RallyNorth.net

The names change, but the script remains the same at the Blue Devil Classic, the traditional season-opening local wrestling tournament.

Once again, Concord, N.H., rolled to the team title yesterday, its sixth straight, while local teams Pinkerton, Central Catholic and Salem showed some superb individual talent and projected promise of better days ahead.

For six games this year, Pinkerton's Bree Robinson sat on the bench, anxious and uncomfortable.

An ankle injury had sidelined the star forward who, at the time, was the Astros' leading scorer. But she returned to the lineup fulltime just before eighth-seeded Pinkerton went into the Class L playoffs, and she's already paying big dividends.

Robbie McLarney raced down field, beat a defender to the ball and fired it past the goalie to the left side of the net in the 94th minute of overtime to give No. 4 Londonderry a 1-0 victory over Manchester Memorial in the Class L quarterfinals. "It was fantastic," said Londonderry coach Shawn Diaz. "We have been on such a great run the second half of this season. This is the first time in my five years we have made the semifinals."

Second half goals from Brittany Gentile and Erin Garrish allowed Pinkerton to ease past upset-minded Manchester Memorial, 2-0. Julie Medeiros was stellar in goal for the Astros (9-3-1), turning aside four shots.

After a scoreless first half, Tori McCombs scored eight minutes into the second half and Londonderry went on to beat Manchester Memorial, 3-0. Kellie Walsh and Kelley Griffin had the other Lancers goals.

MANCHESTER, N.H. | Less than four and a half minutes into the game, and it was already over.

The first time an Astro had a chance to handle the ball, Eric Guinto ran back a punt 60 yards for a touchdown. Bobby Dattilo added a score, the first of four for the senior back, at 7:32 to essentially ice the game for Pinkerton, which rolled to a 53-6 win over Manchester Memorial.

LONDONDERRY, N.H. | Just after the opening kickoff last night, a Londonderry fan could be heard bellowing for the Lancers to, "Throw the football."

Once again, there was no need.

Behind a running game that accumulated a whopping 394 yards as a team, Londonderry followed up its huge upset over Salem a week ago with a 39-0 drubbing of Manchester Memorial.

MANCHESTER, N.H. | Two weeks, two early knockouts.

Still seeking a challenge, the Salem High football team smothered host Manchester Memorial, 42-7, before about 700 fans at Chabot-McDonough Stadium.

Manchester Memorial outlasted Pinkerton 4-3 after a pair of second half goals broke a 2-2 halftime tie. Bree Robinson scored twice for Pinkerton, which nearly rallied from a 4-2 deficit.