Playoff Preview: There are many favorites in girls lacrosse tournaments

There are certainly favorites in all three divisions heading into the NHIAA playoffs, which begin Wednesday.

But is there a clear-cut favorite in each one?

Every team in the state has at least two losses, and while some of those came at the hands of non-division opponents, there is no team that went undefeated against its own division.

In Division I, the top four seeds complied a record of 6-6 against each other, and it's a similar scenario in Divisions II and III, where each of the top teams have proven they can beat each other.

But while there has been parity at the top of the standings, don't expect many upsets in this week's quarterfinals. The top seeds in each division may have played evenly against each other, but they've dominated the bottom half of teams.

Here's a look at each division.

Division I

Quarterfinals: Wednesday, June 1, at higher seed

• No. 8 Nashua North (8-10) at No. 1 Bedford, 5 p.m.: These teams met twice during the regular season, and it was all Bulldogs both times, as Bedford won 15-6 on April 16 and 18-8 on May 9. The Bulldogs have had eight days to prepare and are likely itching to go after losing to Souhegan in the regular-season finale, a loss that almost cost them the No. 1 seed. North has a roster full of freshmen and sophomores who have made strides this season, and getting some playoff experience should help down the road.
• No. 5 Merrimack (10-6) at No. 4 Pinkerton (14-3), 4 p.m.: These teams played once, in the season opener, and the Astros won 14-0. The Tomahawks have played better since, but so have the Astros. Merrimack finished the regular season winning seven of its final nine games, but went 2-6 against playoff teams, with the two wins coming against North. Pinkerton had won 12 games in a row before losing to Londonderry in the regular-season finale, 11-10. The Astros hadn't allowed more than seven goals in a game over their previous 11, and surrender 10 or more just four times all year.
• No. 7 Exeter (10-8) at No. 2 Bishop Guertin (15-2), 4:45 p.m.: The Cardinals took the regular-season meeting 13-5 back on April 19, and the defending champions finished the season strong with a 12-11 win over Souhegan, the Sabers' only loss against a New Hampshire opponent this year. Bishop Guertin can score in bunches, averaging 15.7 goals per game this year, and only once did the Cardinals score fewer than 12. Exeter lost a lot of experience from the team that fell to Bishop Guertin in last year's final, but the Blue Hawks ended the year by winning six of their final eight games. The Blue Hawks haven't lost to a division opponent since April, as four of Exeter's losses came against non-division teams.
• No. 6 Londonderry (11-7) at No. 3 Souhegan (15-3), 6 p.m.: Souhegan won both regular-season meetings, although by very different scores. The Sabers won 16-7 at home against the Lancers on May 10, and eked out a 7-3 win at Londonderry on May 16. That was the only time this season an in-state opponent held the Sabers to less than 11 goals, while Souhegan has allowed an average of just 4.4 against New Hampshire opponents this season. Londonderry should have some momentum going into the playoffs after ending the regular-season with a win over Pinkerton.

Quarterfinal winners: Bedford, Bishop Guertin, Souhegan, Pinkerton.

Most likely upset: Londonderry over Souhegan.

Final: Souhegan over Bedford.

Schedule: Quarterfinal, June 1, at higher seed; Semifinals, June 4, at Portsmouth High School; Final, June 7, at Portsmouth High School.

