A way-too-early look at the 2024 field hockey season

The history books will show that the 2023 field hockey season followed the tournament seedings to perfection.

All three No. 1 seeds won championships, with the runner-up in Division I and II the second seeds. But that doesn’t tell the whole story of this past field hockey season.

The chalk may have held come tournament time, but the gap between the top teams and those in the next tier might have been the smallest in recent memory. With graduation hitting some of those top programs hard, the gap could shrink even more in some places.

On top of that will be some changes to the divisions, as the NHIAA enters a new two-year cycle starting with the 2024-25 school year. Portsmouth and Goffstown make the jump to D1, giving that division 19 teams, while Sanborn will petition down to Division III. That will leave 17 teams in D2 and give D3 18 teams. According to the NHIAA’s 70-percent playoff rule, that would mean 13 teams get into the playoffs in D1, just 11 in D2 and 12 in D3.

With that said, here is a way-too-early look at the 2024 field hockey season.

Division I

Dover and Windham went into the season as favorites because of the talented senior classes that returned. With those players moving on, both will have some major holes to fill, but have proven to be strong enough programs over the last handful years that it should be a matter of reloading, not rebuilding.

Fellow final-four teams Bishop Guertin and Exeter also lose key players to graduation, but like the Green Wave and Jaguars, should have enough returning to remain near the top of the division, just probably not favorites.

So if not those four, then who could be the team to beat heading into 2024? Concord, which has been so close to reaching the final four the last two seasons, looks to be returning a lot next year, as does Bedford, which graduates just three seniors from a team that tied Dover during the regular season.

Keene also loses little in terms of overall numbers from this year’s team and always seems to play the top programs tough. Perhaps 2024 is the year the Blackbirds take the next step.

While Pinkerton loses 16 seniors, it’s hard to ever count out the Astros, and the same goes with Winnacunnet. Salem, which just missed out on a playoff spot last season, had a young roster and looked to be on the way up as a program. And the two newcomers – Portsmouth and Goffstown – have been two of the strongest programs in D2 in recent years and should be a great addition to D1.

Too-early predictions for 2024 playoff teams (13): Bedford, Bishop Guertin, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Goffstown, Keene, Londonderry, Pinkerton, Portsmouth, Salem, Windham, Winnacunnet.

Players to Watch: Mia Katane, Bedford; Eloise Montagano, Bedford; Amelia MacDonald, Bedford; Teagan O’Donnell, Bedford; Addison Wolfinger, Bedford; Addison Daddona, Bishop Guertin; Carly Green, Bishop Guertin; Lola Dumont, Bishop Guertin; Ayla Saeturn, Bishop Guertin; Amy Desrochers, Concord; Nadia Hanna, Concord; Ally McGonigle, Concord; Gabrielle Anderson, Dover; Leyden Churchill, Dover; Hannah Deroy, Dover; Kathleen Everest, Dover; Erin Lynch, Dover; Elsa Bishop, Exeter; Dani Caron, Exeter; Avery Brisiel, Goffstown; Molly Braica, Goffstown; Sophia Dery, Goffstown; Avery Allaire, Keene; Sofia Miller, Keene; Olive Thatcher, Keene; CeCe Walier, Keene; Harper Zalaski, Keene; Alison Chambers, Londonderry; Abbigail Cook, Londonderry; Lindsey McKinnon, Londonderry; Keira Strike, Londonderry; Grey McDonald, Manchester Memorial; Jackie Hayes, Merrimack; Ava Martin, Merrimack; Molly Ducharme, Nashua North; Jordin Lopez, Nashua North; Maren Lowell, Nashua South; Karina O’Donnell, Nashua South; Jaelyn Crossman, Pinkerton; Caitlyn Lemay, Pinkerton; Anna Perkins, Pinkerton; Irie Weinstein, Portsmouth; Shiloh Weinstein, Portsmouth; Maddie Beeley, Salem; Ella Mosto, Salem; Emily Young, Salem; Ella Gallinelli, Windham; Sedona Lee, Windham; Sophie Manchester, Windham; Amber Morgado, Winnacunnet.

Division II

The division will have a much different look next fall, with Portsmouth and Goffstown – two perennial playoff teams that played in the title game in 2021 – moving up to D1, and Sanborn, which had regularly been a playoff before struggling the last couple of years, moving down.

What won’t be different are the teams expected to be back at the top of the division. John Stark will again lose key seniors, but the Generals return a large number of players who contributed to their back-to-back titles. Unless there are big changes, John Stark looks like it will be the favorite heading into next year again.

