Education

NECC Hoops Standout Reynoso Goes Pro

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When the Dominican Republic’s top professional basketball league, the six-team LNB, begins its Super League season on June 18, Northern Essex Community College standout Luis Reynoso will be there. Reynoso, the most-decorated hoops player in the Northern Essex Community College Knights’ history, was selected 16th overall in the Dominican national league’s draft this month by the Santiago Metros. Of the 56 players drafted overall, he was chosen in the second of seven rounds. Reynoso, of Lawrence, helped lead the Knights to their second consecutive Region 21/East District Championship this year, becoming the first player in the history of the Knights basketball program to earn two All-American awards. He is just the fourth athlete in Northern Essex athletic program history to earn that recognition twice.

Haverhill

Bradford’s Callen Cronin Earns Fourth in National Youth Golf Competition

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(Additional photograph below.)

Callen Cronin, of Bradford, won fourth place in his age division at a national youth golf competition for seven- to 15-year-olds. After making it through Drive, Chip and Putt’s three qualifying rounds, kids from across the country demonstrated fundamental golfing skills on the legendary Masters Tournament course in Augusta, Ga., including shooting putts at the 18th hole. As the name suggests, competitors shot two drives, chips and putts Sunday, April 7, before the professional tournament began April 11. “It’s only six shots for the day, but it’s not even where he finished, it’s the fact that he made it there,” said Kevin Murphy, owner of Bradford Country Club, where Cronin plays. He got to go to Augusta.

Education

Northern Essex Knights’ Reynoso Again Makes NJCAA Basketball All-America First Team

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Northern Essex Community College men’s basketball standout Luis Reynoso was named Tuesday to the NJCAA Basketball All-America First Team for the second consecutive year by the NJCAA Men’s Basketball Committee. Reynoso of Lawrence becomes the first player in the history of the Knights basketball program to be earn two All-American awards and is just the fourth athlete in the Northern Essex athletic program to earn to recognition twice. On the season, Reynoso appeared in 31 of the Knights 34 games, as he led the Knights to their second consecutive NJCAA Region 21/East District championship where the Knights returned to the national tournament where they finished in fifth place. The team ranked as high as number two in the national rankings during the season. He scored 614 points on the season and became the first Knight to score 1,000 career points since Joe Marshall in 2001 as her finished his two-year career on the Haverhill campus with 1,244 points

While averaging 26.6 minutes played per game, Reynoso led the team in scoring (19.8 ppg), rebounds (13.2 rbg), blocks (1.6 bpg) and assists (4.5apg).

Education

Northern Essex Community College Athletics Hall of Fame to Induct Fowle, Maiola, Fenerci

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Former cross-country standout Larry Fowle, national baseball player of the year Colby Maiola and men’s basketball standout Sercan Fenerci will be formally inducted this month into the Northern Essex Community College Athletics Hall of Fame. The 2024 class will be the fifth induction class since the college created the Hall of Fame in 2019. Dinner ceremonies take place Wednesday, March 20, beginning at 6 p.m., in the Hartleb Technology Center on the Haverhill Campus. Tickets are $35 each and available online until Monday, March 11. Fowle, a Haverhill native, has held the Northern Essex cross country school record since 2001 and is the only athlete to ever break the 27-minute mark for 8,000 meters at the college.

Business Bulletin

Northern Essex Hosts Men’s and Women’s NJCAA Championships Tournament Semi-Finals and Finals

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For the first time, Northern Essex Community College is set to the host the men’s and women’s NJCAA East District/Region 21 Championships Tournament Semi-Finals and Finals this weekend. The 2024 tournament marks the first time both the men’s and women’s championships have been held at the same site since 2020. The tournament takes place Saturday and Sunday, March 2 and 3. The Knights men’s basketball team earned the tournament’s top seed for the second consecutive season and advanced to the tournament’s final four by virtue of Wednesday night’s 93-61 quarterfinal victory over Roxbury. Luis Reynoso of Lawrence led the Knights with a 29-point, 15 rebound performance in the quarterfinal.

Haverhill

Podcast: In Advance of 50th Anniversary Celebration, ‘Spike’ Sprague Reveals Little Known Facts

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It won’t be long before members of Haverhill High School’s 1973-74 hockey team gather for the 50th anniversary of the program and one of the organizers is revealing decades-old details. The celebration takes place Saturday Feb. 17, at Haverhill High School’s Veterans Memorial rink with a game against Shawsheen. Richard “Spike” Sprague, who scored Haverhill High’s first varsity goal, gave away some secrets during a visit last week to WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. “I guess you’re going to find out why I scored the goal, because he went into emergency duty because the starter was out.

Business Bulletin

After Large Donation, Youth Wrestling Tournament Goes Forward

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After a last-minute search, Haverhill Hammers Youth Wrestling finally found a location for its league’s annual tournament, but it still needed to pay for the event. Head Coach Joe Delgrosso said he approached Covanta, who agreed to pay the bulk of costs — trainer and rental fees, for example. The club offers two programs, one an introduction to wrestling for kids in kindergarten through first grade and the other offering more serious instruction for fourth through eighth graders as they prepare for high school wrestling. Haverhill High’s team is ranked third in New England, according to Delgrosso. Describing the program for older children, Delgrosso said, “that’s when wrestling starts to become a little more serious, with a focus upon winning, and if we’re not winning, we’re learning why we lost.

Community Spotlight

Dozens of Local Athletes Take Part in YMCA Regional Gymnastics Meet in Plaistow

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The YMCA Regional Gymnastics Meet took place this past weekend at the Plaistow, N.H., Community YMCA. There were 350 athletes competing from across New England with 40 athletes from Haverhill. Haverhill/Plaistow YMCA Phoenix Gymnastics Team and their levels were April Morales, Caroline Turner, Avery Orr, Brianna Castro and Emery Dacey, Level 1; Alayah Pierrot, Liliana Dacey, Mia Delossantos and Eryn Haynes, Level 2; Kiaraliz Castro and Charlotte Caron, Level 3; Gianna Lundgren, Willow Murray, Casey Baker, Juliana Cordero and Selena Urrutia, Level 4; Ari Dempsey, Suri Figueroa, Olivia Battey and Nevaeh Brumis, level 6; Annalise Gritzer, Level 7; Jadalyn Perez, Madison Hertel and Rylee Dempsey, Xcel Bronze; Alexa Troisi, Catherine Alleva, Sadie Almeida, Charlotte Barber, Natalie Apuzzo, Angel Silva and Fiona Hickey, Xcel Silver; Amaya Castro and Addison Murray, Xcel Gold; and Kaelyn    Mazzaglia, Xcel Platinum. Events were overseen by Lyndsey Delp, YMCA gymnastic director, and Ken Sloanhoffer, gymnastic team head coach.