Playoff Picture: Boys Lacrosse (May 27)

The final week of the boys lacrosse regular season is about to get underway and there are still so many games left to be played, and so much still left to be determined.

This week, we’ll be updating the playoff picture daily. Here is a look at where teams stand going into Wednesday’s games, plus updated with sites for the semifinals and finals for Division I and II.

Note: With the NHIAA’s 70-percent rule in place for the postseason, Division I will have nine playoff teams, Division II will have 10 playoff teams and Division III will have 11 playoff teams. Standings based off results reported to NHIAA.org and other media outlets. These are not official. 

Division I

Team (record, rating, previous)

1. Bedford (14-3, 3.2500, 2nd)
2. Pinkerton (14-3, 3.2941, 1st)
3. Bishop Guertin (12-5, 2.8235, 4th)
4. Exeter (11-5, 2.7500, 3rd)
5. Dover (11-5, 2.7500, 5th)
6. Londonderry (9-7, 2.2500, 7th)
7. Merrimack (9-7, 2.2500, 6th)
8. Windham (8-7, 2.1333, 8th)
9. Nashua South (7-9, 1.7500, 9th)

Eliminated: Concord (5-11, 1.2500); Nashua North (5-11, 1.2500); Keene-Monadnock (4-10, 1.1429); Manchester (2-12, 0.5714); Salem (1-14, 0.2667).

Remaining Schedule

• Wednesday, May 27: Concord at Londonderry, 4 p.m.; Pinkerton at Nashua North, 4 p.m.; Salem at Dover, 4 p.m.; Nashua South at Windham, 4 p.m.; Keene-Monadnock at Bedford, 5:30 p.m.; Manchester at Merrimack, 6:30 p.m.
• Thursday, May 28: Bishop Guertin at Exeter, 4 p.m.
• Friday, May 29: Nashua North vs. Nashua South, 4 p.m.

Tiebreakers

• Bedford wins the tiebreaker with Pinkerton thanks to a head-to-head victory.
• Exeter wins the tiebreaker with Dover thanks to a head-to-head victory.
• Londonderry wins the tiebreaker with Merrimack thanks to a head-to-head victory.

First-round matchup (changes in bold)

• No. 9 Nashua South at No. 8 Windham

Quarterfinal matchups

• Nashua South/Windham at No. 1 Bedford
• No. 5 Dover at No. 4 Exeter
• No. 7 Merrimack at No. 2 Pinkerton
• No. 6 Londonderry at No. 3 Bishop Guertin

Scenarios

• Bedford clinches the No. 1 seed with a win over Keene-Monadnock.
• Pinkerton clinches the No. 1 seed with a win over Nashua North and a Bedford loss.
• Bishop Guertin clinches the No. 3 seed with a win over Exeter. A loss combined with a Dover win would drop the Cardinals to No. 5.
• Exeter clinches the No. 3 seed with a win over Bishop Guertin. A loss combined with a Dover win would drop the Blue Hawks to No. 5.
• Dover clinches the No. 4 seed with a win over Salem and the No. 5 seed with a loss.
• Londonderry clinches the No. 6 seed with a win over Concord.
• Merrimack clinches the No. 6 seed with a win over Manchester and a Londonderry loss.
• Windham can finish as high as No. 6 with a win over Nashua South and losses by Merrimack and Londonderry.
• Nashua South has clinched a playoff spot and will be the No. 9 seed.

Playoff Schedule

• First round: June 4, at home of higher seed.
• Quarterfinals: June 6, at home of higher seed.
• Semifinals: June 10, at Manchester Memorial High School.
• Championship: June 13, at Stellos Stadium.

Division II

Team (record, rating, previous)

1. Winnacunnet (14-1, 3.8667, 1st)
2. Derryfield (14-2, 3.6250, 2nd)
3. Portsmouth (14-3, 3.3529, 3rd)
4. Oyster River-Newmarket (11-3, 3.1429, 4th)
5. St. Thomas (10-5, 2.7333, 5th)
6. Kingswood (8-5, 2.4615, 6th)
7. Timberlane (7-6, 2.2308, 7th)
8. Goffstown (7-7, 2.0000, 8th)
9. Hanover (4-7, 1.4545, 9th)*
10. Hollis Brookline (5-11, 1.2500, 10th)

Outside: Souhegan (3-10, 0.9231)*

Eliminated: Spaulding (2-13, 0.5333); Pembroke (2-13, 0.5333); Merrimack Valley (1-11, 0.3333); Alvirne (0-14, o.oooo).

*The game between Souhegan and Hanover on May 11 was completed under protest. The Sabers eventually won the protest, overturning a win by the Bears, and the two teams will meet in Hanover on May 28 to replay the fourth quarter, with the Bears leading 5-3.

Extra Points

Teams in Division II and III get an extra point (5 instead of 4) for a win over a team in a higher division, which affects rating. 

