Baseball Prospect Shines in Lebanon Hoops WinThe MA-NH High School Basketball Report was in Weare, NH tonight to see a Class I match-up between Lebanon (5-1) and John Stark (5-2). The main prospect we were there to see was Lebanon's senior Jake Woodward, and he did not disappoint. Woodward, a top 20 player in NH's Class of 2010, scored a game-high 31 points. More importantly, he led his team to a 66-55 win over John Stark.
Woodward scored his 31 points in a variety of ways. He's a 6'4" forward who has an excellent combination of size, strength, quickness and skill. He has the ability to shoot the jumper or take it to the hole. He is also very tough on the glass, as he finished tonight's game with 11 rebounds. Woodward is very active on both ends of the floor, has a nose for the basketball and is superb at finishing around the rim.
Woodward could certainly play basketball at the Division III level. However, like Zach Mathieu of Pinkerton, he's an even better baseball player. Woodward has a 90 MPH fastball, and hopes to be drafted by a Major League team in the spring. If he's not, he will have a full ride to play baseball in the Big East at St. John's University next season...not a bad fall back option!
This was a very close game for most of the way, with 8 lead changes in the first half. Tim Plunkett led John Stark with 21 points, while Dillon McCarthy (pictured above playing defense) and Jimmy Kane both chipped in with 10 for Lebanon.
BC Bound Tiffany Ruffin Notches Another Win Last NightThe MA-NH High School Basketball Report also visited a contest between two of the top girls teams in New Hampshire's Class L Tuesday night with hopes the Londonderry could knock off undefeated Winnacunnet. The Lancers stayed close for the first half, but the Warriors proved to be too much, pulling away in the second for a 20 point victory. Junior Savannah Butterfield had a double double for Londonderry, scoring 15 points and pulling down 14 boards. She also played some spectacular defense stopping a Warrior scoring run by drawing an offensive foul with three seconds left to play in the first half. Callie King added 12 points for Londonderry and Catherine Cloutier came off the bench to pull down 8 rebounds. For Winnacunnet, Lindsey Mahoney and Emily Siegart had 14 and 13 respectively. Tiffany Ruffin didn't have her best shooting night from the floor, but the Boston College bound senior showed many other reasons why she is a big time player as she controlled the game with some great passing that led to thirteen assists.
