When Antrim Was Unofficial State Champs
Although sports historians have documented that girls in New Hampshire played basketball interscholastically before the boys, and communities like Peterborough played host to invitational state tournaments in the 1930s, there was no official girls' state championship or tournament until the NHIAA’s large school (Class AA) event in 1970. Smaller schools (Class A) didn’t have their first official champion until the 1971-'72 season.
But if those tournaments had begun a few years earlier, the Antrim High Warriors would surely have been one of the favorites to win it all.
1969-'70 champions of the Granite State League, an association of smaller New Hampshire high schools, Antrim finished the season undefeated at 17-0.
In fact, as unofficial small school state champs, the Warriors went out in grand style in their last season before becoming a part of the new Conval Regional High School in the fall of 1970, winning 29 straight games dating back to the previous season.
In the friendly confines of the old Antrim High gym, Coach Alan Page’s team was undefeated over a three-year span!
Coach Page credited his team’s success to great defense and a determination to continually improve. Leading the offense were Bonnie Rockwell and Shelley Barsanti, who both averaged 13 points per game. Judy Cole and Susan Beauchamp were starting forwards while Marcia LaMonda and Beth Jones held down the defensive positions.
Other members of this amazing team were Heidi Pettengill, Laurie Barsanti, Nancy Jones, Ruth Brzozowski, Amy Webber, Tammy Durgin, Terry Patterson, Patty Desaulniers and Wanda Martel.
In a sort of preview of what was to come at Conval High, Antrim scrimmaged a strong Peterborough High team (8-4) late in the 1969-’70 season. “When we scrimmaged with Peterborough the year before Conval,” said Ruth Brzozowski Richardson (CV ’72), “I saw what a physical team that they were—they had some very intimidating players, like Wendy Peters and Franny Longo!” So, when the two schools came together as one that fall, Ruth laughed, “I didn’t even try out!”
As it turned out, however, Shelley Barsanti, Bonnie Rockwell and Sue Beauchamp decided to join their PHS counterparts and proved to be key members of the first-ever Conval girls’ basketball team, which completed a highly successful winning season.
Many thanks to Ruth Brzozowski Richardson for providing us the details on this great story in our Conval Hoop Heritage. If you have a story or a game, of any era, that you'll never forget and want to share, send us a Message via our Facebook page.
