Around the Granite State: Legion baseball teams ready to get tournament started

The New Hampshire American Legion senior baseball tournament gets underway Friday morning, and defending champion Bedford Post 54 is ready to attempt to defend its title.

In 2011, it was pitching that got Post 54 to the American Legion World Series – a first for a New Hampshire team since 2002 – and if Bedford is going to win the state title again, it will again have to be with pitching.

“It’s all about pitching,” Bedford coach Tim Conway said. “You need three good starters and the bullpen is the huge part. You can’t get all nine (innings) every time.”

Conway feels he has three good starters in Tom Hudon, Ryan Mossman and Tim Michaud. All pitched well down the stretch, as Bedford finished 11-4 in District A-2.

Bedford will open against Portsmouth Post 6 (11-4 in District B-1), a team with a lot players looking to forget a tough loss to end the high school baseball season. For one Portsmouth player, its a chance to finish with one more title. Portsmouth and Bedford will play at 4 p.m. on Friday.

Meanwhile, Concord Post 21 returned to the tournament in 2011 for the first time since 1994, and will enter as one of the favorites this year. Concord will take on Londonderry at 9 a.m. on Friday.

Rochester Post 7 enters as one of the hottest teams, having won seven of eight. But because Rochester finished its season early, it had to wait almost a week to find out if it would even get into the tournament. Post 7 will play Goffstown at 12 p.m. on Friday.

The first day of the tournament ends with Salem taking on Post 79 at 7 p.m.

Roster change

There was another change made this week to the New Hampshire roster for the Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl. Pinkerton’s Emmitt Smith is out of the game, as he continues to deal with an injury from the East-West All-Star Game. Smith will be replaced by Plymouth’s Cole Brooker.

Both the New Hampshire and Vermont teams began practice on Thursday at Kimball Union Academy in Meriden. The game will be played Aug. 4 at Dartmouth College.

Not happy with realignment

The NHIAA has released its three-division plan for football in 2013, and not everyone is thrilled to see it happen.

Newfound coach Greg Dalzell believes it will hurt the schools that make up Division VI this season. Schools like Newfound (422 enrollment), Raymond (419) and Newport (390) will be in the same division in 2013 as Stevens (649), Pelham (623) and Kearsarge (604).

The six-division format will be used in 2012, with the NHIAA testing out the three-division format for one year in 2013.

Post 54 looking to defend title – The Cabinet

PHS baseball playoffs loss motivates Booma – Portsmouth Herald

Bean looking to make one more championship run – Portsmouth Herald

Post 21 has eyes on the prize – Concord Monitor

Post 7 pumped up for postseason – Foster’s Daily Democrat

Brooker replaces Smith on Shrine roster – NH Football Report

High school football realignment could harm Division VI – Laconia Citizen