity defeated Derryfield in overtime, 49-48 and Central defeated West, 51-24.