The land of the unbeaten

"The artist who aims at perfection in everything achieves it in nothing," - Eugene Delacroix, French Romantic painter, 1798-1863.

Ask any coach if finishing a season undefeated is a goal, and many, if not all, will tell you its not something his team ever thinks about. Some coaches even want their teams to lose at some point, if for no other reason than to deflate the unblemished balloon in the loss column while there's still another day to play.

Whether a team strives for perfection or not, there always seems to be two or three each basketball season that take that unbeaten record into late February and early March with a shot at an undefeated season. Before any games are played Jan. 11, there remained 22 boys and girls basketball teams - across eight divisions - that carry a goose egg in the loss column.

Here's a look at those teams, and their chances of putting together an undefeated season.

Division I boys basketball

Two unbeaten teams remain after Spaulding's 55-52 loss to Salem last Friday, and its the two teams that everyone would have predicted would be unbeaten early in the season. But there's a chance that Trinity (4-0) and Manchester Memorial (3-0) might not remain that way for long.

The Pioneers will go on the road to take on Manchester Central (3-1) on Tuesday. The Little Green have won three in a row in the division after a season-opening loss to Bishop Guertin. For Trinity, the trip to Central starts a stretch of four of five on the road, ending with a game against Bishop Guertin in Nashua on Jan. 28.

Memorial has two games this week it should win, with a trip to Londonderry (1-3) on Tuesday followed by a home game against Nashua South (2-2) on Friday, although South did upset BG last week. The following week, the Crusaders have to play at Spaulding on Jan. 21 and then host Bishop Guertin on Jan. 25 the Tuesday after that.

At least one of either Memorial and Trinity will finish the regular season with a loss - the teams play at Trinity on March 1 in the next-to-last game of the season. But the chances that both end the year with a loss seems likely.

Division II boys

This list got a lot shorter after Pelham, Hanover and Kingswood all suffered their first losses last Friday. Milford (4-0) remains the only unbeaten team in Division II, as the Spartans handed two teams - Souhegan and Pelham - their first defeats of the regular season last week.

In all, there are 10 teams in Division II with one loss, and Milford will face two of them this week. The Spartans host Portsmouth (4-1) on Tuesday, followed by a trip to Hanover (4-1) on Friday. Portsmouth was the only team to beat Milford during last year's championship season and the Spartans also have games remaining against Pelham, Souhegan, Oyster River and Bedford.

While Milford will have to be at its best to navigate the regular season undefeated, the Spartans already know how to play with the bull's eye on them. It's possible for Milford, but don't be surprised if it enters the tournament with a loss or two.

Division III boys

With Stevens  losing to Fall Mountain last Thursday, three unbeatens remain in the division - Raymond (4-0), Berlin (6-0) and Mascoma Valley (6-0).

Amazingly enough, all three teams could finish the season undefeated because none plays any of the others. But each team will face challenges this year.

Raymond still has two games each against Bow (5-1) and Somersworth (5-1), and one more against Campbell, who it beat by five in the season opener. Mascoma Valley has already beaten Conant and Fall Mountain, but still plays Bow and Stevens along with another game against Fall Mountain. Berlin still has to play Somersworth and Gilford, but its toughest games may be outside of the division, as it faces Division II Kennett, who its already beaten, and Division IV Gorham twice.

Division IV boys

Five teams remain undefeated in the division, but one of them should be dropping from the ranks soon. Concord Christian (3-0) has a perfect record so far, but its three wins are against teams with a combined 3-12 record. The Kingsmen play Derryfield (6-0) on Jan. 14.

Those two teams are joined by Colebrook (5-0), Moultonborough (7-0) and Newmarket (7-0) as the remaining undefeated, and a few of them could remain that way when the tournament starts.

Derryfield and Newmarket still play twice, with the first meeting on Feb. 4, and both have games remaining against Pittsfield, Wilton-Lyndeborough and Nashua Christian, which are all potential playoff teams. While one could be undefeated entering the tournament, don't be surprised if neither are.

Moultonborough's toughest remaining games are against Lisbon, Pittsfield, Profile and Gorham, but the Panthers have already beaten each of those teams once. Moultonborough does still have to play Pittsfield and Profile on the road.

Colebrook has already beaten Lisbon - by one point - but still must play the Tigers at home and play Profile and Gorham twice. With games remaining against Groveton and Woodsville, chances are good that the Mohawks will enter the tournament with a loss.

Division I girls basketball

Winnacunnet won its 52nd straight game last Friday, but the Warriors will face arguably their toughest test of the regular season on Tuesday when Bishop Guertin (4-2) comes to Hampton. The Cardinals suffered a 20-point loss to Alvirne their last time out, but their only other loss is a three-point defeat to Londonderry, which is also undefeated (6-0).

The Lancers may not stay that way for long. After playing at Memorial (4-1) on Tuesday, Londonderry will head to Pinkerton (5-0) for a battle between unbeaten teams. That game will be the second of four straight, and part of a stretch of six of eight, games on the road.

Both Pinkerton and Londonderry will also have to play Winnacunnet, so only one can enter the postseason undefeated. When in doubt, go with the team that's won 50-something games in a row.

Division II girls

Going into last Friday's games, there were still six teams in the division that remained undefeated. But four days later, there are four.

Hanover (5-1) fell to John Stark Monday night, 40-38, to fall from the unbeaten ranks, while Oyster River (4-1) its first loss of the year last Friday against Hollis/Brookline (6-0).

The Cavaliers will have their hands full on Tuesday, as Souhegan (4-0) makes a trip to Hollis that will knock one more team from undefeated status. And there's no guarantee the winner will stay unbeaten either - H/B has games against Portsmouth and Hanover and Souhegan still faces Lebanon, Portsmouth and Oyster River. And the two will meet one more time in the regular-season finale.

Lebanon (5-0) has two games left against Hanover, along with games against Oyster River and Souhegan. Kennett (6-0) also remains undefeated, and its toughest remaining games are against Portsmouth, Oyster River and Merrimack Valley (5-1). The Eagles, who won Class I last year, have the best chance of staying unbeaten.

Division III girls

Conant (6-0) is the only unbeaten left, but the Orioles have plenty of challenges ahead of them. After playing Division II Con-Val on Tuesday, Conant will head to Campbell on Thursday for the first of two games against the Cougars. The Orioles also have two games left against Bow and one against Fall Mountain.

Looking at Conant's schedule, it would seem like there would be at least one spot where it could slip up. But as long as the Orioles have Brooke Springfield, it wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility.

Division IV girls

Three teams remain undefeated, and only two of them can finish the season that way. Groveton (7-0) and Colebrook (6-0) still have to play each other twice this season, meaning at least one of them will end the year with a loss.

The third team, Derryfield (8-0), won't face either Grovetin or Colebrook before the postseason, and the Cougars have already dispatched the tougher teams they'll see this season. Derryfield still has a game against Wilton-Lyndeborough and Hinsdale, the two teams that have stayed within 10 points of the Cougars this season.

Chances are good Derryfield ends the year undefeated; as for the other two, it remains to be seen.