Pairings set for field hockey playoffs

The fields are set for the high school field hockey playoffs and five Nashua-area teams will participate in the Division I and II postseason.

That includes Merrimack High School, which earned a bye in the first round of the Division I tournament, and Souhegan, which earned a top-four seed in Division II.

Division I

Merrimack is the top local team, having earned the No. 4 seed with a 10-4 record. The top-four finish means the Tomahawks get a bye into the quarterfinals, where they will face the winner of No. 5 Timberlane (9-5), last year's Class L champion, and No. 12 Londonderry (5-8-1). Merrimack defeated both during the regular season, winning both games by a score of 3-0, and will host the winner on Sunday at 2 p.m.

Bishop Guertin (6-6-2) earned the No. 7 seed and will host No. 10 Keene (5-7-2) in the first round on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. in Nashua. The Cardinals lost to the Blackbirds, 2-1, in the first game of the season on Sept. 1. BG started the year slow before going 4-0-1 in mid-season, but the Cardinals have lost their last three and haven't scored a goal since Oct. 1. The winner of Thursday's game will take on No. 2 Pinkerton (12-1-1) in the quarter finals on Sunday at 2 p.m. in Derry.

Winnacunnet (13-0-1) is the No. 1 seed and will play either No. 8 Manchester Memorial (6-6-2) or No. 9 Dover (6-7-1) in the quarterfinals. No. 3 Salem (12-2) also received a bye into the quarterfinals and will take on the winner of No. 6 Exeter (8-6) and No. 11 Concord (5-8-1).

All Division I first round games will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday at the home of the higher seed, with quarterfinal games schedule for 2 p.m. on Sunday, also at the home of the higher seed.

Division II

No. 3 Souhegan (12-1-1) enters the playoffs having won seven games in a row and 11 of its last 12. The Sabers will host No. 14 Plymouth (6-8) in the first round at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The teams did not meet during the regular season. The winner will move on to face either No. 6 Merrimack Valley (9-4-1) or No. 11 Hanover (8-6), last year's Class I champ, in the quarterfinals at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Also on that side of the bracket, No. 2 Kennett (13-1) will host No. 15 Con-Val (5-8-1) in the first round. The winner will face the winner of No. 7 Portsmouth (9-4-1) and No. 10 St. Thomas (8-5-1) in the quarterfinals.

Milford (6-6-2) earned the No. 12 seed and will travel to face No. 5 Lebanon (10-4) in the first round; the teams didn't meet during the regular season. The winner move on to the quarterfinals, where it will face the winner of No. 4 Oyster River (10-4) and No. 13 Windham (5-6-3), which is in the postseason in its first year as a varsity team.

Hollis/Brookline (5-8-1) is the 16th seed and will face top-seeded Bow (14-0) in the first round. The Falcons won the regular-season meeting between the two, beating the Cavaliers 5-2 on Sept. 2. The winner will face either No. 8 Kingswood (9-5) or No. 9 Goffstown (9-5) in the quarterfinals.

All first-round games are scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the home of the higher seed, while all quarterfinal games are set for 2 p.m. on Saturday, also at the home of the higher seed.

Division III

Derryfield (14-0) earned the top seed in the tournament and will get a bye into the quarterfinals, along with No. 2 Berlin (13-1), No. 3 Newfound (13-1) and No. 4 Winnisquam (9-4).

Mascoma Valley (9-4-1) is the fifth seed and will host No. 12 Mascenic (3-8-3); the winner will face No. 4 Winnisquam in the quarterfinals.

The winner of No. 8 Newport (7-5-2) and No. 9 Profile (6-6-2) will face No. 1 Derryfield, while Berlin will face the winner of No. 7 Stevens (8-4-2) and No. 10 Somersworth (7-7). Newfound, last year's Class M-S champion, will take on either No. 6 Sanborn (9-4-1) or No. 11 Hopkinton (6-8).

All first-round games are scheduled for Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. at the home of the higher seed, and all quarterfinal games are set for Friday at 3:30 p.m. at the home of the higher seed.