• Winnacunnet has two extra points for wins over Dover and Concord.
• Derryfield has two extra points for wins over Londonderry and Nashua South.
• Portsmouth has one extra point for a win over Londonderry.
• St. Thomas has one extra point for a win over Windham.
• Timberlane has one extra point for a win over Nashua North.

Remaining Schedule

• Wednesday, May 27: Timberlane at Souhegan, 4 p.m.; Winnacunnet at St. Thomas, 4 p.m.; Merrimack Valley at Hanover, 6 p.m.
• Thursday, May 28: Timberlane at Alvirne, 4 p.m.; Souhegan at Hanover, 5:30 p.m. (replay); Oyster River-Newmarket, 6 p.m.
• Friday, May 29: Goffstown at Hanover, 4 p.m.; Merrimack Valley at Pembroke, 5 p.m.; Alvirne at Souhegan, 5:30 p.m.; Timberlane at Hollis Brookline, 6 p.m.; Portsmouth at Kingswood, 6 p.m.

Tiebreakers

• None

First-round matchups (changes in bold)

• No. 9 Hanover at No. 8 Goffstown
• No. 10 Hollis Brookline at No. 7 Timberlane

Quarterfinal matchups

• Hanover/Goffstown at No. 1 Winnacunnet
• No. 5 St. Thomas at No. 4 Oyster River-Newmarket
• Hollis Brookline/Timberlane at No. 2 Derryfield
• No. 6 Kingswood at No. 3 Portsmouth

Scenarios

• Winnacunnet clinches the No. 1 seed with a win over St. Thomas. The Warriors can finish no worse than No. 2.
• Derryfield clinches the No. 1 seed with a win over Oyster River-Newmarket and a Winnacunnet loss. The Cougars can finish no worse than No. 2.
• Portsmouth has clinched the No. 3 seed.
• Oyster River-Newmarket has clinched the No. 4 seed.
• St. Thomas clinches the No. 5 seed with a win over Winnacunnet.
• Kingswood, Timberlane and Goffstown have clinched playoff spots.

Playoff Schedule

• First round: June 4, at home of higher seed.
• Quarterfinals: June 6, at home of higher seed.
• Semifinals: June 10, at Bill Ball Stadium.
• Championship: June 13, at Bill Ball Stadium.

Division III

Team (record, rating, previous)

1. Coe-Brown (13-0, 4.0000, 1st)
2. Bow (12-1, 3.6923, 2nd)
3. Plymouth (11-3, 3.1429, 4th)
4. Hopkinton (10-3, 3.0769, 5th)
5. Lebanon (9-3, 3.0000, 3rd)
6. Bishop Brady (8-6, 2.3571, 7th)
7. ConVal (8-6, 2.2857, 6th)
8. Kennett (6-6, 2.0000, 8th)
9. Campbell (7-8, 1.9333, 9th)
10. Gilford (6-7, 1.8462, 11th)
11. Pelham (6-8, 1.7143, 10th)

Outside: John Stark (5-9, 1.5000); Trinity (5-9, 1.4286).

Eliminated: Laconia (4-9, 1.2308); Milford (3-12, 0.9333); Kearsarge (3-10, 0.9231); Stevens (0-11, 0.0000).

Extra Points

Teams in Division II and III get an extra point (5 instead of 4) for a win over a team in a higher division, which affects rating. 

• Bishop Brady has one extra point for a win over Pembroke.
• Campbell has one extra point for a win over Souhegan.
• John Stark has one extra point for a win over Manchester.
• Milford has two extra points for wins over Alvirne and Mystic Valley Charter.

Remaining Schedule

• Wednesday, May 27: John Stark at Kennett, 4 p.m.; Kearsarge at Milford, 4 p.m.; Lebanon at Stevens, 4 p.m.; Trinity at Bishop Brady, 5:15 p.m.; Gilford at Laconia, 6 p.m.
• Thursday, May 28: Kennett at Plymouth, 4 p.m.; Hopkinton at Pelham, 6:30 p.m.
• Friday, May 29: Bishop Brady at Stevens, 4 p.m.; Bow at Coe-Brown, 4 p.m.

Tiebreakers

• None.

First-round matchups (changes in bold)

• No. 9 Campbell at No. 8 Kennett
• No. 10 Gilford at No. 7 ConVal
• No. 11 Pelham at No. 6 Bishop Brady

Quarterfinals

• Campbell/Kennett at No. 1 Coe-Brown
• No. 5 Lebanon at No. 4 Hopkinton
• Gilford/ConVal at No. 2 Bow
• Pelham/Bishop Brady at No. 3 Plymouth

Playoff Schedule

• First round: June 4, at home of higher seed.
• Quarterfinals: June 6, at home of higher seed.
• Semifinals: June 11, at Bank of NH Stadium, Laconia.
• Championship: June 13, at Bank of NH Stadium, Laconia.