Playoff Picture: Boys Lacrosse (May 3)

According the calendar, we have reached the midway point of the high school lacrosse regular season.

Some teams have played, or are close to playing, half of their schedules, while others are looking at a pretty busy May.

With just three full weeks left in the regular season, it's time to start thinking about the playoffs, and for the first edition of the 2024 playoff picture, we'll be updating playoff predictions from the preseason.

Here is a look at where teams standing going into Friday, and a midseason prediction for the playoffs.

Note: With the NHIAA’s 70-percent rule in place for the postseason, Division I will have eight playoff teams, Division II will have 14 teams and Division III will have 10 teams in the playoffs. Per By-Law Article IV, Sect. 4-C, teams that petitioned down a division for this two-year cycle are eligible for the postseason. Standings based off results reported to NHIAA.org and other media outlets. These are not official. 

Division I

Team (record, rating)

1. Bedford (7-1, 3.5000)
2. Exeter (7-2, 3.1111)
3. Bishop Guertin (6-2, 3.0000)
4. Londonderry (5-4, 2.2222)
5. Pinkerton (5-5, 2.0000)
6. Concord (4-6, 1.6000)
7. Merrimack (3-5, 1.5000)
8. Salem (2-4, 1.3333)

Outside: Manchester (2-5, 1.1429); Dover (2-5, 1.1429); Nashua South (2-8, 0.8000); Nashua North (1-8, 0.4444).

Quarterfinal Matchups

• No. 8 Salem at No. 1 Bedford
• No. 5 Pinkerton at No. 4 Londonderry
• No. 7 Merrimack at No. 2 Exeter
• No. 6 Concord at No. 3 Bishop Guertin

Preseason Playoff Predictions

• Teams (8): Bedford, Bishop Guertin, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Londonderry, Merrimack, Pinkerton.
• Final four: Bedford, Bishop Guertin, Exeter, Pinkerton.
• Championship: Bishop Guertin over Bedford.

Midseason Playoff Predictions

• Teams (8): Bedford, Bishop Guertin, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Londonderry, Merrimack, Pinkerton.
• Final four: Bedford, Bishop Guertin, Exeter, Pinkerton.
• Dark horse final four team: Concord.
• Championship: Bishop Guertin over Bedford.

Division II

Team (record, rating)

1. Portsmouth (10-0, 4.1000)
2. Windham (7-1, 3.7500)
3. Timberlane (6-1, 3.5714)
4. Derryfield (8-1, 3.5556)
5. Hollis Brookline (7-3, 2.9000)
6. St. Thomas (4-3, 2.4286)
7. Goffstown (4-3, 2.4286)
8. Merrimack Valley (3-2, 2.4000)
9. Oyster River-Newmarket (4-3, 2.2857)
10. Kingswood (4-3, 2.2857)
11. Alvirne (4-4, 2.1250)
12. Winnacunnet (4-4, 2.1250)
13. Hanover (3-3, 2.0000)
14. Keene-Monadnock (3-6, 1.4444)

Outside: ConVal (1-3, 1.0000); Spaulding (1-6, 0.5714); Souhegan (1-8, 0.4444); Kennett (0-4, 0.0000); Pembroke (0-4, 0.0000); Hillsboro-Deering/John Stark (0-5, 0.0000).

Tiebreakers

• St. Thomas wins the tiebreaker with Goffstown thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
• Oyster River-Newmarket wins the tiebreaker with Kingswood thanks to a head-to-head victory.
• Alvirne wins the tiebreaker with Winnacunnet thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.

First-round Byes

• No. 1 Portsmouth
• No. 2 Windham

First-round Matchups

• No. 9 Oyster River-Newmarket at No. 8 Merrimack Valley
• No. 12 Winnacunnet at No. 5 Hollis Brookline
• No. 13 Hanover at No. 4 Derryfield
• No. 10 Kingswood at No. 7 Goffstown
• No. 14 Keene-Monadnock at No. 3 Timberlane
• No. 11 Alvirne at No. 6 St. Thomas

Preseason Playoff Predictions

• Teams (14): Alvirne, ConVal, Derryfield, Goffstown, Hollis Brookline, Kingswood, Merrimack Valley, Oyster River-Newmarket, Portsmouth, St. Thomas, Souhegan, Timberlane, Windham, Winnacunnet.
• Final four: Derryfield, Portsmouth, St. Thomas, Timberlane.
• Championship: Derryfield over Timberlane.

Midseason Playoff Predictions

• Teams (14): Alvirne, ConVal, Derryfield, Goffstown, Hanover, Hollis Brookline, Kingswood, Merrimack Valley, Oyster River-Newmarket, Portsmouth, St. Thomas, Timberlane, Windham, Winnacunnet.
• Final four: Derryfield, Portsmouth, Timberlane, Windham.
• Dark horse final four team: Oyster River-Newmarket.
• Championship: Portsmouth over Timberlane.

Division III

Team (record, rating)

1. Pelham (5-0, 4.0000)
2. Campbell (7-1, 3.5000)
3. Hopkinton (6-1, 3.4286)
4. Coe-Brown (5-1, 3.3333)
5. Bow (5-1, 3.3333)
6. Plymouth (5-2, 3.0000)
7. Laconia (5-2, 2.8571)
8. Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough (3-3, 2.0000)
9. Bishop Brady (2-4, 1.3333)
10. Gilford (2-5, 1.1429)

Outside: Kearsarge (1-3, 1.0000); Trinity (1-5, 0.6667); Milford (0-5, 0.0000); Lebanon (0-6, 0.0000); Stevens (0-7, 0.0000).

Tiebreakers

• Coe-Brown wins the tiebreaker with Bow thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.

First-round Matchups

• No. 10 Gilford at No. 7 Laconia
• No. 9 Bishop Brady at No. 8 Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough

Quarterfinal Matchups

• BB/ILM winner at No. 1 Pelham
• No. 5 Bow at No. 4 Coe-Brown
• Gilford/Laconia winner at No. 2 Campbell
• No. 6 Plymouth at No. 3 Hopkinton

Preseason Playoff Predictions

• Teams (10): Bishop Brady, Bow, Campbell, Coe-Brown, Gilford, Hopkinton, Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough, Laconia, Pelham, Plymouth.
• Final four: Campbell, Hopkinton, Laconia, Pelham.
• Championship: Hopkinton over Laconia.

Midseason Playoff Predictions

• Teams (10): Bishop Brady, Bow, Campbell, Coe-Brown, Hopkinton, Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough, Kearsarge, Laconia, Pelham, Plymouth.
• Final four: Campbell, Hopkinton, Laconia, Pelham.
• Dark horse final four team: Coe-Brown.
• Championship: Hopkinton over Pelham.