Division II

Quarterfinals: Wednesday, June 1, at home of higher seed

• No. 8 Timberlane (7-9) at No. 1 Portsmouth (15-3), 5 p.m.: These teams played back on May 6, with the Clippers taking a 21-1 win over the Owls, one of eight games this season in which Portsmouth has scored 20 or more goals. The Clippers have won 11 of their last 12 games an average off 11.5 goals, but the one loss came against No. 2 seed Hanover. Timberlane won three of its final four games to get into the playoffs, including an 11-10 win at Keene in the finale to secure the spot.
• No. 5 Winnacunnet (11-5) at No. 4 John Stark (10-4), 5 p.m.: These two teams didn't play during the regular season, an oddity considering the division has just 12 teams, and that the Warriors played Hanover twice, and at Keene, while the Generals made trips to Spaulding and Kingswood. Winnacunnet was 2-4 against the top three seeds, including a one-goal loss to Portsmouth, and defeated Bedford earlier this year. John Stark 0-3 against the top teams, but finished the year winning eight of nine.
• No. 7 Goffstown (8-7) at No. 2 Hanover (12-5), 5 p.m.: These teams played in the regular-season finale last Friday in Goffstown, with the Marauders taking a 12-8 win. Hanover played one of the tougher schedules in the state this season, with four games against D1 opponents (Bishop Guertin, Exeter, Londonderry, Pinkerton), going 2-2, and also fell to Laconia, the No. 1 seed in D3. The Marauders also played Portsmouth, Windham and Winnacunnet twice, going 4-2. The magic number for Goffstown is nine: the Grizzlies were 8-0 when scoring nine or more goals, 0-7 when scoring less.
• No. 6 Kingswood (7-6) at No. 3 Windham (11-4), 5 p.m.: The Jaguars won the regular-season meeting between these teams 16-4 on May 6. That was the start of a finish that saw the Knights go 3-5, including two 9-7 losses to John Stark. Windham, the defending champions, lost three of its final four games, including two five-goal losses to Hanover. The Jaguars have allowed more than eight goals just five times all year, but are 1-4 in those games.

Quarterfinal winners: Portsmouth, Hanover, Windham, Winnacunnet.

Most likely upset: Winnacunnet over John Stark.

Final: Hanover over Portsmouth.

Schedule: Quarterfinal, June 1, at higher seed; Semifinals, June 4, at Bill Ball Stadium in Exeter; Final, June 7, at at Bill Ball Stadium.

Division III

Quarterfinals: Thursday, June 1, at home of higher seed

• No. 8 Lebanon (7-7) at No. 1 Laconia (14-2), 5 p.m.: These teams just played on May 24, with the Sachems grabbing a 15-7 win. Laconia, the defending champion, has won six games in a row, and it's two losses this year - to St. Thomas and Londonderry - were by a goal each. The Sachems have allowed more than seven goals just four times - in the two losses, and in wins over Hanover and Derryfield. Lebanon won two of its final three games, including an 18-7 win over Bishop Brady in the finale, to get in the postseason.
• No. 5 Bow (11-3) at No. 4 Derryfield (12-3), 5 p.m.: Perhaps the best quarterfinal matchup in the state, as this could have been predicated as the final preseason. The Cougars won the regular-season meeting 16-13 on May 17. Derryfield stumbled a bit at the end of the regular season, losing two of three, including a 10-8 loss at ConVal on the last day of the year. Bow has won four straight since the loss to the Cougars and nine of 10 overall, including a 15-5 win over Pelham last Friday that gave the Falcons the No. 5 seed.
• No. 7 Oyster River (8-6) at No. 2 St. Thomas (13-2), 4 p.m.: The Saints won the regular-season meeting 18-10 back on April 22. Since losing to Derryfield, 22-13, in the second game of the season, St. Thomas has won 12 of 13, with the lone loss coming to Bishop Guertin. That stretch also includes wins over Bow, Pelham, Laconia and Kearsarge. Oyster River lost three of its final four heading into the playoffs, but beat Plymouth in the finale to go in on a high note.
• No. 6 Pelham (10-4) at No. 3 Kearsarge (12-3), 6 p.m.: These two teams didn't meet during the regular season. Pelham enters the tournament with a record of 2-4 against playoff teams, while the Cougars were 3-3. In its 12 wins, Kearsarge is allowing an average of 3.8 goals per game; in its losses, that number is 14. Pelham has averaged 12.6 goals in its wins, and just 5.8 in its losses.

Quarterfinal winners: Laconia, St. Thomas, Kearsarge, Derryfield.

Most likely upset: Bow over Derryfield.

Final: Laconia over St. Thomas.

Schedule: Quarterfinal, June 2, at higher seed; Semifinals, June 4, at Bedford High School; Final, June 8, at Bedford High School.