MANCHESTER, N.H. – Prior to several of Holy Family Academy’s athletics teams joining NHIAA competitive play in the midst of the pandemic in 2020, the Derryfield School really didn’t have a natural local rival in boys basketball.
Sure, many of Derryfield’s teams competed with city foes in tennis, field hockey, baseball, soccer and other seasonal sports, but there was a noticeable divide on the hardwood between Division-I heavyweights such as Central, Memorial and Trinity and the Division-IV Cougars.
Enter the Griffins, who have already made their mark on the D-IV hardwood, even reaching the state semifinals in each of their first two NHIAA seasons.
But Derryfield has proven a formidable challenge each time the teams have met. In fact, after falling in three increasingly competitive matchups during the 2020-’21 season, including a 59-53 playoff loss, the Cougars clawed back last season and handed Holy Family a 62-47 thumping.
Back at it this past Monday night, Holy Family retook control of the fledgling rivalry, earnings a 65-54 victory following a back-and-forth second half that saw the Griffins pull away late in the fifth installment of the Queen City clash.
“There were like four minutes in the game where we just didn’t play, that first couple minutes where we went down 10 points early, and then the last 2-3 minutes,” said Derryfield head coach Ed Meade. “But I’ve got to give Holy Family credit. They did what they had to do tonight.”
“They had us nervous,” said Holy Family head coach Keith LaCasse. “We knew Derryfield would be tough. They’re having a great season and we knew we couldn’t take them for granted, but in the end we picked up the intensity and got what we needed when we needed it.”
In addition to the familar faces of senior captains Yves Mugiraneza and Jack Vicinanzo, among seven returning varsity standouts, Holy Family is boosted by the addition of center Sean Peterson, who transferred into the program this season from Pinkerton Academy.
“He was a difference maker,” said Meade. “You know, we don’t have a lot of size, so that’s what’s going to hurt us, and in the end, that’s exactly what happened.”
Still, Derryfield is carried into the winter campaign by six returning lettermen if its own, including senior captains John McDevitt and Ethan Flanagan.
“The boys have worked hard, and I see it in practice, they give it everything,” said Meade. “Through the first five games, they’ve lived up to their potential and I’m really proud of their efforts.,”
The increasing familiarity between the cagers is only adding to the intensity of the rivalry,” said LaCasse.
“I think there are some Holy Family players that play with Derryfield players in the offseason, so they do know each other and many of them are friends off the court, but when they come together, they really want to beat each other,” he said.
The two teams are scheduled to play each other again at Derryfield on Jan. 25, and LaCasse said he wouldn’t be surprised to see both team in the championship mix come late February.
“We’re off to the start I was hoping we’d have, and again, I knew Derryfield would be tough,” said LaCasse. “You know, they just played Concord Christian the other night and only came up two short, so as everyone has been saying, this division is wide open and anyone can take it this year.”
In the meantime, Derryfield, now 3-2 following the back-to-back heartbreaks to Concord Christian and Holy Family, looks to get back on track against Mascenic this Monday at 6 p.m. before taking a well-earned two-week break and returning to competitive D-IV play on Jan. 4 at Hinsdale.
Holy Family (2-0) faces Linwood at home at 7:30 this Friday night. A win sets up a potential clash between D-IV unbeaten home against Concord Christian at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 4.
