Editor’s note: With the winter high school season all done, it’s time to take a look back at how the season unfolded in girls basketball.
The 2009-10 high school season was an interesting one. Two local girls basketball programs made some history, while another went through a mid-season change, but continued its success.
Class L
While Winnacunnet was making history of its own – the Warriors haven’t lost a game in their last 53 – and won its fourth straight title. The Warriors joined Manchester Central (1978-81) and Nashua (1985-89) as the only programs to win four straight Class L girls titles. In Class S, both Henniker (1981-84) and Groveton (1990-93, 1999-2003) are the only other girls programs to win more than four in a row.
Nashua North was the top local team, finishing with an 11-7 record and the No. 6 seed in the tournament. The Titans won the first girls basketball playoff game in school history, beating No. 11 Alvirne (8-10) 59-31. North eventually lost to No. 3 Londonderry in the quarterfinals 54-33.
Bishop Guertin was a game behind the Titans, going 10-8 and getting the No. 8 seed. The Cardinals hosted a first-round game and beat No. 9 Exeter, 58-51. BG fell to Winnacunnet in the quarterfinals, 66-32.
No. 14 Merrimack (8-10) played a tough game in the opening round against Londonderry, but eventually lost 63-45.
Nashua South finished the year with a 4-14 record and missed the postseason.
Class I
It’s been an interesting year in all Class I sports, thanks to the NHIAA’s decision to test out the Heal Points System in that class.
Souhegan had one of the longest winning streaks this season, at one point taking 15 straight games. The Sabers did that despite going through a coaching change in mid-January. Souhegan earned the No. 3 seed in the playoffs with a 16-2 record and opened with a 66-53 win over No. 14 Bedford. The Sabers fell in the quarterfinals, losing to No. 6 Kennett, 50-48. The Eagles went on to win the Class I title, upsetting No. 1 and undefeated Lebanon.
Hollis/Brookline turned in one of the best seasons in program history, going 15-3 and earning the No. 4 seed in the tournament. The Cavaliers defeated Souhegan for the first time in the regular season, and cruised to a first-round playoff win against No. 13 Merrimack Valley, 61-34, H/B’s first since moving up to Class I. The Cavs lost to No. 5 St. Thomas in the quarterfinals, losing 55-48.
For most of the season, Milford looked like it was going to miss the playoffs. But thanks to a late-season surge, the Spartans snuck in as the 16th seed. Milford fell on the road to Lebanon in the first round, 69-42.
Kennett won its first title since 1989 by pulling out three upsets. The Eagles defeated No. 2 Portsmouth by one point in the semifinals and knocked off Lebanon by seven.
Class S
Wilton-Lyndeborough finished the regular season with a 9-9 record and earned the No. 10 seed in Class S. The Warriors went on the road to face No. 7 Newmarket, and lost 40-27 to finish out the season.
No. 1 Groveton won its second straight title, defeating No. 3 Derryfield 56-25 in the championship game.