Familiar faces looking to lead top teams in D2 field hockey

Did you like the matchup in last year's Division II field hockey championship game?

Well, there's some good news for you. Between the two of them, Souhegan and Bow lost just two players each from the squads that played for the 2025 title, won by the Sabers.

And if that's not what you were hoping to hear, well, you're also in luck, because quite a few other teams in the division are also returning strong lineups and should push those two throughout the season. Hanover, John Stark, Kingswood, Kennett and Plymouth are looking to take a step while Hollis Brookline and Oyster River have been on the rise in recent years.

Plus, there's a newcomer to the division that could make things interesting, as St.Thomas moves back into D2 for the first time in over a decade. The Saints are fresh off a title in Division III and have plenty returning.

Also new to the division this season is Manchester, while Derryfield, Laconia and Pelham have moved down to D3. That gives D2 16 teams, which means 11 will qualify for the postseason.

Favorites

Souhegan (17-1-1, won championship)

Returning starters: Eme Godin, sr., forward; Ella Russell, sr., forward; Scarlett Lecolst, jr., forward; Ori Dart, sr., midfield; Abby Mayo, so., midfield; Mariellah Dart, so., midfield; Avery Wyborney, sr., defense; Avery Skelton, sr., defense; Annie Zerega, jr., defense.

Other returners: Lorelei Hilton, sr., midfield; Olivia Lemoine, sr., defense; Abbey Gray, jr., forward; Olivia Harrison, jr., goalie; Ava Burbee, jr., midfield; Bella Preston, jr., midfield; Ella Duclos, so., forward.

Promising newcomers: Sophie Cullen, so., defense; Ellie Reany, fr., goalie.

Bow (15-2-2, lost in final)

Returning players: Madelyn Hebert, sr., defense; Kaylee Jacques, sr., midfield; Shire Kelley, sr., forward; Cadence Malone, sr., defense; Aubrey Merrill, sr., goalie; Gianna Trott, sr., forward; Vera Virta, sr., defense; Bri Gravel, jr., midfield; Elise Jacques, jr., midfield; Peyton Vaughn, jr., midfield; Avery Ayers, so., defense; Ainsley Herrick, so., forward; Chloe Nowakowski, so., midfield.

Promising newcomers: Lexi Maiorino, jr., goalie; Willow Berube, fr., midfield.

Title Contenders

John Stark (14-2-2, lost in semifinals)

Returning starters: Maxine Lundeen, sr., midfield; Addison DeCew, sr., midfield; Stella Oullette, so., defense; Karrington Telgen, sr., midfield; Rowin Ledy, sr., goalie.

Other returners: Madelyn Landrigan, sr., defense; Megan Antognoni, so., forward; Lyla Raymond, jr., forward; Aberdeen Demers-Younie, so., forward; Viviana Deoleo, jr., defense; Sophia Buckley, jr., midfield; Sage Lambert, sr., goalie.

Hanover (11-6, lost in quarterfinals)

Top returners: Greta Mancini, sr., midfield; Sophia Mancini, sr., midfield; Joia Collins, sr., midfield.

Promising newcomers: Ruby Lintner, sr., goalie; Chloe Dalle, fr., forward; Evie Thorn, fr., midfield.

St. Thomas (14-3, won D3 title)

Returning starters: Riley Thomas, so., forward; Leah Walsh, jr., midfield; Karys Murphy, jr., defense; Mollie Gaynor, so., midfield; Bizzie Pelletier, sr., goalie; Mattie Williams, jr., midfield.

Other returners: Ava Annino, jr., forward; Nora Massicotte, jr., forward.

Playoff Contenders

Plymouth (10-7, lost in prelims)

Returning players: Carmen Donis, sr., goalie; Ella Duchette, sr., midfield; Dlorah Hussey, sr., defense; Kellen Mitchell, jr., defense/midfield; Amy Watto, sr., midfield; Seren McKenney, so., midfield; Lexi Joyce, jr., forward; Peyton Moore, sr., forward; Abigail Sanborn, sr., forward; Katie Hancock, sr., forward; Aaliyah Muzzey, sr., forward; Lila Guilbert, jr., forward; Harper Hesser, jr., forward.

Other returners: Mabel Shuffleton, sr., defense; Autumn Lane, jr., defense.

Promising newcomers: Amelia Shushansky, jr., forward; Sofia Donis, so., forward.

Hollis Brookline (12-4-1, lost in quarterfinals)

Returning starters: Maddie Barich, sr., goalie; Anna McGurk, sr., forward; Lillian Hamilton, sr., forward; Addyson Olszewski, sr., defense; Paige Shirley, jr., defense; Anvi Kshirsagar, jr., defense.

Other returners: Molly Wertheimer, sr., forward; Megan Marchand, sr., defense.

