Playoff Preview: D1 field hockey looks wide open as postseason almost underway

Last season, a sixth seed won the Division I field hockey title.

Manchester Central High School is in that spot this year, and it’s certainly possible for it to happen again, especially with early-round matchups.

The quarterfinals are going to be intriguing, where No. 3 Timberlane, last year's champ, might end up facing sixth-seeded Central in the quarterfinals.

Top-seeded Pinkerton will face the winner of Merrimack and Salem in the quarterfinals. Both those teams ended their seasons with wins to stay alive and make the postseason; the Blue Devils’ win over Dover to get in was especially impressive.

Bishop Guertin matches up with a Londonderry team that won five of its last six games, and last three in a row, which included knocking off Manchester Central and Dover. It could very well be a collision course for Bishop Guertin and Pinkerton to face off in the semifinals in a rematch of their late-season tilt, where the Astros earned a shutout on the road.

Some of the wild cards in the division include No. 10 Keene and No. 7 Dover, who face each other for the right to play second-seeded Winnacunnet in the quarterfinals. Winnacunnet looks dangerous, but those two clubs have defeated good opponents. Dover was the only team to beat Pinkerton all year, and quietly was competitive with the other top teams. If the Green Wave’s offense can get going, they could be dangerous.

On the other side, Keene defeated Salem early on, and finished the season with three straight wins, including over Merrimack and Londonderry. The Blackbirds were close with Central and Bishop Guertin as well, and with a second look at Winnacunnet, could exploit the Warriors.

It’s a wide open division, and the top four teams look really good, but all have their flaws. Pinkerton lost to Dover, Bishop Guertin looked rough against Pinkerton, Winnacunnet was knocked off on the last day of the season by Central. Timberlane has survived its schedule best, but the Owls lost to Pinkerton and Winnacunnet.

The first round will be telling, and there is room for upsets.

Preliminary Round

Wednesday, Oct. 18

• No. 9 Salem (7-6-1) at No. 8 Merrimack (7-6-1), 3:45 p.m.
• No. 10 Dover (6-6-2) at No. 7 Keene (7-6-1), 3:30 p.m.
• No. 11 Exeter (6-8) at No. 6 Manchester Central (7-4-3), 3 p.m.

Quarterfinals

Saturday, Oct. 21

• Salem/Merrimack at No. 1 Pinkerton (13-1), 2 p.m.
• No. 5 Londonderry (9-5) at No. 4 Bishop Guertin (11-3), 2 p.m.
• Dover/Keene at No. 2 Winnacunnet (12-2), 2 p.m.
• Exeter/Central at No. 3 Timberlane (12-2), 2 p.m.

Semifinals

Wednesday, Oct. 25

• at Bill Ball Stadium, 5 and 7 p.m.

Final

Sunday, Oct. 29

• at Bedford High School, 12 p.m.