A way-too-early look at the 2025 girls lacrosse season

For the second year in a row, there were no repeat girls lacrosse champions in 2024, and each team that won a title made some history in doing so.

Portsmouth captured its first Division I championship this spring, after moving up from Division II before the 2023 season and finishing as the runner-up that season. Windham, in its last year in D2, won the title for the first time since 2015, while St. Thomas came home with the program’s first championship after finishing with an undefeated record in Division III.

Next school year will be the start of a new two-year cycle for the NHIAA, meaning there was some movement and adjustment to divisions and enrollment numbers. Along with Windham, Manchester Central-West moves up to D1, while Merrimack drops down to D2, based on its enrollment.

Spaulding, Keene-Monadnock and Manchester Memorial once against petitioned down to D2 for this cycle, meaning each team will be ineligible for the postseason in 2025, along with Pembroke, which petitioned down to D3. ConVal and John Stark also moved down to D3, based on their enrollments.

Division I

Portsmouth’s championship completed quite a unique feat, as it gave the Clippers a title in all three divisions – two in D3 (2007-08) and seven in D2 (2011, 2013, 2017-19, 2021-22) – giving them 10 titles and 14 final appearances overall. Portsmouth only graduated six seniors, and with the players set to return, it’s not out of the question that the Clippers are back in this spot in 2025. But while they could be the favorite going in again, much like this year, the rest of the field isn’t far behind.

Bishop Guertin, this year’s runner-up, despite losing 11 seniors, should have the players who can step up, but they’ll need to gain experience. Pinkerton will have big holes to fill, with nine seniors graduating, but the Astros also have enough returning to keep from dropping off.

Souhegan loses seven seniors, but the Sabers had a lot of underclassmen contribute this year and should see them take a big step forward. Bedford also graduated only seven, but all were key contributors, and the Bulldogs could take a small step back next season.

Exeter and Londonderry look to be teams on the rise, as each graduated some talented players, but with both returning several key players who were big contributors this year. Both Dover and Nashua South have a nice core returning, but both will have to replace some seniors who were a big part of the program. While Windham graduated nine seniors from its championship team in D2, the Jaguars should have enough returning to challenge for a playoff spot in their first year in the division.

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

Players to keep an eye on: Maddie Kiely, Bedford; Mikita Berry, Bedford; Leah LeBlanc, Bedford; Maddy Eder-Linnell, Bishop Guertin; Lola Dumont, Bishop Guertin; Abby Lynn, Bishop Guertin; Lindsay Roedel, Bishop Guertin; Sarah Brunelle, Bishop Guertin; Amelia Crumrine, Concord; Leah Foulds, Concord; Emma Pelletier, Concord; Khloe Healy, Dover; Maggie Berry, Dover; Lily Hunt, Dover; Alex Girard, Exeter; Karli Scherpf, Exeter; Phoebe Christenson, Exeter; Molly Byrne, Exeter; Eres Delorey, Londonderry; Jayden Sherwood, Londonderry; Kiara Edmunds, Londonderry; Cora Rogers, Londonderry; Tianna Mann, Manchester Central-West; Grace Manning, Manchester Central-West; Averie Proulx, Manchester Central-West; Molly Ducharme, Nashua North; Savanna Basford, Nashua North; Mya Zibolis, Nashua North; Elliott Brown, Nashua North; Maren Lowell, Nashua South; Karina O’Donnell, Nashua South; Nevaeh Eppolito, Nashua South; Karina Santana, Nashua South; Anna Perkins, Pinkerton; Hannah Lisauskas, Pinkerton; Sara DiClemente, Pinkerton; Delaney Summers, Pinkerton; Fran Doyle, Pinkerton; Morgan Ruhnke, Portsmouth; Maddie Houghton, Portsmouth; Sage Bussiere, Portsmouth; Ginger Vinciguerra, Portsmouth; Emery Lawton, Portsmouth; Raegan Lawton, Portsmouth; Katie Wood, Salem; Madeline Hannon, Salem; Mia Molino, Salem; Libby Kennedy, Souhegan; Izzy Stevenson, Souhegan; Natalie Heimarck, Souhegan; Eva Stiles, Souhegan; Ella Gallinelli, Windham; Sophie Manchester, Windham; Darby Madden, Windham; Jaidyn Seitzer, Windham.

Division II

For the second time in three seasons, the division will open the year with the defending champion gone up to D1. Despite that, there is no shortage of teams that should compete for the title, and that lists starts with Winnacunnet, this year’s runner-up.

The Warriors lose just five seniors to graduation, and while they played key roles this past season, Winnacunnet got solid contributions from a lot of players who will be returning. Hanover, which lost to the Warriors in the semifinals, also graduates a small number (three) and should return a lot of players who gained valuable experience this season.

Timberlane, the other semifinalist, graduates just six from this season, but all had been key contributors for the last few seasons. Still, the Owls should have plenty returning to make another deep playoff run. Hollis Brookline will be in the mix, too, as the Cavaliers lose five seniors, but should return a big junior class, many of whom contributed to the championship run in 2023.

Goffstown will lose just four seniors to graduation who all filled key roles, but the Grizzlies have plenty of underclassmen that should be returning and able to pick up the slack. Merrimack Valley turned in one of its best seasons, and with only two seniors leaving, the Pride should be able to take another step.

