Through nearly one month of play, the NHIAA girls’ basketball season has shaken out roughly as we expected in the preseason rankings.
The state’s two superpowers, Bedford and Londonderry, have steamrolled through NHIAA competition, and their head-to-head matchup next Tuesday should help provide some clarity on where both stand. No. 3 Concord Christian and No. 4 Nashoua South are also both unbeaten, and have staked an early claim as the next tier of contenders in Division 1.
Those four teams each held onto their same preseason rankings, and the rankings could’ve gone in any number of directions beginning at No. 5. But we do have one new Top 10 entrant who could be a potential top team in Division 2.
Here is our latest rankings as we hit the thick of the regular season schedule.
1. Bedford (3-0)
Previous ranking: 1
Next game: vs. Manchester Memorial, Jan. 9, 7 p.m.
The two time-defending state champion has started strong in NHIAA action, earning blowout wins over Bishop Guertin on Dec. 19 and Pinkerton on Tuesday en route to an unbeaten record. Star senior guard Sarah Muir has led the offense, highlighted by a team-high 15 points in the win over No. 6 Bishop Guertin. Bedford went 2-1 in the prestigious Londonderry Holiday Classic, notching dominant wins over Burlington (Vt.) and Sacred Heart (Ct.) but suffering a blowout loss to Medfield (Mass.). The Bulldogs have also played much of the season without star forward Mel McCarthy, who's currently injured.
One note as we continue in these rankings: Nearly all of the Londonderry Holiday Classic games are technically exhibitions for the NHIAA teams. Though we learned a lot about several teams through the showcase, we won't be including those exhibitions in records.
2. Londonderry (5-0)
Previous ranking: 2
Next game: vs. Salem, Jan. 9, 6:30 p.m.
Londonderry has a solid case for the top spot in these rankings, but the midseason No. 1 vs. No. 2 debate will be settled in next Tuesday’s head-to-head matchup. The Lancers have dominated their NHIAA opponents so far this season, led by star senior Sammie Sullivan (23 points per game) and junior Gemma Murray (14 points per game). Sullivan particularly shined with a 26-point effort in a 50-31 drubbing of No. 6 Bishop Guertin on Dec. 17. Like Bedford, Londonderry also went 2-1 as the host of the Londonderry Holiday Classic (including a victory against Bishop Feehan that does count as a regular season win), with its sole loss coming to Medfield — though its 13-point margin of defeat was far closer than Bedford, which fell to Medfield by 33 points.
3. Concord Christian (5-0)
Previous ranking: 3
Next game: vs. Windham, Jan. 9, 6:30 p.m.
The Kingsmen have been dominant and consistent against a relatively light early-season slate, taking each of their first five contests by at least a 25-point margin. The offense has scored at least 60 points in each game, led by senior Emma Smith’s 21.4 points per game and Kate Smith’s 9.4 points per game. The Kingsmen will eventually have the chance to prove themselves against Bedford and Londonderry, but won’t face either until the final five games of the regular season.
4. Nashua South (4-0)
Previous ranking: 4
Next game: vs. Trinity, Jan. 8, 6:30 p.m.
After posting a losing record last season, Nashua South expected to take a significant step forward this year — and so far, everything is going according to plan. The Panthers have logged two ranked wins as part of their unbeaten start, earning a 58-53 win over No. 9 Pinkerton on Dec. 16 and a 60-35 rout of No. 8 Keene on Jan. 2. Nashua South is built around star senior guard Nicole De Jesus, who leads the team at 15.3 points per game and racked up a game-high 19 points in the Pinkerton win. Two highly-touted transfer additions have also made an impact, with Bishop Guertin transfer Maggie Gallagher averaging 10 points per game and Penguin Hall transfer Anya Challinger posting a team-high 15 points in a win over Goffstown.
5. Exeter (4-2)
Previous ranking: 6
Next game: at Concord Christian, Jan. 9, 6:30 p.m.
