> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # New NHIAA cycle means changes coming in 2021 for boys and girls lacrosse divisions - URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/new-nhiaa-cycle-means-changes-coming-in-2021-for-boys-and-girls-lacrosse-divisions/ - Published: 2020-07-06T15:00:58.000Z - Updated: 2020-07-06T15:00:58.000Z - Description: Change in high school sports is inevitable. Rosters completely turnover every four years, coaches come and go quickly these days, and every two years marks a new cycle for the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association. - Author: Joe Marchilena - Tags: Spring Sports, boys lacrosse, Division I, Division II, Division III, girls lacrosse, NHIAA, slider, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44 Change in high school sports is inevitable. Rosters completely turnover every four years, coaches come and go quickly these days, and every two years marks a new cycle for the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association. The 2020-21 school year is the first of a new cycle and that means changes will be made to all sports, including boys and girls lacrosse. For this two-year cycle, the changes are minimal, except for Division I and II on the boys side. With three teams moving out of D1 and only one team coming up, the division will have just a dozen teams, the fewest its had since the 2014 season. And D2 will become the largest lacrosse division the state has ever had, with 23 teams - one more than D3 had in 2014. There will also be a new program joining the varsity ranks, as Hillsboro-Deering will be moving into D3 for both boys and girls lacrosse. Here's what the divisions will look like, with most-recent enrollment numbers in parentheses. ### Boys: Division I (1,150+) - Pinkerton (3,283) - Nashua South (1,901) - Nashua North (1,735) - Exeter (1,649) - Concord (1,530) - Bedford (1,505) - Dover (1,474) - Londonderry (1,458) - Merrimack (1,226) - Salem (1,175) - Bishop Guertin (793)\* - Souhegan (751)\* After spending the last cycle in D2, Merrimack moves back up to D1, where it was from 2015-18\. During that stretch, the Tomahawks were 14-53 with one playoff appearance. Bishop Guertin and Souhegan both continue to petition up, while Timberlane and Hanover moved down, due to enrollment. Keene also petitioned to play down in D2. With just 11 teams in the division, and with the NHIAA requiring that each team play 12 games, its likely every team will play at least one opponent twice. It also gives teams the opportunity for six more games, as they are allowed to play as many as 18. For some teams, like Bishop Guertin and Pinkerton, that will likely mean five or six games against out-of-state opponents. The number of playoff teams for each division hasn't been released yet, but going by the NHIAA's 70-percent rule, the division will likely have eight teams qualifying for the postseason. ### Boys: Division II (700-1,149) - Manchester Memorial-West (2,234)\* - Keene (1,382)\* - Manchester Central (1,331)\* - Spaulding (1,308)\* - Portsmouth (1,119) - Oyster River-Newmarket (1,119) - Alvirne (1,115) - Timberlane (1,100) - Winnacunnet (1,087) - Goffstown (1,071) - Windham (997) - Hollis Brookline (857) - Merrimack Valley (795) - Kingswood (794) - Pembroke (763) - Hanover (743) - Kennett (739) - ConVal (718) - Coe-Brown (691)\* - Bow (638)\* - John Stark (618)\* - St. Thomas (402)\* - Derryfield (269)\* With three teams coming down from D1, the biggest division in lacrosse gets even bigger. Despite its size, Hanover had always been a D1 team and won championships in 2007 and 2009, the only team other than Bishop Guertin and Pinkerton to do so since 2004. But numbers have been a concern for the Marauders over the last few years and a move down seemed inevitable. Timberlane and Keene also return to D2 after spending the last cycle in D1. Also new for 2021 is the co-op formed between Oyster River and Newmarket. The increase in teams in the division could lead to more teams making the postsesason. According to the 70-percent rule, 16 teams could advance to the playoffs. ### Boys: Division III (1-699) - Milford (833)\* - Plymouth (644) - Lebanon (606) - Pelham (605) - Stevens (555) - Laconia (542) - Kearsarge (508) - Gilford (489) - Monadnock (479) - Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough (473) - Campbell (439) - Trinity (324) - Hopkinton (320) - Bishop Brady (304) - Hillsboro-Deering (NA) The only change in D3 for this cycle is the addition of the Hillcats, who were going to play a junior varsity schedule in 2020. By adding one team, the postseason for D3 could potentially grow as well, as the 70-percent rule would allow for 10 teams to make the playoffs. ### Girls: Division I (1,150+) - Pinkerton (3,283) - Nashua South (1,901) - Keene-Monandock (1,861) - Nashua North (1,735) - Exeter (1,649) - Concord (1,530) - Bedford (1,505) - Dover (1,474) - Londonderry (1,458) - Manchester Central (1,331) - Salem (1,175) - Bishop Guertin (793)\* - Souhegan (751)\* The division loses one team, as Timberlane moves back down to D2 after spending the last cycle in D1. While girls lacrosse has always had eight teams advance to the postseason in all divisions, with 14 teams in the division, that number could be nine for D1 according to the 70-percent rule. ### Girls: Division II (700-1,149) - Manchester Memorial-West (2,234)\* - Spaulding (1,308)\* - Portsmouth (1,119) - Oyster River-Newmarket (1,119) - Alvirne (1,115) - Timberlane (1,100) - Winnacunnet (1,087) - Goffstown (1,071) - Windham (997) - Hollis Brookline (857) - Merrimack Valley (795) - Kingswood (794) - Pembroke (763) - Hanover (743) - Kennett (739) - ConVal (718) - Coe-Brown (691)\* - John Stark (618)\* Just two changes to D2 for this cycle, with Timberlane dropping back down and Pembroke moving back up from D3\. After struggling in D2 for a couple of years, the Spartans dropped down for the last cycle and made the playoffs in 2019. As with the boys program, Oyster River and Newmarket will form a co-op for 2021. With 18 teams in the division, there could be 12 teams in the postseason based on the 70-percent rule. ### Girls: Division III (1-699) - Milford (833)\* - Plymouth (644) - Bow (638) - Lebanon (606) - Pelham (605) - Laconia (542) - Kearsarge (508) - Gilford (489) - Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough (473) - Campbell (439) - St. Thomas (402) - Belmont (358) - Trinity (324) - Hopkinton (320) - Bishop Brady (304) - Derryfield (269) - Hillsboro-Deering (NA) The division loses one team in Pembroke, it remains at 17 teams with the addition of the Hillcats. That could potentially put the number of playoff teams at 11 for next season, according the the 70-percent rule. The 2021 lacrosse season is scheduled to begin with practices starting on March 22\. The first day to play games is April 12, while the final day of the regular season will be May 30.