It is that time of the year again – playoff time! Playoffs always offer an exciting adventure of a roller coaster of emotions as the journey towards a State Championship begins. The NHIAA division three and four playoffs will begin this week for girls basketball. The division four matchups will get underway on Tuesday with games tipping off at 7PM and division three matchups will take place on Thursday. The higher seeds will be the home team. Let’s get into the playoff preview of each matchup.
Tuesday – Feb. 20th – 7PM – Division Four
# 6 Woodsville vs. #11 Sunapee
Woodsville finished their season at 14-4 while Sunapee finished 10-8. These two teams did not play each other during the regular season so they will go to battle for the first time. Both teams will also enter this first round matchup on winning streaks. Sunapee will enter riding a three game winning streak and winners of five of their last seven games. During that span, Sunpaee has outscored their opponents 352 – 248.
Woodsville will be riding into the contest with an 8-game winning streak and winners of nine of their last ten. During the span of the eight game streak, Woodsville has not given up more than 45 points in any of those contests. It is going to be a tough matchup on both sides but with the playoffs as always, anything can happen.
#7 Mt. Royal Academy vs. #10 Newmarket
The lady knights of Mount Royal had a very good season finishing with an overall record of 13 and 5 while their opponent, Newmarket, finished 10 and 8. The two teams played each other twice during the regular season and split each of the meetings. The first meeting took place back on December 21st with Mt. Royal beating Newmarket in a close one, 42-40. The second meeting happened on January 12th with Newmarket winning 23-22 in a close, low scoring contest. Both games have been really close which makes this matchup a good one to watch.
Mt. Royal comes in on a small slide having lost three of their final four games and Newmarket on a better streak winning three of their last four games. This game will certainly have all the fixings for a really good first round matchup.
Thursday – Feb. 22 – 7PM – Division Three
#5 Conant vs. #12 Newport
The Conant basketball team hasn’t lost a game since January 12th and then before that it was December 19th. Having lost two of their first three games of the regular season, Conant quickly turned it around and finished with an overall 14 and 4 record. They will ride into this contest against Newport on an eight game winning streak.
Despite a recent slide and a two game losing streak, the Newport Tigers will come into the first round matchup having won three of their final five games. It has been an up and down season for the Tigers but were able to finish the season with a 10 and 8 record. They will look to their big scorers, Alexis Hurd and Alyssa Burr to help carry the way if they want to complete the upset. The Tigers will have a tall mountain to climb and the only way to climb it is by knocking off the favored Conant.
#8 Fall Mountain vs. #9 White Mountains
Whenever you get a matchup between two teams separated by just one seeding, it tends to be a good one. We may have exactly that in this eight and nine matchup. It will be interesting to see how these two teams matchup as they have not played each other this season. Fall Mountain despite the 12 and 6 record for the season, they have been playing .500 basketball in their last six games having won the first three and losing the last three to close the season.
White Mountains have all the confidence as they enter the game coasting on a five game win streak and barely letting their opponents get anymore than 37 points with the exception of just one game during that stretch (47 points allowed against Colebrook).
#2 Gilford vs. #15 Stevens
This will be the true David v. Goliath matchup as Gilford (16-2) tied for the number one spot but fell just one point shy will take on the Stevens (6-12) team that squeaked into the playoffs. The emotions of a huge must win in their game against Newport will need to carry over if they want a shot at pulling a major upset. The Cardinals have won just one game in their last six and although they have been right there, it hasn’t been enough.
Gilford lost their first two games of the season and haven’t lost since. Both teams have played each other once this season and it was more recent. Gilford traveled to Stevens back on February 12th and won 65-50. If there is a bright side for Stevens as they prepare for their game, they did get 50 points against a Gilford team who had not allowed 50 or more in all but just two games (now three with Stevens) during the season. It is a long shot for Stevens but if they can dig deep down, anything can happen.
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