Spring Sports

Early predictions for the 2019 high school boys lacrosse season

In many ways, the 2018 high school boys lacrosse season felt like déjà vu. Hopkinton and Derryfield both repeated as undefeated champions, the second Division III title in a row for the Hawks and the third-straight Division II title for the Cougars. For the sixth year in a row, and seventh time in e

In many ways, the 2018 high school boys lacrosse season felt like déjà vu.

Hopkinton and Derryfield both repeated as undefeated champions, the second Division III title in a row for the Hawks and the third-straight Division II title for the Cougars.

For the sixth year in a row, and seventh time in eight years, the Division I final saw Bishop Guertin and Pinkerton meet, with the Astros winning their 11th NHIAA title. It was also the Cardinals' 13th straight appearance in the championship game.

All of those streaks could easily continue in 2019, as Hopkinton and Derryfield return a solid core from last year's championship teams, and Bishop Guertin and Pinkerton once again look like the teams to beat in D1.

But what about everyone else? Here are a few early preseason predictions to keep an eye on as the boys lacrosse season gets closer.

Exeter will finish in the top two in D1

It feels like the Blue Hawks have been knocking at the door to make it a big three in Division I for some time, and this season, everything might line up for them to do it.

Despite losing 14 seniors, including leading scorer Mike Penna, to graduation, Exeter has a very good cast of returning players, including junior goalie Henry Vogt and sophomore midfielder Spencer Clark. The Blue Hawks have a tough schedule, with two games against Pinkerton and Londonderry, plus games at Nashua South, Souhegan and Derryfield to go with out-of-state matchups with Cohasset and Acton-Boxborough.

With Bishop Guertin (five out-of-state games) and Pinkerton (six) each playing a loaded schedule, it's possible if everything breaks right for Exeter that it slips ahead of either the Cardinals or the Astros in the standings by the end of the year.

A former D2 team will make the playoffs in D1

With 2019 being the first year in the NHIAA's two-year cycle there was some shuffling of teams between divisions, with Merrimack, Manchester Central and the new co-op between Manchester Memorial and Manchester West dropping down to D2.

Dover makes a return to D1 after spending the last two seasons in D2, while Keene and Timberlane also move up a division. All three were playoff teams in D2 a season ago, and with 14 teams in D1 this year, it means nine teams will make the postseason.

While Keene and Timberlane should be competitive, don't be surprised if Dover is among the top nine when the regular season ends.

A new D2 team will make the playoffs in its new home

While three teams moved down from D1, there were also two teams that moved up from D3, as ConVal and Coe-Brown - both playoff team a year ago - make the jump to D2.

Of those five new D2 teams, two have a better shot at making the postseason in their new home. Coe-Brown has continued to grow every year during its short history and should continue to do so, led by junior Jacob Radwan. Merrimack had struggled the last couple of seasons in D1, with depth sometimes an issue, but the Tomahawks have a chance to bounce back in D2.

With 14 teams making the postseason in D2 this year, don't be surprised to see Coe-Brown or Merrimack find its way into the playoffs.

One of the win streaks will come to an end

Derryfield hasn't lost a game since April of 2016, and hasn't lost to a D2 opponent since the championship game in 2015. The Cougars' win streak is at 53 games, the longest active streak in the country.

But the regular-season schedule gets a little tougher this year, as Derryfield has added games against Souhegan and Exeter and will also go on the road to face Westwood (Mass.) in the second week of the season. And that doesn't take into account how close Portsmouth and Windham were to knocking off the Cougars a year ago.

As for Hopkinton, the win streak is 34 games over the last two seasons, and the Hawks return the division's top player in Colby Quiet. They will open the year as the favorite, but the Hawks lost a lot to graduation, including their starting goalie and two-time defensive player of the year Gerry Donahue. Hopkinton should have figured it all out in time for two big road tests loom in May with games at Pelham and at Laconia.

Speaking of Quiet ...

... the Hopkinton junior was anything but last season, scoring 81 goals as he helped lead the Hawks to their second straight title. If he stays healthy, Quiet will get close to a hundred this season.