A way-too-early look at the 2024 girls lacrosse season

When all was said and done in 2023, there were some interesting things that happened across the girls lacrosse landscape, starting with the champions in all three divisions.

For the first time since 2017, all three divisions saw a different team win a championship from the season before, while all three teams also won a title for the first time in their respective divisions.

Bedford took home its first Division I crown, having won its previous championship in D2 (2014); Hollis Brookline captured its first D2 title, its first since it was in D3 (2010); and Bow took home the D3 championship for the first time, having won its previous title in D2 (2009).

With the 2024 season being the second of the NHIAA’s two-year cycles, major changes aren’t expected, although there were a few last-minute ones going into this season. John Stark and Hillsboro-Deering were a late co-op on the girls and boys sides, while the Belmont girls played a junior varsity schedule.

Five teams that were ineligible for the postseason in 2023 – Keene-Monadnock, Spaulding, Man. Memorial-West and Man. Central in D2, Milford in D3 – will be eligible for 2024.

Division I

Bedford and Portsmouth, which was the runner-up to the Bulldogs, both have enough coming back for both to make another runner at the D1 championship game, but the two teams they beat in the semifinals, Bishop Guertin and Nashua South, will certainly have a say in that.

The Bulldogs lose just seven seniors, but that includes two of their top threats on offense and their top two defenders. Olivia Matthews will return for her senior season, but others will have to step up around her. Meanwhile the Clippers graduated eight seniors, all of whom played key roles up and down the field, but with players like Annie Parker and Morgan Ruhnke returning, Portsmouth has a great starting point.

Bishop Guertin while have a couple of holes to fill, with seven seniors gone, but this year’s juniors, including Anna Campel, Hailey LeBlanc, Lauren Redfern and Kam Schmitt, will keep the Cardinals at the top of the division. South loses just four seniors, all on defense, while Ella Benzekri, Keira Walsh, Maren Lowell and Morgan Uzdanovich should be returning.

Pinkerton should return all but three players from last year, with Hailey Schnider, Bella Pinardi and Hannah Lisauskas leading the Astros on offense with Sara DiClemente back in goal. Coming off its best season, Dover graduated nine seniors, but should have a strong core returning, led by Payton Denning.

Despite losing a dozen seniors, Exeter has some good, young talent returning, as does Merrimack, while Souhegan should also be among the mix for a playoff spot. After missing the postseason under first-year head coaches, Londonderry and Concord could also challenge for one of those spots.

Too-early-playoff prediction (9 teams): Bedford, Bishop Guertin, Dover, Exeter, Merrimack, Nashua South, Pinkerton, Portsmouth, Souhegan.

Players to keep an eye on: Olivia Matthews, Bedford; Audrey Purnell, Bedford; Madison Kiely, Bedford; Grace Steward, Bedford; Anna Campel, Bishop Guertin; Hailey LeBlanc, Bishop Guertin; Jordan Gaebel, Bishop Guertin; Lauren Redfern, Bishop Guertin; Kam Schmitt, Bishop Guertin; Rylen Gray, Dover; Payton Denning, Dover; Maggie Berry, Dover; Hailey O’Kane, Exeter; Karli Scherpf, Exeter; Ashleigh Leone, Londonderry; Natalie Washington, Londonderry; Jackie Hayes, Merrimack; Elliott Brown, Nashua North; Summer St. Pierre, Nashua North; Ella Benzekri, Nashua South; Maren Lowell, Nashua South; Morgan Uzdanovich, Nashua South; Keira Walsh, Nashua South; Brynn Tefft, Nashua South; Karina O’Donnell, Nashua South; Hailey Schnider, Pinkerton; Hannah Lisauskas, Pinkerton; Bella Pinardi, Pinkerton; Sara DiClemente, Pinkerton; Natalie Paradzick, Pinkerton; Emma Madsen, Pinkerton; Annie Parker, Portsmouth; Morgan Ruhnke, Portsmouth; Sage Bussiere, Portsmouth; Ginger Vinciguerra, Portsmouth; Natalie Heimarck, Souhegan; Emma Kennedy, Souhegan; Lyla Kimball, Souhegan; Maddie Lim, Souhegan.

Division II

After falling to Portsmouth in the title game the two previous seasons, Hollis Brookline finally broke through this year, getting a one-goal win over Hanover in the final. While the Cavaliers lose just six seniors, all of them played big roles this year on a small roster, and they’ll need returners Cailean Roy, Sabrina Hill and Juliette Ogren to take on even more early on.

Hanover, this year’s runner-up, loses seven seniors from a small lineup, but the Bears have key players, like Maggie Higgins and Maeve Lee, who should be back to keep them near the top of the standings. Windham also had seven seniors graduate this spring and the Jaguars will have a couple of big holes to fill, but the expected return of Chloe Hall, Sophia Ponzini, Mia Gallinelli, Emma Kendzulak and Paige Carboni should keep them near the top.

