Bedford, Portsmouth hoping to end Bishop Guertin’s hold on D1 girls lacrosse

For the first time in eight seasons, any preseason prediction for the Division I girls lacrosse final four better be written in pencil.

Since 2015, when Bedford and Bishop Guertin, along with a handful of other teams, moved up from D2, the same four programs have been in the semifinals for every year but one.

The Bulldogs and Cardinals, along with Pinkerton and Souhegan, have made up the final four each of the last seven seasons, with the exception of 2021. That year, with the playoff structure changed due to COVID-19, Bedford and Souhegan were in the same region and played in the quarterfinal, with Exeter claiming the fourth semifinal spot.

That could all change this year, with Portsmouth moving up to D1 after dominating in Division II for much of the last decade. In the 12 years the Clippers were in D2, they were in the championship nine times, taking home seven titles, including the last five in a row.

While Bishop Guertin has won the last four titles in D1, Bedford – which has lost to the Cardinals in the playoffs each of those years – and Portsmouth have a chance to unseat the defending champions.

Pinkerton and Souhegan should still be in the mix, while Dover and Nashua South are poised to surprise some teams this year, and Exeter and Merrimack should be improved as well. For the first time, nine teams will make the postseason, adding an extra playoff spot and game.

Here’s a look at the teams in D1 this season, listed alphabetically.

• Bedford (16-3 in 2022): The Bulldogs have been knocking on the door of a title for the last couple of years and this could be the year they finally break it down. A lot of scoring returns on offense, with senior attack Regan O’Brien, senior midfielder Eliana Enners and junior midfielder Olivia Matthews back. Junior Audrey Purnell and sophomore Madeline Kiely will also contribute at midfield. Seniors Sydney Grogan and Sabrina Tipping are back to lead the Bedford defense.
• Bishop Guertin (17-1): The Cardinals have lost 18 seniors the last two years, almost all of whom are playing in college. With a lot of spots to fill, seniors Tess Prunier (attack), Maddy Hartsock (midfield) and Kate Daley (defense) will look to lead the way. Juniors Lauren Redfern and Anna Campel return and will see an increased role on offense while juniors Arianna Kouchalakas and Kam Schmitt are back at midfield. Junior Hailey Leblanc will lead defense alongside Daley, while sophomores Jordan Gaebel and Maddy Eder-Linell (goalie) will join the starting defense. Senior Tessa Wilke (defense), junior Skylar Naftali (attack) and freshman Abby Lynn (midfield/defense) will also look to contribute.
• Concord (7-10)
• Dover (11-7): The Green Wave have improved on the previous year’s record in each of the last two seasons, and after losing just two starters, they’ll look to do so again. Senior midfielders Julia Rowley and Samantha Dyer will help lead the way along with seniors Danielle Young (midfield/attack) and Samantha Koellmer (defense). Junior Rylen Gray is also back on defense where she’ll be joined by seniors Ani Brooks and Elsie Gregorakas and sophomore goalie Maggie Berry. Juniors Megan Healy and Payton Denning return at midfield for Dover while junior Zayda Clairmont and sophomore Lily Hunt will look to contribute on offense.
• Exeter (9-10): The Blue Hawks saw 13 seniors graduate from last year’s team, but have eight players returning with varsity experience, including leading scorer Ally Roeder (senior, attack). Also returning are senior Jacqueline Tobin, juniors Isabelle and Garen Steiner and sophomore Hailey O’Kane at midfield. Seniors Bella Caracciolo and Caroline Burke will join Roeder at attack, while midfielders sophomore Karli Scherf and freshman Phoebe Christenson should also contribute on offense.
• Londonderry (11-9)
• Merrimack (5-12): After a couple of down years, the Tomahawks are looking to make a push to the playoffs with a mix of experience and young talent. Leading the way will be seniors Lilly Marshall (midfield), Arianna Arnold (defense) and Hailey Rivet (midfield). Sophomores Ava Martin (midfield) and Payton Trepaney (attack/midfield) also return while freshmen Jackie Hayes and Olivia Mitchell will look to contribute for Merrimack.
• Nashua North (3-15): The Titans go into the year with a new coach, as Steven Stark takes over the program. The defense will be the strength early on, as senior Jessica Pech Buzek and sophomores Rachel Gauthier and Elliot Brown (goalie) return. Junior Summer St. Pierre and sophomore Molly Ducharme return at midfield, where they’ll be joined by freshmen Savanna Basford and Kaitlyn Frye. Freshman Anya Seo will be called upon to lead the attack.
• Nashua South (13-6): Despite graduating nine seniors, the Panthers return a solid core that will look to get South into the playoffs again. Middies Ella Benzekri (junior), Maren Lowell (sophomore) and Karina O’Donnell (sophomore) will lead the way at both ends, while juniors Morgan Udzandovich and Maddy Matylewski return to lead at attack. The defense will be anchored by junior goalie Keira Walsh along with sophomores Nevaeh Eppolitto and Brynn Teft.
• Pinkerton (14-4): The Astros will have some big holes to fill on offense and another in goal, but have a lot of young returners who got valuable experience last year. Leading the way on offense will be junior Hailey Schnider and sophomore Hannah Lisauskas at attack, along with junior Bella Pinardi and freshman Frannie Doyle. Senior Piper Knowlton and sophomore Anna Perkins will man the midfield while the defense will be led by senior Mea Lally and junior Emma Madsen while junior Alyssa Boisvert will also play a key role. Sophomore Sarah DiClemente steps in at goalie.
• Portsmouth (19-2 in D2): The Clippers join D1 after owning D2 for the last five seasons, having not lost a division game since the end of 2016. With a dozen players returning, Portsmouth will be in the mix for the title in its new division in 2023. Senior Charlotte Marston returns at attack to lead the offense, along with senior middies Avery Ruhnke, Sadie Alati and Sally Collins. Junior Annie Parker is also back at midfield while senior Maggie Parker will look to lead the defense along with seniors Annie Campbell and Emily Kumph. Sophomore Morgan Ruhnke will see time at attack and midfield, newcomers Lexi Stanley, Francis Hackett, Ginger Vinciguerra, Addie Delisle, Lily Patterson and Sage Bussiere will also have a chance to contribute.
• Salem (3-12): The Blue Devils welcome in a new coach, as Erica Weber steps in to lead the program. Salem returned 10 seniors with varsity experience, including Chloe Stone and Shayne Santo at attack and Faith Hoover at midfield. Juniors Paige Frias (attack) and Kelsey McGibbon (defense) also return as does sophomore middie Grace Hoover. Newcomers Lily George (sophomore, midfield), Katie Wood (freshman, attack) and Olivia Schoenrock (freshman, goalie) will also look to contribute this season.
• Souhegan (13-5): The Sabers return a pair of seniors at both ends of the field, Riley Devine on attack and Annika Madeja, who should provide leadership. Midfield is a strength, with juniors Emma Kennedy, Lyla Kimball and Maddie Lime and sophomore Natalie Heimarck returning. Newcomers Sammy Facques and Marley Bacon will play key roles on defense while Carly Hodgdon-Rogers will also have a chance to contribute.

No information was received from the following teams: Concord, Londonderry. 

Playoff Predictions

• Playoff teams (9): Bedford, Bishop Guertin, Dover, Exeter, Merrimack, Nashua South, Pinkerton, Portsmouth, Souhegan.
• Final four: Bedford, Portsmouth, Bishop Guertin, Dover.
• Championship: Bedford over Portsmouth.
• Offensive Player of the Year: Charlotte Marston, Portsmouth.
• Defensive Player of the Year: Sydney Grogan, Bedford.