More Than a Game

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Tomorrow night will be a huge night of basketball at Conval High when long-time neighborhood rival Souhegan comes to town. But it will be much more than two big games. Conval and Souhegan high schools are coming together (student leadership groups pictured above) for “Claws for a Cause” to raise funds for Break the Silence—a nonprofit, student-run organization looking to end the stigma of mental health and provide resources to young people in need of treatment.

The girls’ varsity teams from both schools will square off at 5 p.m., and the boys will battle it out at 7 p.m. Spectators are encouraged to wear purple, and students will be selling “Claws for a Cause” purple t-shirts. Please note, unlike most regular season games, there will be a general admission tomorrow night, with all proceeds going to Break the Silence.


“Claws for a Cause” continues our great CV hoop heritage of giving back to our communities and those in need.


The tradition dates back to the 1930s when funds raised through the girls’ state tournaments at the Peterborough Town House were used to support the American Red Cross and the local PTA welfare fund. 


More recently, Conval and Souhegan partnered for several years for the Hope for Gus initiative to improve outcomes for young people fighting Duchenne muscular dystrophy. At bottom left are members of the 2019-'20 Cougar boys with their Hope for Gus t-shirts.


This year’s project started with the Conval Student Leadership (SLT) team, which looks to help its local and global community through actionable leadership. The SLT, knowing the Souhegan rivalry would produce a big crowd, reached out to the Sabers’ student leaders, and the two schools came together to create a community event that would be more than basketball. 


The athletic directors from both schools recognized the impact these students wanted to have and rearranged the season’s schedule to produce tomorrow night’s doubleheader. “The greatest part of this event is that it’s the students leading the way,” says Conval Athletic Director Kevin Proctor, “fighting through barriers with determination to make it happen for those in need.”



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