Five Years of Boys Basketball State Champs

 Five Year State Champs

A Little History on KHS Boys Basketball

Basketball in the Mount Washington Valley has been around since before A. Crosby Kennett High School existed.  With basketball starting at what was known as the North Conway High School (NCHS) before 1920.  The above picture is the 1921-1922 NCHS boys Basketball team.  In the White Mountain Breeze (1922 Yearbook) it says “the boys have been taught to play a clean game, and it is a source of pride that the games were clean even though they were not all won.”  The NCHS team was represented by William Mohoney, E. Merrill, Raymond Twombly, Fred Kenison, E. Hodgdon, C. James and captain H. Seavey with R. Sanphy as Manager and Mr. Orcutt as coach. 

 

1923

The first Kennett boys basketball team (1923-1924) had seven players that played on a regular basis.  These players were Bob Garland, John Chandler, Fred Kenison, Raymond Twombly, Charles Davidson, William Mahoney, and Chester Goulding.  They compiled a record of thirteen wins and four losses in its first season of competition.  Commenting on the team’s first season, the “Kennett Kommett” publication said; “It would be impossible to pick an individual due to the well-balanced teamwork.”  However, Garland who was also captain and the star quarterback on the first Kennett Football team was singled out “for his brilliant leadership and high scoring ability.”

It was agreed that one of the highlights of that first season had to be Kennett’s 20-17 win over the Manchester West Side team, a squad that had won twenty straight games without a defeat.   The team’s leading scorer for the year was forward, Bob Garland with 216 points, followed by center John Chandler with 98.

1939

The 1939-40 basketball team was captained by Bob Jordie.  In the opening game (first game played in the new gymnasium), the Kennett men looked most impressive in posting a 42-25 victory over arch-rivals, the Plymouth High Bobcats.  The Kennett defense held the Bobcats to seven baskets from the floor.  Captain Bob Jordie and sophomore Bill Hawkens led the Kennett team in scoring with twelve points each.  Kennett’s offense was most aggressive with Bill Shea and Bob Jordie fouling out in the third and fourth periods respectively.

In early February 1940, the Kennett Boys Basketball team was one of the three teams fighting for the first place in the Pemigewasset Basketball league.  Lincoln was in first place with a 5-1 record, followed by Meredith with a 6-2 record and Kennett with a 5-2 record.  One of Meredith’s defeats was a double-overtime loss to Kennett at Conway, 35-33.

Coach Seidenstuecker led the 1940 Kennett Boys Basketball Team to a seasonal record of eight wins and five losses.  The Kennett men stayed close in all five of their losses with the exception of a 14 point loss to Pemigewasset champions, Lincoln High School.  Ruby Lorraine led the scores with a total of 131 points in thirteen games, closely followed by Bill Hawkes with 124 and Bill Shea with 107 points.

1942

Kennett’s very first state championship basketball team was one of Coach Seidenstuecker’s best.  Led by Mohawk Native American, Ruby Lorraine and Captain Bill Hawkens, Kennett’s sharp shooting forward and ably supported by Ken Warren, Jim Berry, and Chauncey Smith, this squad came back from first-half deficits twice to pin down the state title at the UNH Fieldhouse in Durham.

Playing Class “B” competition at the time, similar to Class “M” later, the Eagles won 6 games and lost none.  The Eagles lost to a strong Class “A” team from New London High School, Connecticut and twice in one point defeats at the hands of the Berlin High Mountaineers, at that time a Class “A” power.

In another out-of-class competition in 1942, Kennett posted wins over Portland “Y” Juniors, Portland Emeralds and the Portland Boy’s Club.

In the Class “B” tourney at Durham, Kennett produced wins over Conant of Jaffery, Meredith, and Hillsboro High School in the finals. Some clutch outside shooting by Ruby Lorraine sparked the Eagles to a comeback and  win in the finals.

Squad members were Bill Hawkens, James Berry, Ruby Lorraine, Chauncey Smith, Ken Warren, George Fuller, Bob Lorraine, Harrison Randall, Bob Saunders and Harold Vincent with the team’s manager, John Potter, guardian of the trophy emblematic of Kennett's first state championship team.

