Windham lacrosse programs making jump to D1 as new NHIAA cycle begins

The end of the spring saw the end of another two-year cycle for the NHIAA, which means it’s time for reevaluating enrollments and division alignments for all sports it sanctions.

For lacrosse, there are some key changes for both the boys and the girls, but the biggest move is taking place on both sides. The programs at Windham High School have opted to petition up to Division I in both boys and girls lacrosse for the next two-year cycle.

With many enrollments dropping across the state, Windham is one of four programs petitioning up to D1 on the boys side and one of five for the girls, although the others are not new to the division.

There is also one boys team and one girls team that move up to D1 after petitioning down for the previous cycle and making the playoffs in D2 this spring. The Keene-Monadnock boys and the Manchester Central girls – who form a new co-op with West for next spring – will both return to D1.

D3 is now the largest division, with the boys featuring 18 teams and the girls holding 21.

Here’s what the divisions will look like, with most-recent enrollment numbers in parentheses and an asterisk indicating a petition up or down.

Girls: Division I (1,150+)

• Pinkerton (3,079)
• Manchester Central-West (1,942)
• Nashua South (1,704)
• Nashua North (1,626)
• Concord (1,464)
• Dover (1,417)
• Bedford (1,404)
• Exeter (1,384)
• Londonderry (1,291)
• *Salem (1,096)
• *Portsmouth (1,024)
• *Windham (995)
• *Bishop Guertin (771)
• *Souhegan (693)

Two teams move in, with Central-West and Windham coming up, while Merrimack, which is now in D2 based on enrollment, elected not to petition up, meaning the Tomahawks won’t be in D1 for the first time since 2014. Salem did petition up to stay in D1, while Portsmouth, Bishop Guertin and Souhegan – which would have otherwise been in D3 – continued to as well.

Despite one more team in the division from a year ago, the NHIAA’s 70-percent playoff rule would still put the number of playoff teams at nine.

Girls: Division II (700-1,149)

• *Keene-Monadnock (1,840)
• *Spaulding (1,390)
• *Manchester Memorial (1,365)
• Oyster River-Newmarket (1,124)
• Merrimack (1,102)
• Winnacunnet (1,073)
• Goffstown (1,043)
• Alvirne (1,025)
• Timberlane (986)
• Merrimack Valley (763)
• Hollis Brookline (750)
• Kingswood (746)
• Kennett (707)
• *Hanover (689)

Three teams – Keene-Monadnock, Spaulding and Manchester Memorial – are petitioning down for the second-straight cycle and will be ineligible for the playoffs for the first year of the cycle. Hanover petitioned up to stay in D2, but three teams moved down to D3.

With just 14 teams now in the divisions, and with three team ineligible for the postseason, there will be 11 teams battling for nine playoff spots.

Girls: Division III (1-699)

• *Pembroke (756)
• Milford (698)
• Coe-Brown (662)
• ConVal (658)
• Plymouth (651)
• John Stark (648)
• Lebanon (618)
• Bow (611)
• Laconia (590)
• Pelham (556)
• Gilford (492)
• Kearsarge (485)
• Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough (426)
• Belmont (360)
• Campbell (356)
• St. Thomas (354)
• Trinity (327)
• Hopkinton (300)
• Derryfield (291)
• Bishop Brady (261)
• Concord Christian (114)

Three teams moved down from D2, with ConVal and John Stark, which will no longer co-op with Hillsboro-Deering, now in the division based on enrollment. Pembroke petitioned down, meaning the Spartans will be ineligible for the postseason. Belmont has had a junior varsity program the last two seasons and will attempt to make the return to a varsity schedule.

That would give the division 21 teams, meaning that 14 would make the postseason.

Boys: Division I (1,150+)

• Pinkerton (3,079)
• Manchester Central-Memorial (2,526)
• Keene-Monadnock (1,840)
• Nashua South (1,704)
• Nashua North (1,626)
• Concord (1,464)
• Dover (1,417)
• Bedford (1,404)
• Exeter (1,384)
• Londonderry (1,291)
• *Merrimack (1,102)
• *Salem (1,096)
• *Windham (995)
• *Bishop Guertin (771)

After having just a dozen teams last cycle, the division will expand by two teams, with Windham petitioning up and Keene-Monadnock staying put after making the playoffs. Bishop Guertin continues to petition up, while Merrimack and Salem had to after their enrollment put them in D2.

With 14 teams in the division, the playoffs will expand by one team to nine for the upcoming cycle.

Boys: Division II (700-1,149)

• *Spaulding (1,390)
• Oyster River-Newmarket (1,124)
• Winnacunnet (1,073)
• Goffstown (1,043)
• Alvirne (1,025)
• Portsmouth (1,024)
• Timberlane (986)
• Merrimack Valley (763)
• Pembroke (756)
• Hollis Brookline (750)
• Kingswood (746)
• *Souhegan (693)
• *Hanover (689)
• *St. Thomas (354)
• *Derryfield (291)

What had been the largest division in the state is no longer, with two teams moving up and three teams moving down. Spaulding petitioned down for another cycle, while Hanover, St. Thomas and Derryfield continued to petition up, as did Souhegan for the first time after its enrollment dropped it to D3.

No other teams moved into the division, so there are just 15, meaning 10 will make the postseason.

Boys: Division III (1-699)

• *Kennett (707)
• Milford (698)
• Coe-Brown (662)
• ConVal (658)
• Plymouth (651)
• John Stark (648)
• Lebanon (618)
• Bow (611)
• Laconia (590)
• Pelham (556)
• Stevens (499)
• Gilford (492)
• Kearsarge (485)
• Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough (426)
• Campbell (356)
• Trinity (327)
• Hopkinton (300)
• Bishop Brady (261)

Just like on the girls side, three teams moved down from D2, with ConVal and John Stark now in the division based on enrollment. Kennett, despite making the playoffs in D2 last year, was able to petition down and will be ineligible to make the postseason in 2025.

With the division now up to 18 teams, that means that 12 would make the playoff field.

While petitioning and cutoffs have been finalized, changes are still possible, depending on programs being able to field a team or two programs possibly forming a co-op before the start of the season.

The 2025 lacrosse preseason is scheduled to begin on March 24 with the first day to play games April 14 and the last day of the regular season May 30.