NH Div. I and II basketball, hockey playoffs starting: What to know about Seacoast teams
The regular season has come to an end for New Hampshire high school Division I and II basketball and hockey. Now i's tournament time for boys and girls teams.
Here's a look ahead at tournament matchups involving Seacoast teams:
BOYS BASKETBALL
Division I
No. 13 Merrimack (8-10) at No. 4 Exeter (13-5), Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.
Exeter opens the tournament on a four-game winning streak and with wins in eight of its last nine games.
The Blue Hawks did not play Merrimack in the regular season; Merrimack lost its final two games of the regular season.
No. 9 Portsmouth (9-9) at No. 8 Nashua South (11-7), Wednesday, 6 p.m.
The Clippers will travel to Nashua for a second match in less than a week with Nashua South. Portsmouth lost to South on Feb. 23, 66-55 at Portsmouth High School. The winner will face No. 1 Pinkerton in the quarterfinals.
No. 12 Dover (9-9) at No. 5 Trinity, Wednesday, 6 p.m.
A 90-33 win over Concord is how the Green Wave ended the regular season, and they hope to continue that play in the tournament.
Dover and Trinity did not play in the regular season.
Dover head coach Matt Fennessy said Trinity is very good, with Devohn Ellis being the team's best player, saying he's a scorer, defender and rebounder.
"He's a winner, won a championship with them two years ago," Fennessy said. "(Trinity) mixes up their defenses to get traps and steals to fuel their transition offense. They score in bunches and we will have our hands full."
Division II
No. 14 Oyster River (7-11) at No. 3 Pembroke (16-2), Tuesday, 7 p.m.
The Bobcats will look to knock off one of the top seeds in the tournament when they travel to Pembroke.
Oyster River came close in the regular season, but fell 62-56 back on Feb. 6.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Division I
No. 13 Nashua South (9-9) at No. 4 Portsmouth (15-3), Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
The Clippers enter the tournament on a nine-game winning streak, and ended the regular season with a 60-33 win over Nashua South.
Portsmouth has not allowed a team to surpass 40 points in seven straight games, with the last time occurring Jan. 30 in a 60-43 win over Windham.
No. 10 Keene (9-9) at No. 7 Dover (11-7), Tuesday, 6 p.m.
The Green Wave defeated Keene, 61-44 on Feb. 20, and will look to pick up another win against them in the first round.
Keene won just two of its final seven games to end the season.
No. 9 Exeter (9-9) at No. 8 Windham (11-7), Tuesday, 6 p.m.
These two teams met in the second game of the regular season, when Windham pulled out a 62-60 win over the Blue Hawks.
Exeter won three of four games to end the regular season.
"Our game against Windham was only our second game of the season and our team has grown a lot since then," Exeter head coach Kaylene Rogers said. "For us to have a chance of winning, we will need to continue working as a team both offensively and defensively. Windham has some very good players and are coached very well, so we will need to play a complete game to advance. With the last time we saw them going down to the wire, our team is excited for the rematch. If we can limit turnovers, crash the boards, play smart basketball and execute on the little things needed, I feel we will be there in the end with a good chance to win."
Division II
No. 9 Derryfield (12-6) at No. 8 Oyster River (13-5), Wednesday, 6 p.m.
Oyster River enters the postseason on a three-game winning streak, while Derryfield dropped two of its final three games.
The Bobcats defeated Derryfield, 63-50 on Jan. 25.
BOYS HOCKEY
Division I
No. 11 Exeter (7-10) at No. 6 Bow (11-7), Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.
Exeter has shown already that it can beat Bow, as the Blue Hawks opened the season with a 4-2 win over the Falcons. But that was back in December, and these two teams are different now.
Can Exeter pull off the first-round upset?
"They’re a much better team than they were a few months ago, and they are playing really well right now," Exeter head coach Paul DiMarino said of Bow. "Their first line is as good as any in the state with (Owen) Webber, (William) Smethurst, and (Aidan) Labrecque, so trying to shut down that line is going to be a top priority. Their goalie is outstanding so trying to find ways to beat him is going to be important as well."
DiMarino added the Blue Hawks must come out ready and firing on all cylinders.
"We need to be smart and keep it simple," DiMarino said. "Need to skate and use our speed. And we need to capitalize on our opportunities and need to take care of the puck It should be a great game. I’m excited for our guys. They’ve worked hard all season, and now it’s time to be the best team we can."
Division II
There is only one first round matchup in the Division II boys hockey playoffs, with three more Seacoast teams opening up tournament play in the second round.
No. 9 Somersworth-Coe-Brown (7-10-1) at No. 8 Spaulding (7-9-2), Wednesday, 6 p.m. at Rochester Ice Arena
Somersworth-Coe-Brown got the best of Spaulding twice in the regular season, and the Red Raiders will attempt to avoid making it a third time.
Division II - Quarterfinals
No. 7 Goffstown (9-7-2) at No. 2 Oyster River (13-3-2), Saturday, 8:30 a.m. at University of New Hampshire
The earliest game among Seacoast teams will occur on Saturday when the Bobcats begin tournament play.
Oyster River defeated Goffstown, 3-2 on Feb. 7.
No. 6 Alvirne-Milford (9-7-2) at No. 3 Winnacunnet (14-4), Saturday, 6 p.m. at Philips Exeter Academy
With extra rest in not having to play a first round game, Winnacunnet will open up in the quarterfinals.
The Warriors defeated Alvirne-Milford, 4-2 on Jan. 27.
No. 5 Dover (10-5-3) at No. 4 Lebanon-Stevens-Mascoma (12-6), Saturday, 4:20 p.m. at James Campion Rink
The reigning D II state champions will begin their quest at a repeat on the road on Saturday.
Dover lost to Lebanon, 3-2 on Feb. 17.
GIRLS HOCKEY
Division I
No. 11 Concord (7-11) at No. 6 Exeter (13-5), Tuesday, 3 p.m. at Rinks at Exeter
The Blue Hawks defeated Concord, 6-4, in the regular season.
Exeter enters winner of three straight, and six of its last seven games, including three shutouts.
No. 10 St. Thomas/Winnacunnet/Dover (7-10-1) at No. 7 Lebanon-Stevens-Kearsarge (12-6), Tuesday, 6:20 p.m. at James Campion Rink
It was a 6-1 win for Lebanon when the two teams met back on Feb. 3. STA/Winnacunnet/Dover will look to turn that around. The team has played well as of late, going 4-1-1 over the final six games of the season.
Division I - Quarterfinals
No. 5 Berlin-Gorham-Kennett (13-5) at No. 4 Oyster River-Portsmouth (14-4), Friday, 4:30 p.m. at Dover Ice Arena
A 5-3 loss to Berlin-Gorham-Kennett was one of the four games Oyster River-Portsmouth lost all season.
The ClipperCats won eight of their final nine games to end the season.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Seacoast NH Div. I and II basketball, hockey teams ready for playoffs
