Playoff Season Has Begun
Robin Wozny
March 05, 2026
It’s called the second season, that means it’s playoff season in the North Country. Both the boys and girls playoffs have begun in New Hampshire. In Vermont the girls playoffs have gotten underway and the boys will begin next week. The playoffs are a sixteen-team single elimination tournament, so it’s lose and get ready for the spring season or win and move on. Our area has a rich history of championship runs, most recently the Woodsville boys went undefeated in 2025 to bring home the trophy.
This season was a different story for those Engineers as they entered the tournament in the sixteenth spot. They were on the road to face the number one ranked Littleton Crusaders. The Woodsville faithful filled the visitors bleachers, anticipating an upset. Those hopes were dashed as the Crusaders took a 25-12 lead into the locker room at the half. Woodsville struggled to get many shots off against a smothering Littleton defense. Brady Fish and Ryan Walker both finished the game with 13 points. The final score was 66-35, and the 2025/26 season ended for the Engineers.
The Woodsville girls team entered the tournament as the 8 seed and hosted number 9 seed Portsmouth Christian. Portsmouth Christian was able to stay close in the first half and benefitted from a few Woodsville turnovers. When the clock ran out in the second period, Woodsville went into the locker room with a three point lead. Woodsville came out of the halftime break and pushed themselves ahead for good with a double digit lead. In the end Portsmouth Christian just couldn’t match Woodsville’s quickness. With the win Woodsville advances to the quarter-finals to take on the Littleton Crusaders.
In the Vermont tournament, Oxbow earned a number three ranking and hosted number 14 Thetford in a girls playoff game. Both teams started slow, not scoring for the first two minutes. Oxbow played a tough man-to-man defense, while Thetford changed it up between zone and man. Oxbow led the entire first half, which ended in a 23-11 lead for the Olympians. Thetford made a gigantic push to cut into Oxbow’s lead in the beginning of the fourth as they cut the lead to 5. After a quick time out the Olympians stepped up and finished the game with the win 50-40. Abby Longto for Oxbow stepped up in the second half and finished the game with 15 points. Brady Phelps was solid as always and led all scorers with 18 points.
The Woodsville girls team’s season ended as they were defeated by the Littleton Crusaders. Woodsville was looking for the upset as they traveled east on route 302, and took a narrow one-point lead into the locker room at the half 20-19. Littleton’s defense stepped up big in the second half, they contained Makayla Walker to just one point and Katie Houston to just four points. Woodsville would only score 7 points in the second half. Littleton advanced to the semi-final game as they picked up the win 34-27. Walker led all Woodsville scorers with 12 points.
The Oxbow girls hosted Peoples Academy in the Vermont Division III quarter finals. Oxbow had previously beaten Peoples twice during the regular season, first at Peoples they won by a mere two points and then later in the season at home by 15. Oxbow may have taken this People's team a bit too lightly as Peoples came with a definite game plan to slow the ball down and limit Oxbow’s possessions. They did this to perfection and were able to stop Braylee Phelps from scoring any points from the field. By halftime, Peoples had a seven point lead and two Oxbow starters had sat the bench for all of the second period in foul trouble. Oxbow made a run early in the third and pulled to within two, but Peoples answered and by the end of the period Peoples had a 38-29 lead. Oxbow’s never give up attitude kept them close enough to make another run and Oxbow took their first lead of the game with just over two minutes left to go in the game. Oxbow’s Makenna Houston stepped up big in the second half, scoring 15 of her 17 points. Peoples had two shots in the last 10 seconds to tie or win but neither shot would fall and Oxbow got the 46-44 win.
Another week of highlights, hard work, and hustle wraps up Inside the Huddle. Appreciation goes out to Walker Motor Sales—your Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram dealership at walkermotor.net.
This season was a different story for those Engineers as they entered the tournament in the sixteenth spot. They were on the road to face the number one ranked Littleton Crusaders. The Woodsville faithful filled the visitors bleachers, anticipating an upset. Those hopes were dashed as the Crusaders took a 25-12 lead into the locker room at the half. Woodsville struggled to get many shots off against a smothering Littleton defense. Brady Fish and Ryan Walker both finished the game with 13 points. The final score was 66-35, and the 2025/26 season ended for the Engineers.
The Woodsville girls team entered the tournament as the 8 seed and hosted number 9 seed Portsmouth Christian. Portsmouth Christian was able to stay close in the first half and benefitted from a few Woodsville turnovers. When the clock ran out in the second period, Woodsville went into the locker room with a three point lead. Woodsville came out of the halftime break and pushed themselves ahead for good with a double digit lead. In the end Portsmouth Christian just couldn’t match Woodsville’s quickness. With the win Woodsville advances to the quarter-finals to take on the Littleton Crusaders.
In the Vermont tournament, Oxbow earned a number three ranking and hosted number 14 Thetford in a girls playoff game. Both teams started slow, not scoring for the first two minutes. Oxbow played a tough man-to-man defense, while Thetford changed it up between zone and man. Oxbow led the entire first half, which ended in a 23-11 lead for the Olympians. Thetford made a gigantic push to cut into Oxbow’s lead in the beginning of the fourth as they cut the lead to 5. After a quick time out the Olympians stepped up and finished the game with the win 50-40. Abby Longto for Oxbow stepped up in the second half and finished the game with 15 points. Brady Phelps was solid as always and led all scorers with 18 points.
The Woodsville girls team’s season ended as they were defeated by the Littleton Crusaders. Woodsville was looking for the upset as they traveled east on route 302, and took a narrow one-point lead into the locker room at the half 20-19. Littleton’s defense stepped up big in the second half, they contained Makayla Walker to just one point and Katie Houston to just four points. Woodsville would only score 7 points in the second half. Littleton advanced to the semi-final game as they picked up the win 34-27. Walker led all Woodsville scorers with 12 points.
The Oxbow girls hosted Peoples Academy in the Vermont Division III quarter finals. Oxbow had previously beaten Peoples twice during the regular season, first at Peoples they won by a mere two points and then later in the season at home by 15. Oxbow may have taken this People's team a bit too lightly as Peoples came with a definite game plan to slow the ball down and limit Oxbow’s possessions. They did this to perfection and were able to stop Braylee Phelps from scoring any points from the field. By halftime, Peoples had a seven point lead and two Oxbow starters had sat the bench for all of the second period in foul trouble. Oxbow made a run early in the third and pulled to within two, but Peoples answered and by the end of the period Peoples had a 38-29 lead. Oxbow’s never give up attitude kept them close enough to make another run and Oxbow took their first lead of the game with just over two minutes left to go in the game. Oxbow’s Makenna Houston stepped up big in the second half, scoring 15 of her 17 points. Peoples had two shots in the last 10 seconds to tie or win but neither shot would fall and Oxbow got the 46-44 win.
Another week of highlights, hard work, and hustle wraps up Inside the Huddle. Appreciation goes out to Walker Motor Sales—your Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram dealership at walkermotor.net.
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