Larry Averill To Be New Epping A.D.
August 19, 2008
Larry Averill’s decision took a couple months, but a question posed by his good friend answered it for him while on a car ride back to his home in Newfields.
“I’m stepping back into the fray,” said Averill, referring to becoming the new athletic director at Epping High School
Averill, the longtime girls basketball coach from Exeter High School and St. Thomas Aquinas — and coach of the Exeter Hawks, an AAU team, for the past eight years — takes over the position vacated by Casey Todd. Todd made a career change when she took the AD position at Fall Mountain Regional High School.
Averill returns to the athletic director position he held temporarily seven years ago at Epping High.
Read the full story from Ken Stejbach
Inaugural YoParts.com Import Summer Shootout presented by Wang’s Automotive at NED
August 1, 2008
New England Dragway’s newest event launches this Saturday,
August 2. The inaugural YoParts.com Import Summer Shootout presented by Wang’s Automotive will feature a wide range of activities including heads-up racing, bracket racing, motorcycle action, a car show, burnout contest and ugliest car contest.
In addition to YoParts.com and Wang’s Automotive, a number of companies are stepping up to post cash and contingency awards including Turbo Options, Team XXX Racing, Cisco’s Performance Center, Pro Street Unlimited, SMG Motoring, One Stop Toy Shop and Chief Wok restaurant.
Seven race classes are on tap, plus bracket racing, Street Fighter shootout, a burnout competition, car show and the ugliest car contest. The entire event is for all imports and sport compacts only. No American V-8’s.
Gates open at 8 AM. Qualifying and time trials start at 9 AM. Car show registration ends at Noon. The burnout competition and the ugliest car competition will run during the late afternoon. For a complete schedule and details, please visit www.newenglanddragway.com or call 603-679-8001.
Epping’s wild ride ends in Class M semifinals
June 12, 2008
The Fairy Godmother was there. The gowns and tiaras were all ready to don. Even the jeweled pumpkin stagecoach was there. Or so it seemed. So was an invitation to a princely championship.
The Cinderella-like playoffs ended for the 15th-seeded Epping High School girls softball team, which was defeated by Gilford, 2-1, in Wednesday’s Class M semifinal at Plymouth State University.
No. 6 Gilford, which improved to 17-4, advanced to Saturday’s championship at PSU, beginning at 2:30 p.m.
Epping, which upset No. 2 Somersworth and No. 7 Conant to make it to the semifinals, wrapped up its season at 9-11.
Casey Thorp, Epping’s senior captain, said that winning the championship would probably have made it a Cinderella season, but “I’m set with this one,” she said.
Full story from Ken Stejbach on Seacoast Online.
New England Dragway Launches its Major Event Series
June 6, 2008
New England Dragway launches its major event series with the awesome thunder and fury of the New England Dodge Dealers Jet Wars show presented by Mohegan Sun and Sterling Homes! A “Who’s, Who” of turbine pilots headline the kickoff to New England Dragway’s major event season and features the debut of Jill Canuso, the new Queen of Diamonds. She will battle Jet Dragster standouts Dick Rosberg in the “Thriller” machine, along with Ernie Bogue’s “Beast From the East.” Jet Funny Car action features the record setting “First Strike” machine with Rich Hanna at the controls taking on Ken Hall in the “Top Secret” Pontiac and Glen Burkhart’s “Twisted Air” flopper. Itching for something a little on the larger size? How about Pat Davidson’s Jet Ambulance at 200-plus miles per hour Pat can certainly get to the emergency scene in short order.
Two of the best wheelstander drivers in the nation return for this season opener. Danny O’Day is back with his ’34 Superwinch machine to take on Bob Hall’s Astrovan bumper scraper. These two have battled each other time and again, but they always turn up the wick when they hit New England Dragway’s quarter mile. Danny is out to set a new wheelstander record, and if the air is good expect him to raise the performance bar.
Need a little more zing? No problem. Awesome displays of raw horsepower are on tap with New England Dragway’s own Pro Mod battle and Pro Comp. Plus, there’s a full slate of Top Dragster and Top Sportsman action set to battle it out. If this lineup isn’t enough to pump up the adrenaline, think about this. A guy specially prepares a full size car. But, instead of stuffing some fire breathing behemoth between the frame rails he decides it would be cool to fill it full of explosives. Cool, right? How about sitting in the car when he hits the detonator! Yep. Benny “Boom, Boom” Koske is back and if you missed him last year this may be your last chance to see him do it again. How long can a guy do this before “Boom, Boom” becomes, “oh, oh”? New England Dragway has teamed up with the New Hampshire Food Bank. The New Hampshire Food Bank has had a difficult time keeping their shelves stocked. New England Dragway has taken on the challenge of helping out. During the Jet Wars show anyone who brings at least two canned items to New England Dragway will in return give a $5 off coupon towards their spectator admission. The New Hampshire Food Bank truck will be parked next to the track’s ticket building. “Our goal is to fill that truck,” explained Track Manager Joe Lombardo. Adding, “Many people are having a hard time putting food on the table. I think this is a great way to help out a very worthwhile cause.” “For a great day of fun and family entertainment New England Dragway is the place to be,” exclaimed Marketing Director Kathy DePetrillo. “New England Dragway has been providing excitement for over 40 years. With an ongoing commitment to enhancing the motorsports experience I encourage everyone to visit us and see why New England Dragway is called New Hampshire’s power playground,” added DePetrillo.