Souhegan, which lost to John Stark in the semifinals, will also have a huge number of contributors returning. After turning in one of its best regular seasons, Oyster River looks to have a lot returning to have another big year, while Bow, the team that upset the Bobcats in the quarterfinals, will also have key players back.

Kennett, this year’s runner-up, will lose 10 seniors, but the Eagles always seem to find away to be in the mix. Hollis Brookline will return a solid core, but will have some big holes to fill, while Merrimack Valley, Hanover and Pelham should be competing for a playoff spot once again.

Too-early predictions for 2024 playoff teams (11): Bow, Derryfield, Hanover, Hollis Brookline, John Stark, Kennett, Lebanon, Merrimack Valley, Oyster River, Pelham, Souhegan.

Players to Watch: Sophia Coombs, Bow; Kayla Croscut, Bow; Ella Gray, Bow; Shire Kelley, Bow; Ronia Foecking, ConVal; Jess Avalon, Derryfield; Chloe Bremberg, Derryfield; Brianna Murray, Derryfield; Eva Bell, Hanover; Ashley Disco, Hollis Brookline; Sabrina Hill, Hollis Brookline; Nyah Jernberg, Hollis Brookline; Addison Marchant, Hollis Brookline; Emily Tebbetts, Hollis Brookline; Adie Bolduc, John Stark; Emily Fredette, John Stark; Jillian Fredette, John Stark; Lauryn Guevin, John Stark; Addy Pelletier, John Stark; Ryann Telgen, John Stark; Caylin Worthen, John Stark; Raegan Armstrong, Kennett; Ella Newton, Kennett; Emma Gaudette, Kennett; Meghanne Cheevers, Lebanon; Mackenzie Ray, Lebanon; Lauren Bailey, Merrimack Valley; Kaiya Mercier, Merrimack Valley; Wila Audley, Milford; Maggie Aldous, Oyster River; Olivia Andersen, Oyster River; Rowynn Pickering, Oyster River; Nora Rogers, Oyster River; Alexis Breault, Pelham; Addison Breault, Pelham; Carys Mitchell, Plymouth; Ori Dart, Souhegan; Brooke Fallon, Souhegan; Caitlin Ridings, Souhegan.

Division III

Just like John Stark, Gilford won its second division title in a row this fall. And just like the Generals, the Golden Eagles lose some key seniors, but have a whole lot returning to make a three-peat a real possibility.

Who could challenge Gilford? Berlin, this year’s runner-up, loses just three seniors and had 13 sophomores and freshmen on the roster. Bishop Brady will lose some key players to graduation, but return a strong core to be in the mix again and Newfound always finds a way to be a contender.

Hopkinton has had a young roster the last two seasons and has taken a step each year. Newport and Stevens each had strong seasons and should return most of their lineups. Kearsarge got back into the playoffs this year and could have enough back next year to do the same.

Mascoma Valley, Conant and White Mountains were all playoff teams in 2023, but will have some holes to fill due to graduation in order to get back.

Too-early predictions for 2024 playoff teams (12): Berlin, Bishop Brady, Gilford, Hopkinton, Kearsarge, Mascoma Valley, Newfound, Newport, Stevens, St. Thomas, White Mountains, Winnisquam.

Players to Watch: Lilly Kelley, Berlin; Madison Valerino, Berlin; Ava Archambault, Bishop Brady; Payton Bryson, Bishop Brady; Camdyn Despres, Bishop Brady; Kimble Rose, Bishop Brady; Sophia Spingola, Conant; Catherine Fay, Gilford; Olivia Keenan, Gilford; Grace Kelly, Gilford; Addison Normandin, Gilford; Allyson Onos, Gilford; Grace Southworth, Gilford; Lilly Winward, Gilford; Ryan Barrett, Hopkinton; Kelsey Sullivan, Hopkinton; Ava Waddell, Kearsarge; Lorelai Shippee, Mascenic; Makenna Houston, Mascoma Valley; Georgia Kondi, Mascoma Valley; Ellie McGrody, Mascoma Valley; Adeline Dollof, Newfound; Elle MacDonald, Newfound; Alexandra Normandin, Newfound; Maddox Lovely, Newport; Kensley Harris, St. Thomas; Kadence Law, St. Thomas; Elizabeth Benware, Stevens; Lillianna Clark, Stevens.

Only 35 weeks until the start of the 2024 field hockey preseason.