Oyster River-Newmarket should return all but one senior from this year’s team, which was loaded with sophomores and freshmen and took its lumps at times. Merrimack, which had been in D1 for the last decade, has the returning roster to make a run for a playoff spot right away.

Too-early-playoff prediction (9 teams): Goffstown, Hanover, Hollis Brookline, Kingswood, Merrimack, Merrimack Valley, Oyster River-Newmarket, Timberlane, Winnacunnet.

Players to keep an eye on: Morghan Dodge, Goffstown; Mia Brisette, Goffstown; Trinity Lunn, Goffstown; Nora Bradley, Hanover; Charlotte Robinson, Hanover; Cassidy Loughman, Hanover; Maeve Bradley, Hanover; Juliette Ogren, Hollis Brookline; Sabrina Hill, Hollis Brookline; McKenna McGuire, Hollis Brookline; Addison Dougherty, Hollis Brookline; Samantha Smith, Hollis Brookline; Lucy Timmer, Keene-Monadnock; Bailee Soucia, Keene-Monadnock; Raegan Armstrong, Kennett; Ava Martin, Merrimack; Payton Trepaney, Merrimack; Jackie Hayes, Merrimack; Alyssa Brouder, Merrimack Valley; Taylor Gionet, Merrimack Valley; Kaiya Mercier, Merrimack Valley; Lenna Quiter, Merrimack Valley; Grace Royal, Oyster River-Newmarket; Mia Weglarz, Oyster River-Newmarket; Eliza Farwell, Oyster River-Newmarket; Izzy Orrell, Spaulding; Rachel Baughman, Spaulding; Sarah Lin, Spaulding; Lila Fitzgerald, Timberlane; Rylee Donahue, Timberlane; Ella Watts, Timberlane; Ava Stewart, Timberlane; Sky Mace, Winnacunnet; Elle Emery, Winnacunnet; McKinley Fowler, Winnacunnet.

Division III

With no teams moving up, three coming down, and one potentially returning to varsity play, this is now the largest lacrosse division in the state with 21 teams. That number could shrink if some programs that struggled with numbers this spring see that problem continue.

Coming off its first championship, St. Thomas looks like it could be in a position to repeat, despite graduating eight seniors, some of whom were contributors on varsity for four years. The recent trend in the division is for the previous year’s runner-up to win the title – six of the last seven D3 champions lost in the title game the year before – and Gilford will have the returning cast to do it; the Golden Eagles had just four seniors on the roster this year.

Hopkinton will lose just four seniors as well and should have plenty of underclassmen returning who gained experience this year and should keep the Hawks near the top of the standings. Meanwhile, Bow has won 42 straight regular-season games against division opponents, and despite graduating seven seniors, could keep that streak going well into 2025.

Derryfield has been knocking on the door of the top four since winning the title in 2021, and with only six seniors leaving and a lot of young players returning, the Cougars could get there next season. Coe-Brown took big strides with a young team this season, winning the program’s first playoff game, and despite some changes off the field, the Bears graduated just two seniors.

Campbell had no seniors on the roster this season, was competitive throughout the year, and with everyone expected to return, could be a surprise team next season. Pelham, Laconia and Lebanon, despite loses and turnover always find a way to be in the mix, while John Stark should be a playoff team in its first year back in D3.

Belmont, which spent the last two years playing a junior varsity schedule, will attempt to return to the varsity level.

Too-early-playoff prediction (14 teams): Bishop Brady, Bow, Campbell, Coe-Brown, Derryfield, Gilford, Hopkinton, John Stark, Kearsarge, Laconia, Lebanon, Pelham, St. Thomas, Trinity.

Players to keep an eye on: Camdyn Despres, Bishop Brady; Ella Gray, Bow; Kylie McKee, Bow; Ella Trefethen, Bow; Gianna Trott, Bow; Kathryn McGovern, Bow; Ava Grant, Campbell; Lilli Wilson, Campbell; Madeline Cuvellier, Campbell; Callie Hoover, Campbell; Rania Chaudhry, Campbell; Abigail Guerrette, Campbell; Avery Keefe, Coe-Brown; Adalynn Moynihan, Coe-Brown; Alexis Muse, Coe-Brown; Maddy Paolino, Derryfield; Bri Murray, Derryfield; Lily Kfoury, Derryfield; Teagan Peabody, Derryfield; Addi Harris, Gilford; Olivia Keenan, Gilford; Abigail Watson, Gilford; Addy Normandin, Gilford; Sydney Westover, Hopkinton; Maeve Owens, Hopkinton; Autumn Meier, Hopkinton; Ella Dumais, Kearsarge; Ociee Ilg, Kearsarge; Addyson Rossi, Kearsarge; Kaycie Rhodes, John Stark; Ryan Mucci, John Stark; Claudia Dustin, John Stark; Ava Currier, Laconia; Maddie Mousseau, Laconia; Drew Kantor, Lebanon; Lucy Eshbaugh, Lebanon; Norah Burns, Lebanon; Elizabeth Maher, Lebanon; Ella DeSimone, Pelham; Katherine Caroll, Pelham; Emma Bowlan, Pelham; Charlotte De Tolla, St. Thomas; Elizabeth Holden, St. Thomas; Reece Anderson, St. Thomas; Brea Barker, St. Thomas; Addison Moynihan, Trinity.

Only 38 weeks until the start of the 2025 preseason!