Winter sports previews: Manchester West

MANCHESTER, NH – The Manchester West athletics program may not be hanging championship banners like it once did, but there are still plenty of talented athletes competing on the basketball court, mat, pool and other winter playing surfaces this season. Here’s a glimpse at some of those teams and athletes:

Boys Basketball

Head Coach:

• Richard Otis (First year as head coach, assistant last season)

Last Season:

• Lost in the quarterfinals of the playoffs last year to eventual champion Pelham

Returning Players:

• Max Sosha
• Eliel Chavez
• Nathias Obando
• Tevin Edmunds
• Germain Gonzales
• Jayden Rosa

Promising Newcomers:

• Will Tanuvasa
• Max Houde
• CJ Tyler
• Zack Hebert
• Ka’shawn Foster
• Tyron Torres
• Tyree Torres
• Iseal Cruz

Expectations for this Season:

Returning three starters returning from last year’s team – including Max Sosha, who was an honorable-mention all-state selection, as well as all-state defensive selection Tevin Edmunds and Eliel Chavez – as well as last year’s sixth-man, Nathias Obando, who looks poised to step into a major contributor role, and transfer Will Tanuvasa – Otis said this year’s team should be a contender.“I will look at this core of four seniors and one junior to lead the team in a positive way and mentor the other players through the course of the season,” said Otis. “CJ Tyler, Ka’shawn Foster, Germaine Gonzales, Max Houde, Jake Hebert, Tyron Torres, Jayden Rosa, Tyree Torres and Iseal Cruz all will be asked to give big contributions off the bench over the course of the season. Expectations are high at West High School  that a successful season can be achieved if we continue to work hard and play as a unit.”

Potential Challenges:

“With a new coach and new system, it ay take some time for us to get everyone on the same page.” – First-year head coach Richard Otis

First five games:

• Today, Dec. 12 – 6 p.m. home game vs. Laconia
• Friday, Dec. 15 – 6:30 p.m. road game at ConVal
• Tuesday, Dec. 19 – 6:30 p.m. home game vs. Lebanon
• Friday, Dec. 22 – 6:30 p.m. road game at Kingswood
• Wednesday, Jan. 3 – 6:30 p.m. road game at Oyster River

Wrestling

Head Coach:

• Avery Portinari (5th season at West, 1st as head coach)

Last Season:

• Division-II 1st-place winner Christian Morency at 152 pounds (also placed 4th at the Meet of Champions)
• Division-II runner-up Emanuel Broulidakis at 182 pounds
• Division-II 5th placer Tomas Acosta at 160 pounds

Returning Grapplers:

• Senior Captain Tomas Acosta (165 pounds)
• Junior Soal Panyanouvong (190 pounds)
• Junior Jhystoni Rivera (157 pounds)
• Sophomore Luke Aleman (150 pounds)

Promising newcomers:

• Freshman Colin Taylor (138 pounds)
• Junior Jeremiah Ramnanan (126 pounds)
• Junior Astor Sunsin (144 pounds)
• Sophomore Dominic Soto (144 pounds)

Expectations for this Season:

“Our expectations this season is to go out and have fun competing. Wrestling is a hard enough sport as it is and sometimes as athletes in this sport we forget to make things fun. Wrestling is a sport where mindset, perseverance, dedication determination, drive, commitment and hard work all play a huge role. We always compete as a team and as a whole to our highest potential. Our biggest challenge is not always in competition. Believe it or not, the hardest challenge is always in the home room on practice days, dialing in our technique and skills, fine tuning all the things to then work them as a whole to become successful when we compete at meets and tournaments.“I would love to add that our West Wrestling motto is that ‘Pressure creates diamonds,’ and I truly stand by this statement.”– First-year head coach Avery Portinari

Early-Season Results:

• Tomas Acosta place first and Jhystoni Rivera placed second a the 31st annual Milford/Souhegan Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 9.

Swimming:

Longtime Head Coach:

• Steve VanDerBeken

West High school has one swimmer, Hayden McNamara a Soph.“(Hayden) is a very versatile swimmer that can swim in the freestyle events and the backstroke events. In the season opener meet on Dec. 4th she did her personal best times in both the 50 and 100 freestyle events. She is looking to improve with such a good start to her season.” – Head Coach Steve VanDerBeken

Expectations this Season:

“The (Manchester city school) swimmers come with varying backgrounds as some swim year round and others compete (only) for the NHIAA winter season … All these swimmers are a very dedicated group and I enjoy working with them.  They all bring a very energetic vibe to practices and meet. I am always very proud of these kids and how they interact and become friends. In all reality that is the big picture sports brings to all of us.” – Head Coach Steve VanDerBeken

Additional notes:

• The (West) swim team started practice on Nov.14 and holds its practices at the Downtown YMCA where it practiced and competed in the 1960s.
• The Manchester swim teams had been practicing and competing at Southern New Hampshire University’s aquatic facility for more than 30 years, but SNHU closed the pool in the fall of 2021.
• The season culminates with an NHIAA State Championship meet held at UNH in the Swazey Pool on Feb. 10, 2024.

Note: We have reached out to all varsity head coaches. The teams of those who have responded are featured here. Please check back as additional teams may be added in the days to come.