The team coach was Karl Seidenstuecker, assisted by George Davidson.

1950

Kennett’s second state championship in basketball was given only an outside chance of winning the coveted title in 1950.  However, the team fooled the experts and the team endeared themselves to basketball fans all over the state “for their fighting spirit and excellent team play.”

Given the nickname of the “Black Knights” by the state sportswriter, the team was forced to come from behind time and again, and they refused to give up.

The 1950 Kennett Yearbook, “The Eagle” said of this team; “They blended the ability to profit from sound coaching and a fighting spirit that produced the victories when the pressure was the greatest.  This team of 1950 will long be remembered when the great teams of Kennett are recalled.”

The team record was 16 wins and 3 losses, including a first-round upset victory over previously undefeated Groveton High, a 41-40 tournament win over arch-rival, St. John’s High of Concord and a thrilling climatic 37-35 win over Somersworth Hilltopper to bring home the championship to Kennett.

Team members were: Felix Acosta, Roger Berry, Richard “PeeWee” French, Fred Hall, Arnie Quint, Danny Quint, Davis Reny and Drew Webster with Perley Irish as the capable team manager.

Once again it was Kennett’s highly respected coach, Karl Seidenstuecker who piloted this squad to the school’s second State basketball title.

1959

The 1959 boys’ varsity basketball team will be remembered as the team which started Kennett’s three-year destiny as state champions in Class “M” competition.

Coached by Karl Seindenstuecker, assisted by Coach Gordon Mann, the Eagles defeated St. Pat’s High of Berlin, Alvirne High of Hudson, Colebrook Academy and Charlestown High School to notch the Class “M” State Championship.

Kennett was invited to play in the Class “L” State Tournament and the team earned a thrilling 41-40 win over Stevens High School of Claremont, only to lose to a powerhouse, Keene High School by a score of 51-41 in the second round of play.  Kennett’s overall record was 20 wins and 5 losses.

Kennett fans were treated to some terrific outside shooting by Sut Marshall, some aggressive rebounding by Bob “Beake” Sweeney, and the amazing long-distance shots of Bob Francoeur. 

Members of the 1959 team consisted of Robert Abbott, Charles Birch, Roland Conner, David Eldridge, Robert Francoeur, David Gosselin, Conrad Hitchins, Jerry Labbee, Pit Marshall, Sut Marshall and Robert Sweeney with Steve Potter as Team Manager.

1960

The 1960 State Championship team was a young team.  There was not a single senior on the team and Kennett’s dynamic backcourt play-maker was Hugh Farrington, a Freshman.  Captained by Pit Marshall,  this team was one of Kennett’s finest ever.

The overall team record was 21-6, including four tournament victories over Pembroke, Plymouth, Pinkerton Academy, and Woodsville in Class “M” Competition.  Invited to compete in the Class “L” tournament the Eagles defeated Spaulding High School of Rochester and lost to Nashua High School in the second round of play.

It is to be noted that in this period of time New Hampshire High School Basketball teams were divided into only three classes, “L”, “M”, and “S.”

This teams was coached by the Kennett Brain Trust, Karl Seindenstuecker and Gordon Mann.

1961

Most of the games between Kennett and St. John were always close, decided by one or two points.  Kennett in the 1961 Class “M” Championship game played at the University of New Hampshire Fieldhouse, knocked out St. Johns High to win the coveted state title for the third year in a row.

The 1961 team posted a record of 24 wins and two defeats; at the hands of St. John's in the regular season and the second in the Boston Garden when the Eagles lost to Main High School, Oriono by a score of 57-47.

The members of this championship squad were Charles Birch, Roland Connor, Hugh Farrington, Bert George, David Gosselin, Jerry Labbe, Pit Marshall, Dwight McLellan, Donald Reny, Paul Richardson, Lyford Smith, John Stuart and Oliver Turcotte with Bob Philbrick, as the teams very efficient manager.

Basketball has always been a part of the Kennett Community, the bleachers are always packed and fans cheer and support.  Win or loose basketball is apart of Kennett and those eagles will soar to their highest heights.