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# Portsmouth girls lacrosse left D2 with one final dominant performance
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/portsmouth-girls-lacrosse-left-d2-with-one-final-dominant-performance/
- Published: 2022-06-18T17:10:41.000Z
- Updated: 2022-06-18T17:10:41.000Z
- Description: The Portsmouth High School girls lacrosse team felt it had something to prove. Despite having won the previous four Division II titles. Despite having won 80 consecutive games against division opponents. Despite winning 16 games this season in the division by an average of 13.6 goals. Going into th
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division II, championship, Clippers, girls lacrosse, NH High School Sports Insider, Portsmouth, slider, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

The Portsmouth High School girls lacrosse team felt it had something to prove.

Despite having won the previous four Division II titles. Despite having won 80 consecutive games against division opponents. Despite winning 16 games this season in the division by an average of 13.6 goals.

Going into the D2 championship game on June 8, the top-seeded Clippers felt like they needed to improve upon what happened in the title game in 2021.

Portsmouth's closest game in the division in the last two years was that 8-7, comeback win over Hollis Brookline in last year's final, and after dominating D2 for so long, the Clippers wanted to do so one more time before moving up to Division I in 2023.

One last meeting with the Cavaliers was the perfect opportunity to do it and Portsmouth came away with a 20-7 win over HB.

"When we played them last year and it was only a one-goal game, we felt like we had a little bit more to prove," Portsmouth senior Mia Smith said. "I think we definitely came out with so much energy and intensity. Everyone played their very hardest and we played really well together as a team, and I think we proved that what we can do."

Portsmouth may have done the same a season ago, and just like that game, HB matched the energy and intensity this year, taking an early lead and then trading goals with the Clippers for most of the first half.

But there was a big difference for Portsmouth this year.

"The difference this year, this group knew what it took to win a championship game," Portsmouth coach JoJo Curro said. "They’d been through it before, they know what it felt like."

While Portsmouth has been the top program in D2 since moving up in 2009 - the Clippers have been in the final nine times in 13 seasons, winning seven titles - the last two seasons have been with a different lineup and coaching staff.

Curro was set to take over as head coach in 2020, after Mary Squire stepped down following the team's championship in 2019, and only a couple of players had seen any varsity minutes going into last season. With another year of experience to build on, the Clippers took a more advanced approach to this year.

"If there was a lull, we were addressing it, we were right on each other, we were making it sure that we were pumping up our teammates," Curro said. "We were more strategic with our plays this year. We had more plays on the attacking side. Defensively, we were making smarter decisions."

It helped make Portsmouth an even more dynamic team, making the Clippers tough to stop on offense, and in a game where possession is key, a tougher team to score against because of their ability to win draws.

"We needed to take every opportunity we had to execute on offense," Smith said. "I think we did really good with our drives and our lanes were open. We have lots of girls who can take those one-vs-one dodges and we shot really well, we placed our shots really well.

"So many of us work so well together and we’ve played together for so many years. I think everyone on this team is super unselfish. We’re always driving with our heads up and looking for each other. Everyone loves an assist and much as they love a goal."

Portsmouth now moves up another level, going to D1 with some battles against teams in that division already under the belt. The Clippers have faced Exeter at least once a year for a while, they've beaten Souhegan in each of the last two seasons and played well against Bedford and Pinkerton in losses.

"I think Portsmouth in general is ready to get to that next level and we are excited about it," Curro said.

And despite losing eight seniors - including Smith and goalie Arden Griffin - the Clippers have plenty returning to keep up with the top teams in D1.

"I feel like it’s a super strong program," Smith said. "There’s been tons of talent. I think it’s good their moving up to D1, they’re still going to have lots of success up there. They’ll be super competitive."