The Blue Hawks opened the season with back-to-back losses — a disappointing 51-38 loss to Salem in the opener and a 64-38 rout against No. 2 Londonderry — but have been on the upswing since with four consecutive wins. Junior guard Lexy Rogers (13.3 points per game) is an established scoring threat in Division 1, and senior forward Jessica Melick (12.0 points per game) has taken an offensive leap. The team appeared to hit its stride in Monday’s 46-32 win over Windham, a result led by 14 points apiece from Rodgers and Melick.
6. Bishop Guertin (1-4)
Previous ranking: 5
Next game: vs. Spalding, Jan. 9, 6:30 p.m.
This ranking may appear high given the record, but context is necessary: Bishop Guertin had the most front-loaded schedule possible, with its first three NHIAA games coming against No. 3 Concord Christian, No. 2 Londonderry and No. 1 Bedford, plus MIAA powerhouse Wachusett. The Cardinals were blown out in each of those contests, but topped Windham as part of the Londonderry Holiday Classic and recorded their first official NHIAA victory Tuesday in a 44-42 win over Trinity. Seniors Olivia Baker and Thalia Drapeau are both averaging double figures to start the season, after both had secondary roles last year. Expect Bishop Guertin to work its record back up in the coming weeks.
7. Pembroke (5-0)
Previous ranking: 8
Next game: vs. Laconia, Jan. 13, 6:30 p.m.
Pembroke entered as the early favorite in Division 2, and the results thus far have backed that up. The Spartans opened the season with a 43-36 win over No. 10 Derryfield, one of their top competitors in the division, and cruised to blowout wins in their next four games. Senior Kate Stephens, one of the top offensive players in the state, leads the team at 15.4 points per game, and senior Ava Strazzeri has stepped into a larger role this season and is averaging 9.8 points per game. After logging a 14-4 record last year and falling in the quarterfinal, the ceiling for this year’s Pembroke team appears higher.
8. Keene (3-1)
Previous ranking: 6
Next game: at Concord, Jan. 9, 6:30 p.m.
Keene had a losing record last season, but appeared primed to take a leap in Division 1 behind star senior Harper Zalaski and a well-rounded supporting cast. The 6-foot forward has held up her end of the bargain early on, averaging 21 points per game across the first four contests, and promising sophomore Payton Margaitis has added 10 points per night and has slotted in well as the team’s lead guard. Keene has logged wins over Alverine, Merrimack, and Manchester Memorial but fell slightly from its spot in the preseason rankings due to its 60-35 loss to No. 4 Nashua South last Friday.
9. Pinkerton (3-3)
Previous ranking: 9
Next game: at Winacunnet, Jan. 9, 6:30 p.m.
Pinkerton has a young nucleus surrounding star senior Brooke Benz, and that’s come with some ups and downs early in the season. The Astros have rolled to dominant wins over Nashua North, Concord, and Alvirne, and lost by single-digits to both No. 4 Nashoua South and No. 8 Exeter before losing in dominant fashion to top-ranked Bedford on Tuesday. Benz is a double-double machine and is averaging over 15 points per game, and junior guard Taya Brown — the sixth man on last year’s team — is adjusting well to the team’s No. 2 scoring role. At the Londonderry Holiday Tournament, the Astros lost 44-34 to Barrington (Vt.), and were rolled 76-24 by Medfield.
10. Derryfield (3-1)
Previous ranking: NR
Next game: vs. Coe-Brown Northwood, Jan. 9, 6 p.m.
After a run to the Division 2 semifinal last year, the Cougars look on track to be in the mix atop the division again this season. The team dropped the season opener by single digits to No. 7 Pembroke, but have won their three games since. Derryfield has been repeating the benefits of Bishop Guertin transfer Holly Dufoe, who is leading the team’s scoring at 14.5 points per game, which has been complicated by sophomore Anna Fazelat (9.5 points per game) and senior Ella LaFlamme, who scored 16 points in Tuesday’s 32-30 win over a quality Bow squad.
The next five: Trinity, Salem, Merrimack Valley, Windham, Bow
