Bedford and Pembroke have long established themselves as the class of Division 1 and Division 2, respectively, in NHIAA girls basketball. Each further cemented that status with impressive wins over the past week.
In addition to those two division-leading squads, Concord Christian and Londonderry remain formidable contenders in Division 1, and Derryfield headlines a deep group of Division 2 teams capable of competing with Pembroke.
There are two new entrants to this week’s rankings. One program debuts after starting the season 1-5 but winning nine of its last 10 games. Another also rejoins the rankings at No. 10 following a big win over a fellow Division 2 title hopeful.
Here is our latest rankings with one week remaining in regular season action:
1. Bedford (15-1)
Previous ranking: 1
Next game: at Londonderry, Feb. 20, 6:30 p.m.
The Bulldogs are the team to beat in Division 1, and that was again proven Friday when they traveled to No. 2 Concord Christian and earned a 47-44 victory. Bedford’s balanced scoring attack was on display in the win, with four players reaching double figures. Senior Annie Zink and sophomore Juliet Laws netted 11 points apiece and senior Sarah Muir and sophomore Eva Zink each added 10 points. Bedford will have one more big test to close out the regular season, a road game at No. 3 Londonderry, before launching its quest for a third consecutive state title.
2. Concord Christian (15-1)
Previous ranking: 2
Next game: vs. Exeter, Feb. 20, 6:30 p.m.
The Kingsmen hung right with Bedford in the losing effort on Friday, trailing 24-22 at halftime and 43-37 after three quarters before ultimately falling by three points for their first loss of the season. Senior Sophia Capsalis stepped up with a team-high 15 points, and senior Emma Smith finished with 11 points — well below her per-game average of 19.5. Concord Christian responded with a 50-28 win over Pinkerton on Tuesday, led by 16 points from Smith.
3. Londonderry (14-2)
Previous ranking: 2
Next game: vs. Bedford, Feb. 20, 6:30 p.m.
Since suffering tight losses to Bedford and Concord Christian in January, the Lancers returned to their usual dominant ways. Londonderry has won all five of its contests in February by double digit margins, highlighted by a 55-31 win over Trinity on Friday and a 74-46 victory against Nashua North on Tuesday. Senior Brooke Eacrett has been on a tear, leading the team with 30 points against Nashua North and 17 points against Trinity. Senior Sammie Sullivan, the team’s leading scorer, had 22 points against Nashua North and 14 points against Trinity. The Lancers’ matchup against Bedford on Friday will offer a chance to build on their momentum headed into the playoffs.
4. Pembroke (15-0)
Previous ranking: 4
Next game: vs. Coe-Brown Northwood Feb. 20, 6 p.m.
The dominant run through Division 2 continues for the Spartans, who posted an emphatic 47-23 win on Tuesday over Bow — a squad that entered the game with just two losses. Senior Kate Stephens led the way with 21 points in that win, and junior Anne Phillips added 14 points. Pembroke’s last big regular season test is a road matchup on Tuesday against Merrimack Valley, after the Spartans secured a seven-point victory in the teams’ first meeting on Jan. 30.
5. Nashua South (14-3)
Previous ranking: 5
Next game: vs. Concord, Feb. 24, 6:00 p.m.
There is a well-established gap between Bedford, Concord Christian, and Londonderry and the rest of Division 1, but the Panthers are a cut above the chase pack. Its most recent loss was a 56-42 defeat to Concord Christian on Feb. 5, in which Nashua South built a 29-22 halftime advantage and led after three quarters before getting outscored 20-5 in the fourth. The Panthers have since responded with a five-game winning streak against some of Division 1’s weaker teams. Senior Nicole De Jesus led the way with 20 points in Tuesday’s win against Winnacunnet and 23 points in Friday’s victory against Dover.
6. Exeter (12-4)
Previous ranking: 7
Next game: at Concord Christian, Feb. 20, 6:30 p.m.
The Blue Hawks have won all four of their matchups since the last edition of these rankings and are riding a seven game winning streak which dates back to Jan. 27. Junior Lexy Rodgers and senior Jessica Melick have raised their per-game scoring averages to 14.9 and 13.5 points, respectively, with Melick racking up a team-high 22 points in Tuesday’s win over Exeter and both netting 19 points in Friday’s victory against Manchester Memorial. The recent success has come largely against teams with losing records, but the winning streak will be put to the test on Friday against No. 2 Concord Christian.
7. Windham (10-5)
Previous ranking: 9
Next game: vs. Trinity, Feb. 18, 6:30 p.m.
The Jaguars are riding a three game win streak since their 40-27 defeat to Londonderry on Feb. 3, including a pair of solid wins over Pinkerton on Feb. 6 and Portsmouth on Feb. 12. Junior Rileigh Finneran paced the scoring with 16 points in the Pinkerton win and 11 points against Portsmouth, and is leading the team at 13.7 points per game — the only player averaging double figures. Windham has put together a nice season by consistently beating teams with lesser records, a trend it will hope to continue as it wraps up the regular season with Trinity, Nashua North, and Alvirne over the coming week.
8. Bishop Guertin (9-7)
Previous ranking: 7
Next game: at Timberlane, Feb. 19, 6:30 p.m.
The Cardinals scheduled a number of tough out-of-state opponents and did not fare well, but when facing NHIAA competition, they have consistently proven themselves as a solid team. That trend has continued this month, where Bishop Guertin fell to Archbishop Williams (Mass.) on Feb. 3 but since logged three consecutive wins in Division 1. Sophomore Hailey McGowan racked up 29 points in a dominant victory over Concord on Wednesday, and is averaging just under 14 points per game to lead the team. Thursday’s road game matchup with another above-.500 squad in Timberlane will be a good litmus test.
9. Manchester Central-Manchester West (10-5)
Previous ranking: NR
Next game: at Alvirne, Feb. 18, 6:30 p.m.
In the final regular season edition of the power rankings, Central-West makes its first appearance. The team opened the season with four losses in their first five games, but has since shot up the Division 1 standings after winning nine of its past 10 games — the sole loss being a 49-34 defeat to Nashua South on Feb. 6. Senior guard Leyla Mohamed is the offensive centerpiece, averaging a team-high 16.5 points per game and posting 24 points in Friday’s win over Keene and 15 points in Tuesday’s victory against Timberlane.
10. Derryfield (13-2)
Previous ranking: NR
Next game: at Oyster River, Feb. 20, 6:30 p.m.
The Cougars have dropped only one game since suffering a 43-36 loss to Pembroke in the season opener on Dec. 12, and hold the second-best record in Division 2 behind the unbeaten Spartans. Their currently six-game win streak is highlighted by an impressive 44-35 triumph on Friday over Merrimack Valley, which also entered the contest with two losses. Junior Holly Dufoe led the team with 15 points in the win, and senior Ella LaFlamme added 12 points. Derryfield faces another top Division 2 squad in Pelham in the regular season finale on Tuesday, but will enter the postseason as a title contender.
Dropped out: Pinkerton, Bow
The next five: Merrimack Valley, Pinkerton, Salem, Bow, Pelham