The New England Dodge Dealers Jet Wars show presented by Mohegan Sun and Sterling Homes takes place on Saturday, June 14th. Spectator gates open at 4 PM and the show begins at 6 PM. Be sure to stop by your local New England Dodge Dealer for your special discount coupon.
Hopkinton 9, Epping 6
May 6, 2008
The Hawks (5-3) had to rally late to record the win. The Blue Devils led 6-4 until the fifth, when Hopkinton regained the lead for good.
Katie Babson led off with a walk and stolen base, and was advanced by Melissa Baron’s bunt single. Hannah Richards lofted a sacrifice fly to center, Kaylah Lessard singled home another run, and the final run of the inning scored on Emma Brown’s groundout. Hopkinton added insurance runs in each of the last two innings.
Remley Johnson earned the win, pitching five innings, striking out five and scattering five hits. Jackie Reen pitched the final two innings to register the save.
Brown was 2-for-4 with a pair of triples and three RBI. Both Lessard and Kelsie Benson had two hits and scored two runs.
Newmarket softball shuts out Epping
April 25, 2008
Epping High School’s Karissa Patton held a cold ice pack on her right cheekbone late Wednesday afternoon. Not from the 10-0 pounding the Blue Devils got from rival Newmarket, but from a hard foul ball she got hit with while watching the baseball game between the two schools.
The amazing thing about it was she could still laugh about it with her teammates.
“Rosie (Chooljian) said I was missing some of my teeth and they were making fun of my smile,” laughed Patton.
Patton said that what she’ll remember most about the day was not the game, but looking at the grass, seeing a white blur coming at her and getting hit by the ball.
And her friends teasing her, of course.
“Now I know what it feels like to get hit with a ball,” said the Epping senior.
From Ken Stejbach.
Racing Schedule at Epping’s All-Star Speedway Could Change
April 25, 2008
The owner of All-Star Speedway told the Board of Selectmen there will only be racing on Sundays this summer in case of a rain out, or a race running past curfew. But that could change next year.
Track owner Robert MacArthur came to Monday’s meeting to let selectmen know about the occasional Sunday races. The issue came up at last week’s meeting, when Selectman Tom Gauthier spoke about a complaint he received from a resident about the track’s Sunday racing.
“We put in the Sundays to avoid running too late,” MacArthur said. “It shouldn’t be an issue though, because your by-laws say that I can run Sundays if I want to. The (New England) Dragway has 122 events. I’ve got 26. Be prepared though, because next year, I’m going to ask for the same 122 race days they have down the street.”
By Terrill Covey.
Epping Debates Who Plays When
April 10, 2008
High school coaches, parents and student athletes spoke out last night on a controversial policy that punishes players who miss high school games to compete on more elite club teams outside of school.
Nearly 30 people attended a forum organized by school board members who wanted to hear from those on both sides before making any policy changes.
“Life is not always fair. Kids make choices,” said Stephanie Arsenault, whose daughter is a catcher on the high school softball team. “I think that outside sports do need to take a second seat.”
Full story from JASON SCHREIBER
Epping, Raymond Exceed Expectations on the Court
March 18, 2008
They may be fierce rivals on the court but Epping and Raymond share one thing in common — all four basketball teams exceeded preseason expectations this season with impressive campaigns.
Perhaps the best player from either school was senior Chris Crowley, the Class M first team All-State guard who memorably topped 1,000 points in the final seconds of a home win earlier in the year. The prodigiously talented Crowley and big man junior Jimmy Riordon (honorable mention All State) formed an imposing duo and helped the Blue Devils finish 12-6 in the regular season. Once in the postseason tournament, Epping edged Littleton for a home playoff victory before bowing out in the quarter-finals to state finalist Newmarket. Epping figures to be a factor again next year with its captain Riordon returning.
Full story in the Union Leader.
Newmarket Tops Blue Devils in Class M Basketball Tournament
March 10, 2008
Trailing Newmarket 31-13 early in the third quarter the Epping High School boys basketball team needed Superman in basketball sneakers.
Of course … the Blue Devils did have Chris Crowley.
Crowley’s third-quarter performance may have been a tough act to follow, but Joe Downing and the Mules went back to what they did best all season long and advanced to the Class M semifinals with a 55-34 quarterfinal victory Sunday night at Southern New Hampshire University.
Read the full story from Ken Stejbach.
