SPORTS ROUNDUP

North Middlesex boys' and girls' track teams competed against Wachusett Regional in Holden last week. The Mountaineers won both meets. Joyce Roberts photo

The Oakmont girls' basketball team improved to 7-4 on the season following a 1-1 week, losing to Division 3 power Lunenburg, 54-24, last Friday, Jan. 12, and defeating Clinton, 47-38, at home this past Tuesday.

In the loss to Lunenburg, Stacy Watt paced the Spartans with nine points, while Tracy Letourneau scored six. The defeat was the first Mid-Wach C loss for Oakmont.

In Tuesday's triumph over the Gaels, Watt poured in 16 points to lead ORHS. The lone tilt on the schedule this week is a non-league battle at Bromfield on Tuesday night.

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This past Tuesday evening, the Monty Tech girls' basketball team picked up a 51-28 victory over Valley Tech in Upton, as Madeline Merchant scored 16 points to lead the Bulldogs (5-1). Freshman Katie Havey added 11.

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On Thursday, Jan. 11, the North Middlesex girls' basketball team lost a hard-fought, 52-47 battle to Mid-Wach A rival Leominster. Angie Johnson scored 16 points to go along with five rebounds, while Katie Hayward scored 10 points with seven rebounds. Tracy Erickson added seven.

This past Tuesday night, the Patriots (2-9) lost to Fitchburg, 55-44.

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In boys' basketball action, Monty Tech dropped a Colonial Athletic League decision to Hudson Catholic, 63-47. Joe Flanagan paced the Bulldogs with 14 points, while Eric Diaz chipped in with 10. Miguel Gutierez added nine points, while the tandem of Josh Melendez and Robert Crespo each had six points for Monty Tech. The Bulldogs dropped to 3-5 overall and 1-3 in the Colonial.

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And the North Middlesex boys' basketball team fell to Leominster, 70-46. Ben Ingerson led all Patriots with 13 points, while Jimmy Moore added 12 for NM. Justin Gay scored seven points, while Jim Capsalis scored six. NM is now 3-5 overall and 2-3 in Mid-Wach A.

********* The Oakmont ice hockey team had an 0-1-1 week, suffering a 3-2 loss to Northbridge on Jan. 10 and salvaging a 4-4 tie to Murdock on Jan. 13.

Liam Raferty scored three goals on the week to lead the Spartans, while Nick Carter had a goal and an assist; Carter's goal was the first varsity tally for the freshman. Ian Cornwall also had a pair of helpers, both coming on Raferty's goals.

Eric Woodward and C.J. Shell also scored goals for the Spartans. Matt Foley, Travis Perrett and Ben Perrett also recorded assists on the week.

Two of Raferty's goals came in the matinee with Murdock. His second goal, which came at 10:15 of the first period, came on a tip-in, as Cornwall blasted a slapper from the point. Oakmont held a 3-1 advantage with that tally, but the Blue Devils were able to put together offensive spurts late in the first and second periods to tie the score.

Shell's goal made it 4-3, but Murdock re-knotted the score 45 seconds later. Both teams had chances late in the game, including Oakmont's game-winning attempt that was denied with four seconds left.

Oakmont is 2-4-1 and hosted Nashoba Regional at Iorio Arena this past Wednesday night, which was after press time. They also have a rematch with Murdock on Saturday, Jan. 20, this time at Iorio. Face-off is slated for 8 p.m.

. Compiled by Journal Correspondent Sean Sweeney

If you have a sports story idea or to submit results to The Community Journal, coaches of all levels of sports can call the paper at (978) 827-3386, Ext. 10, or e-mail them (preferred method) to Journal sports writer Sean Sweeney at sean_sweeney@verizon.net. The sports deadline for Friday's paper is 2 p.m. on Tuesday afternoons.