Girls’ lacrosse season recap: Bow, Hopkinton headline area teams in 2024
ABOVE: Bow’s Olivia Selleck (8) runs over to celebrate with Charlotte Duncan (5) after Duncan’s third goal of the game tied the D-III girls’ lacrosse semifinal with Gilford at 10-10 late in an eventual OT loss on June 1. Chip Griffin / Photos by Chip
LEFT: Hopkinton midfielder Sarah Chodosh is tracked by Lebanon midfielder Biff Mayer during the second quarter of a May 20 contest in Hopkinton. GEOFF FORESTER / Monitor staff
Freshman Lilly Jones (12) celebrates with junior Alyssa Brodeur after Brodeur scored her 100th career goal in Merrimack Valley’s first-round playoff victory over Manchester Central on May 28. Chip Griffin / Photos by Chip
| Published: 06-10-2024 10:25 PM |
Like last season, Bow, Hopkinton and Merrimack Valley headlined area girls’ lacrosse teams.
In Division III, the Falcons fell short in their quest for back-to-back state championships, losing to No. 3 Gilford in the semifinals. Hopkinton similarly saw its season end a game shy of the state championship, while in Division II, MV put together a strong 11-win campaign.
Here’s a season recap for each area girls’ lacrosse program:
Record: 3-14 (11th out of 13 in D-I standings),
Seniors graduating: Sarah Leuci, Sofia Payne, Ava Philbrook, Grace Smith.
It was a challenging 2024 season for the Crimson Tide, which started the year losing 12 of its first 13 games. If there was any silver lining, though, Concord finished its season winning two of the last four games, victories over Nashua North and Salem.
Finishing 11th out of 13 teams in Division I, the Tide didn’t qualify for the playoffs.
Record: 10-6 (lost to No. 3 Timberlane in D-II quarterfinals).
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Seniors graduating: Hannah Corey, Melody Couturier, Kennedy Dwyer, Elizabeth Hatfield, Lily Perkins, Emma Donahey.
After pulling off a minor upset over Merrimack Valley in last year’s D-II first-round matchup, John Stark/Hillsboro-Deering once again pulled off a first-round win in 2024, this time on its home turf. The General Cats’ 12-5 victory over Kingswood was the program’s second straight year winning a playoff game.
It was also notable in that senior Elizabeth Hatfield scored her 100th career point.
Overall, JS/H-D ended its season winning seven of its last nine games after starting the season just 3-4.
Record: 11-5 (lost to No. 4 Hanover in D-II quarterfinals).
Seniors graduating: Colby Magoon, Grace Thompson.
Like John Stark/Hillsboro-Deering, the Pride also saw its season come to an end in the quarterfinals of the D-II playoffs. After falling just short against Hanover in overtime in the regular season, MV struggled a bit more in the playoff meeting in a 16-7 loss. Still, 2024 marked a major step forward for the program that’s only graduating two seniors.
One of the key reasons for success, head coach Kylee Yam said, was the amount of experience her players now have playing together, between school and club teams. That familiarity and chemistry helped explain why the Pride improved its win total from eight last year to 11 this year.
Record: 4-11 (T-14th out of 18 in D-II).
Seniors graduating: Mackenzie Hawkins, Kaden Lantz, Zoey Mayeu, Kaylin Moore, Treic Thomas-Guerzon, Carly Wood.
While a 4-11 record might not jump off the page, Pembroke still doubled its win total from 2023. The Spartans, after starting the season just 1-9, closed the regular season winning three of its final five games.
With a number of players expected to return next season, Pembroke will look to continue to make progress in 2025.
Record: 4-10 (T-11th out of 17 in D-III).
Seniors graduating: Finley Hollenberg, Luiza Detwiller, Anna Beauchesne, Caroline Michaud, Lydia Trembley.
Like Pembroke, Bishop Brady began its season with a rough stretch, losing each of its first seven games, but the Giants ended their year with some reason for optimism, winning four of the final seven. While Brady missed out on qualifying for the playoffs, the late-season improvement creates a stronger foundation for the program to build on heading into next year.
Record: 16-3 (lost to No. 3 Gilford in D-III semifinals).
Seniors graduating: Ally Alexakos, Jill Harpring, Bridget Hilton, Kate Labrecque, Kendall Murray, Lauren Rapp, Olivia Selleck, Juliette Tarsa.
Even after graduating key players from last year’s championship team, the Falcons flew through their D-III schedule in 2024. Outscoring their opponents, 281-85, during the regular season, Bow ran into a roadblock in the semifinal, losing 11-10 to Gilford in overtime.
It was still a highly successful season for head coach Chris Raabe’s team, which graduates a senior class that helped compile a record of 59-7 over its four seasons and reached at least the D-III semifinals in each of the last three years.
Record: 10-6 (lost to No. 1 St. Thomas in quarterfinals).
Seniors graduating: Olivia Frost, Faelynne Johnson.
The Bears took a massive leap forward this season, doubling their win total after a 5-10 campaign in 2023. And with just two seniors graduating, Coe-Brown will welcome back a large chunk of the talent that catapulted the Bears into the playoffs this season.
The program’s 10-9 win over No. 9 Laconia in the first round of the playoffs was also its first home playoff win since the program began in 2015.
Record: 1-13 (15th out of 17 in D-III).
Seniors graduating: Ella Baker.
While CCA reached the D-III semifinals last year — the program’s first playing at the varsity level — the Kingsmen slid backward in 2024 with a much younger team. With just four players in 11th or 12th grade, it was a year of learning under first-year head coach Jordan Rioux.
CCA’s lone win came against Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough on May 1.
Record: 13-3 (lost to No. 1 St. Thomas in D-III semifinals).
Seniors graduating: Izzy Afflerbach, Katie Brown, Sarah Chodosh, Viola Pietrabissa, Hannah Smith.
The Hawks’ 2024 season came to a dispiriting end after a 19-8 defeat against No. 1 St. Thomas in the semifinals, but it was still an overall successful year for co-head coaches Gus Madden and Bob Brown. After starting the schedule 2-2, the Hawks rattled off 11 straight wins, including a 12-10 victory over No. 5 Derryfield in the D-III quarterfinals. Hopkinton trailed 10-5 with less than two minutes left in the third quarter but rallied back for the win.
With a large number of returning players, the Hawks look well-positioned for further success in 2025.
Record: 4-10 (T-11th out of 17 in D-III).
Seniors graduating: Adara Boucher, Graycee Foster.
In a season that, as head coach Katherine Stearns put it, produced more life lessons than wins, the Cougars hope they were able to lay the groundwork for further success down the road. Led by two seniors, Adara Boucher and Graycee Foster, Stearns is confident their dedication to the program will rub off on the returning group.
In a challenging Division III, more experience should put the Cougars in a better position entering next season.
High schools: Brady’s Savary reaches girls’ final, Concord golf wraps up regular season with victory, and more results from the weekend
High schools: Cross country, football, soccer, field hockey and volleyball results from this weekend
Girls’ soccer: Senior Kennedy makes triumphant return as Concord beats Spaulding
