Previews of Local Schools’ NHIAA Playoff Matchups

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High school tournaments today

Volleyball

Division II semifinals

At Pinkerton Academy

No. 5 Coe-Brown (13-5) vs.
No. 1 St. Thomas (18-0), 7 p.m.

HEAD TO HEAD: St. Thomas swept the season series, winning in straight sets both times.

PREVIOUS TOURNAMENT MATCHES: Coe-Brown eliminated No. 12 Laconia and No. 4 Windham, both in straight sets. St. Thomas had 3-0 victories over No. 16 Kennett and No. 8 Hanover.

NOTES: Coe-Brown has put together an impressive run thus far, but the Bears will need an inspired effort to knock off the top-seeded Saints. St. Thomas is not only undefeated, but it hasn’t lost a single set all season. Liz Peabody and Emma Easler have both come up big at the net in the playoffs for Coe-Brown, each recording 26 kills through the first two matches. Setter Sadie Steffen has been instrumental in their success with 49 assists, while Megan Rouillard has been a force at the service line. The Bears will need it all to come together again if they are to upset St. Thomas.

Boys’ soccer

Division II semifinals

At Stellos Stadium, Nashua

No. 14 John Stark (9-9) vs.
No. 2 Windham (14-3), 4 p.m.

HEAD TO HEAD: The teams did not meet during the regular season.

PREVIOUS TOURNAMENT GAMES: John Stark upset No. 3 Goffstown, 2-0, and ousted No. 11 Oyster River, 3-2 in double overtime. Windham blanked No. 10 Coe-Brown, 3-0, after receiving a first-round bye.

NOTES: John Stark is peaking at the right time, having beaten No. 4 Lebanon, No. 6 Pembroke and No. 8 Con-Val late in the season before its two tournament upsets. Knocking off the No. 2 Jaguars will be a challenge, but the Generals have certainly shown that they’re up for a challenge. Windham has posted 10 shutouts, and its only losses were to Lebanon, No. 1 Hollis-Brookline and No. 5 Trinity, all three losses when the Jaguars were shut out. Josh Morin leads Stark’s offense in the postseason with two goals, one of them the overtime game-winner in the quarterfinals. Serge Boucher, Nick Manna and Sean Doherty have also scored. Goalie Mike Prindiville will be tasked with holding down a team that averaged 3.1 goals per game.

Division III semifinals

At Bill Ball Stadium, Exeter

No. 3 Bow (16-2) vs. No. 2 Hopkinton (17-1), 4 p.m.

HEAD TO HEAD: The teams split their regular-season series, with Hopkinton winning, 2-1, at Bow in September and Bow winning, 2-0, at Hopkinton in early October.

PREVIOUS TOURNAMENT GAMES: Bow rolled over No. 14 Hillsboro-Deering, 6-0, and No. 6 Gilford, 5-0. Hopkinton ousted No. 15 Laconia, 3-1, and No. 7 Raymond, 1-0.

NOTES: Along with the battle on the field, this is a matchup of former coach vs. player, when Hopkinton’s Scott Zipke played for Bow’s George Pinkham at Concord High. So the masterminds on both sidelines know each other well. Bow’s only blemishes this season were a pair of 2-1 losses (to Hopkinton and No. 4 Fall Mountain). Hopkinton’s only blemish is its loss to Bow. The similarities continue, with Bow having allowed just 12 goals while scoring 81, and Hopkinton having allowed nine goals while scoring 86. Doug Fleury leads the Hawks in the postseason with three goals, while Steve Auger and Riley McNicholas have also played key roles up front. Rob Ferguson is the last line of defense between the posts. Bow has put up plenty of offense, led by Dan Crisman, who scored a hat trick in the opener and added two more in the quarterfinals. Connor Rossignol (two), Corey Plumb, Ian Avery, Christopher Ketchum and Robert Lougee have also scored, while Jordan Birtz hasn’t allowed a goal in the postseason.

No. 4 Fall Mountain (15-3) vs.
No. 1 Belmont (18-0), 6 p.m.

HEAD TO HEAD: The teams did not meet during the regular season.

PREVIOUS TOURNAMENT GAMES: Fall Mountain edged No. 13 Campbell, 2-1, and blanked No. 12 Kearsarge, 4-0. Belmont topped No. 17 White Mountains, 3-1, and nipped No. 8 Prospect Mountain, 1-0.

NOTES: The teams share no common opponents, so it’s tough to gauge this one other than on ranking, and that goes to Belmont. The Red Raiders have allowed just seven goals all season while posting 12 shutouts (all from goalie Kaleb Brace). The offense averaged four goals per game during the regular season and has been led in the postseason by Austin Haddock, Pedro Perez, Brendan Johnson and Austin Wilder. Fall Mountain’s only losses this season were to No. 2 Hopkinton (5-0), Division I Keene (1-0) and Hillsboro-Deering (1-0). The Wildcats posted eight shutouts and averaged 3.2 goals per game.