Promising newcomers: Ellie Kellner, jr., forward; Olivia Lewis, so., midfield; Ariana Piascik, so., midfield.

Kennett (6-10, lost in prelims)

Returning starters: Izzy Fitsimmons, sr., forward; Lucy Dingman, jr., forward; MaKenna Noyes, jr., midfield; Macie Marcotte, sr., midfield.

Other returners: Charlotte Jerome, sr., defense; Emma Ward, sr., defense; Abby Buttefield, jr., defense; Ava Palmer, jr., midfield; AJ Sheldon, so., goalie.

Merrimack Valley (8-8-1, lost in quarterfinals)

Returning starters: Audrey Cole, sr., forward; Morgan Brechtel, jr., defense; Josie Dougherty, jr., goalie; Marissa Kimball, jr., forward; Alayna Weddall, so., forward/midfield; Hannah Dubuc, so., midfield.

Other returner: Sofia Johnson, jr., defense.

Promising newcomers: Bella Wilson, jr., defense/midfield; Sami Piwoski, so., forward; Lydia Giaquinta, fr., midfield/defense; Olivia Emerson, fr., forward; Claire Wilson, fr., midfield; Abby Crete, fr., midfield; Molly Pearson, fr., defense; Libby Foote, fr., defense.

Kingswood (10-8, lost in quarterfinals)

No information was submitted.

Oyster River (14-3-1, lost in semifinals)

No information was submitted.

Rest of the field

Lebanon (4-12)

Returning starters: Summer Crowell, sr., forward; Claire Kelly, sr., defense; Taylor Youngman, sr., goalie; Georgia Pichette, jr., midfield/forward; Paisley Rancourt, so., midfield.

Other returners: Josie Dizon, sr., forward; Acadia Buck, jr., forward; Theresa LaHaye, jr., forward; Brynja McDonald, so., midfield; Lucia Marsh, so., goalie; Andrea Calderon-Rios, so., defense.

Promising newcomers: Morgan Fitts, so., midfield; Taylor Daniels, fr., midfield; Ava Swain, fr., forward; Claire Swope, fr., forward.

Milford (1-13)

Returning players: Paige Bernier, sr., midfield; Nadia Dutton, sr., midfield; Norah Cardin, so., goalie; Lily Webster, so., midfield; Charlotte Dutton, so., forward; Emma Freeman, jr., forward; Allie Cardin, so., defense; Lea Lyons, jr., midfield; Katie Kilmer, jr., defense; Raiyne Bailey, so., defense.

Pembroke (5-11)

Returning starters: Riley Caron, sr., midfield/forward; Avery Kelly, sr., midfield/forward; Stellah Fredyma, sr., defense/midfield; Bailey Reynolds, sr., defense/midfield; Julia Emond, sr., defense; Anne Phillips, sr., midfield; Daphne Morris, so., goalie; Isla Mailhot, so., forward/midfield; Caitlin Casey, jr., midfield/defense.

Promising newcomers: Morgan Davidson, fr., forward; Tori Lepage, so., midfield/defense.

Manchester (0-16 in D1)

Returning starters: Sofie Loya, jr., goalie; Sophia Hoang, sr., forward; Joselle Urena, sr., midfield; Ally Gallagher, sr., midfield; Sophie Roux, sr., forward; Elin Hill, sr., defense; Hazelyn Mitchell, sr., defense; Hannah Fullam, sr., midfield.

Other returners: Ava Bradley, jr., defense; Lindsay Wilson, so., forward; Isabelle Huertes, so., midfield; Elizabeth Tenn, so., forward; Rylee Jolicoeur, so., forward; Ellie Sylvester, so., midfield; Izabella Hoang, so., midfield/forward; Faith Carey, jr., defense; Isla Urlaub, so., midfield; Kennedy Hopps, so., goalie.

Promising newcomers: Caisyn Bryde, fr., goalie; Olivia Wilson, fr., defense; Lindsay Wilson, so. forward; Kamryn Perry, fr., midfield; Tiara Johnson, jr., midfield; Eva Giles, sr., midfield; Karley Burtram, fr., defense; Julia Manfra, fr., forward.

ConVal (2-13)

Returning players: Ari Hamlin, sr.; Emma Gow, sr.; Natalie Andres, sr.; Cheyenne Costi, sr.

Playoff Predictions

Teams (11): Bow, Hanover, Hollis Brookline, John Stark, Kennett, Kingswood, Merrimack Valley, Oyster River, Plymouth, St. Thomas, Souhegan.

Final four: Bow, Hanover, St. Thomas, Souhegan.

Championship: Souhegan over Bow.

Offensive POY: Ori Dart, Souhegan.

Defensive POY: Carmen Donis, Plymouth.