Her impact has been immediate and promising.
Just 13 games into her college basketball career at the University of New Hampshire, Denise Beliveau (inset at right) is not playing like a true freshman. The former Framingham High star, a gifted player at both ends of the floor, has made a rather smooth transition to the college game.
The 5-foot-11-inch forward is second on the Wildcats in scoring (11.1 points per game) and 3-point shooting, and is pulling down 5.1 rebounds per game. Showing her defensive prowess, she paces the squad in steals (27).
"Denise is one of the hardest-working players on the team and her work ethic is a great example to everyone," said New Hampshire coach Kristin Cole. "She is also extremely unselfish and dedicated to the game. Her ability to rebound, score off the dribble, and defend have helped us tremendously."
In just her third collegiate game, Beliveau netted a team-high 17 points in a 71-59 win over Tennessee-Martin. She submitted her best performance last month in her first start, when she scored 22 points and collected 10 rebounds, both team highs, in a 78-71 loss at Northeastern.
"I feel like her transition has been very smooth and she has adapted to the college game nicely," Cole said of Beliveau, who has already been honored as the America East's Freshman of the Week three times.
She is not the lone player from the area stepping forward for the Wildcats (3-10).
Candace Williams (inset at right), a 6-1 sophomore forward from Norfolk who prepped at St. Raphael Academy in Rhode Island, is developing into a force on the boards. The daughter of former New England Patriot lineman Toby Williams, she is averaging 10.1 points and a team-leading 6.6 rebounds per game. She has led UNH off the glass in six games, including a sensational 14-point, career-high 14-rebound effort in Wednesday night's 69-52 loss at Dartmouth.
"Candace is a great athlete and can really rebound the ball," said Cole. "She is very good off the dribble and in the open court. I think her ability to go hard and challenge herself is where she has and continues to improve the most."
In the championship game, Kelsey Barksdale of North Grafton netted the game's only goal to lift the club's 14-and-under red team to a 1-0 win over the Brewster (N.Y.) Lady Bulldogs. The Flames advanced to the title game with a 4-0 victory over the Concord-based Assabet Valley club's blue squad. Courtney Kendall of Waltham was superb in goal throughout the tournament, allowing just two goals.
" I was very proud of the way the girls played in this tournament," said Flames coach Steve Christie of Hudson. "They played hard every game and knew they had to step it up a notch to compete at the level of play down there. Every player contributed and we won as a team. And it is great experience for the girls to see so many other girls' hockey teams."
Other players from area communities on the squad include Elizabeth Hitti, Jane Reardon, and Kari Thoresen of Ashland; Taylor Ferrazzi of Framingham; Laura Christie of Hudson; Elizabeth Holmes of Southborough; and Lauren Giordano of Watertown.
The Lady Flames play out of the New England Sports Center and compete in the Eastern Hockey Federation and New England Girls Hockey League.
With a field of more than 250 teams divided into five divisions, and featuring more than 3,700 players between the ages of 8 and 19, the Polar Bear is the largest girls' hockey tournament in the country.
Craig Larson can be reached at clarson@globe.com.
