Playoff Picture: Final week for American Legion senior baseball teams

With one week left in the regular season, only one of the eight spots in the American Legion senior baseball state tournament hasn’t been locked up.

Here’s a look at where the two districts stand with seven days left until the end of the regular season.

District A

1. Bedford (12-2)
2. Lebanon (10-2)
3. Sweeney (10-3)
4. Milford (9-5)

In contention: Plymouth (8-6), Goffstown (6-6), Concord (6-7).

Eliminated: Laconia (1-10), Keene (2-11), Jutras (1-13).

The big change here might be a game that was originally completed last Thursday, when Lebanon picked up a win over Sweeney. But after some confusion on a substitution late in the game, Post 2’s protest of the game was successful and the teams were scheduled to complete the suspended game Monday at Lebanon, with Sweeney up 3-1. They’ll also play Saturday at 3 p.m. at Gill Stadium … Bedford bounced back from its first loss in a dozen games with a 15-5 win over Jutras and gets to play three of its final four games at home. But those four games are against teams fighting to get in – Plymouth, Concord, Goffstown and Lebanon … Milford moved closer to reaching the postseason for the first time by going 4-1 last week, including completing season sweeps of Sweeney and Concord. But Post 23 still has to play at Goffstown and at Plymouth this week.

District B

1. Rochester (13-1)*
2. Exeter (11-3)
3. Londonderry (10-5)
4. Nashua (8-6)

In contention: Dover (6-6), Hudson (6-7), Merrimack (4-7), Portsmouth (6-9), Derry (4-9).

Eliminated: Salem (0-15).

Rochester has won nine in a row since its only loss of the season to Nashua, and last week, Post 7 outscored its opponents 47-10. Rochester finishes the season with two games against Dover and one against Exeter, which both of those teams need more. … Exeter picked up a few big wins in the last week, beating Londonderry, Nashua, Portsmouth and Merrimack to create a little breathing room for itself. After Tuesday’s game against Rochester, Post 32 plays Hudson twice and Salem, so Exeter could lose that game and still end up as the second seed in the district. … Both Londonderry and Nashua suffered losses last week to teams not currently in the postseason field. But Post 27 finishes the week against Derry and Hudson before playing Rochester, while Post 124 has an even more favorable schedule – Portsmouth, Merrimack, Dover and Derry, although all but the Dover game are on the road.

If the tournament started today

• Game 1: Milford vs. Rochester
• Game 2: Sweeney vs. Exeter
• Game 3: Londonderry vs. Lebanon
• Game 4: Nashua vs. Bedford