Exeter still on top in preseason NHHSSports Field Hockey Coaches Poll
The defending champions in Division I start the year in the same place last season ended.
The defending champions in Division I start the year in the same place last season ended.
The Exeter High School field hockey team, winner of the last two D1 titles, opens the year at the top team in the NHHSSports Field Hockey Coaches Poll. The Blue Hawks received five of the 12 first-place votes to take the No. 1 spot, which they held for four weeks a year ago, including the final poll.
Exeter opens the regular season Monday when it hosts Nashua South.
Windham comes in at No. 2, getting four first-place votes, and the Jaguars will start the season at Concord on Monday. Dover got a first-place vote and came in third to start the season, as the Green Wave get started Monday at Manchester Central-West.
Winnacunnet, last season’s runner-up, was fourth, getting one first-place vote. The Warriors start the season hosting Timberlane, also on Monday.
John Stark, the defending D2 champion, rounds out the top five, and the Generals start the year hosting Hollis Brookline on Tuesday in a rematch of last year’s semifinal.
Pinkerton came in sixth, getting one first-place vote, and will open the year by hosting Bedford on Monday. Souhegan finished seventh to start the year, as the Sabers go on the road Friday to play at Lebanon.
Bishop Guertin comes in at No. 8 and the Cardinals will head to Salem for their first game on Wednesday. Portsmouth, which is at No. 9, also opens its season Wednesday against Derryfield.
Concord rounded out the top 10, as the Crimson Tide will host Windham on Monday.
Here is the preseason NHHSS Field Hockey Coaches Poll for the 2023 season. These are the top 10 field hockey teams in the state, with first-place votes/points (T=tie), last year’s record and final ranking.
- Exeter (17-1-1), 5/102, 1st
- Windham (14-3-1), 4/97, 6th
- Dover (14-4), 1/85, 4th
- Winnacunnet (16-2-1), 1/78, 2nd
- John Stark (16-0-1), 51, 3rd
- Pinkerton (7-10), 1/37, NR
- Souhegan (15-1-1), 34, 5th
- Bishop Guertin (11-6-1), 23, NR
- Portsmouth (13-4), 20, 7th
- Concord (12-6), 19, NR
Others receiving votes: Bedford (13-4), 16, T8th; Londonderry (7-10), 10; Hollis Brookline (12-4-1), 9, 10th; Gilford (17-0), 9, T8th; Oyster River (7-7-1), 9; Keene (8-9-1), 8; Bishop Brady (11-7), 4; Manchester Central-West (6-10), 2; Timberlane (6-10-1), 1; Goffstown (6-8-1), 1; Nashua North (0-16), 1.
If you would like to sponsor the poll this season, send an email to nhhighschoolsports@gmail.com.