After getting back to the final four for the first time since 2019, Winnacunnet lost just three seniors from a team that was rolling at the end of the season. Three teams that reached the quarterfinals – Oyster River-Newmarket, Goffstown and Timberlane – graduated a small number of seniors each and return a core that helped each turn in one of their better seasons.

Kennett, Merrimack Valley and John Stark/Hillsboro-Deering made strides this year and also lose a small number of seniors to graduation. Manchester Central and Keene-Monadnock, which would have been playoff teams but were ineligible for postseason play, should also be in the mix for a tourney spot.

Too-early-playoff prediction (12 teams): Goffstown, Hanover, Hollis Brookline, John Stark/Hillsboro-Deering, Keene-Monadnock, Kennett, Manchester Central, Merrimack Valley, Oyster River-Newmarket, Timberlane, Windham, Winnacunnet.

Player to keep an eye on: Abby Lussier, ConVal; Eva deMatteis, Goffstown; Abaigeal Estano, Goffstown; Nora Erwin, Goffstown; Morghan Dodge, Goffstown; Maggie Higgins, Hanover; Maeve Lee, Hanover; Nora Bradley, Hanover; Sabrina Hill, Hollis Brookline; Cailean Roy, Hollis Brookline; Juliette Ogren, Hollis Brookline; Addison Dougherty, Hollis Brookline; Kaycie Rhodes, John Stark/Hillsboro-Deering; Ivy Zipf, Kennett; Raegan Armstrong, Kennett; Myra Johnston, Kennett; Grace Manning, Manchester Central; Olivia Wheeler, Manchester Central; Alyssa Brodeaur, Merrimack Valley; Emy Przybylski, Oyster River-Newmarket; Shea Sullivan, Oyster River-Newmarket; Elsa Pueschel, Oyster River-Newmarket; Maia Parker, Timberlane; Lily Brien, Timberlane; Chloe Hall, Windham; Paige Carboni, Windham; Sophia Ponzini, Windham; Mia Gallinelli, Windham; Emma Kendzulak, Windham; Shea Graham, Winnacunnet; Skyla Mace, Winnacunnet.

Division III

Bow was the team to beat from start to finish, dominating the division on the way to its first title in 14 years, and the Falcons graduate just six seniors from this season. The players returning will have big shoes to fill, but with Olivia Selleck and Sidney Roberge expected back to lead the way, Bow will stay in the mix.

By winning the title, the Falcons continued a trend in D3, as the last four champions had lost in the previous title game. St. Thomas looks to have the core returning to keep that going, losing just one senior from this year’s runner-up. With Megan Leahy, Catherine Vetter, Kensley Harris and Charlotte De Tolla expected to return, the Saints could be the favorite heading into the year.

Gilford spent a lot of time at the top of the standings this year, and despite losing a senior class of six, the Golden Eagles should be there again with the return of Olivia Keenan and Madelyn and Caroline Guest. In its first year as a varsity program, Concord Christian reached the final four, and despite losing three seniors from a small roster, the Kingsmen will have a chance to get back with Megan and Sara Muir returning.

Two teams that are used to making the semifinals – Hopkinton and Derryfield – had younger teams this season and should return a lot of experience to help try to get them back. Kearsarge, Lebanon and Pelham also made the playoffs with younger rosters this year, and with a large group of expected returners, any one of them could make a run.

Too-early-playoff prediction (10 teams): Bow, Campbell, Concord Christian, Derryfield, Gilford, Hopkinton, Kearsarge, Lebanon, Pelham, St. Thomas.

Players to keep an eye on: Lydia Tremblay, Bishop Brady; Olivia Selleck, Bow; Sidney Roberge, Bow; Ella Gray, Bow; Kendall Murray, Bow; Callie Hoover, Campbell; Rania Chaudhry, Campbell; Madeline Couvelier, Campbell; Megan Muir, Concord Christian; Sara Muir, Concord Christian; Brianna Murray, Derryfield; Lily Kfoury, Derryfield; Lilly Handwerk, Derryfield; Teagan Peabody, Derryfield; Chloe Bremberg, Derryfield; Madelyn Guest, Gilford; Olivia Keenan, Gilford; Caroline Guest, Gilford; Sydney Westover, Hopkinton; Katie Brown, Hopkinton; Izzy Afflerbach, Hopkinton; Sarah Chodosh, Hopkinton; Estelle Good, Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough; Hayley Doda, Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough; Ociee Ilg, Kearsarge; Madison Jewell, Lebanon; Addison Breault, Pelham; Megan Leahy, St. Thomas; Catherine Vetter, St. Thomas; Charlotte De Tolla, St. Thomas; Kensley Harris, St. Thomas.