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Ninth State Sports Show

Episode 319 - Boys Lacrosse Playoff Pairings

·25 min·2 clips
Joe Marcellina breaks down the expected NH boys lacrosse playoff pairings before the official NHIA release on Monday.
The episode begins with host Joe Marcellina introducing the special playoff picture edition focused on New Hampshire high school boys lacrosse. He states the goal is to predict the NHIAA playoff pairings before their official release on Monday, based on standings and ratings. Marcellina explains his methodology, noting he has no official ties to NHIAA but has a high accuracy rate over a decade. He clarifies that seeding is formulaic, based on records, ratings, and points, unlike committee-based college bracketology. The host details Division 1 first, with Pinkerton as the top seed after a 20-7 win over Bedford. He explains tiebreakers for Bishop-Gurton and Bedford, and a three-way tie between Concord, Dover, and Nashua South resolved through rating against tournament teams. Marcellina notes Dover might play at South despite a head-to-head win, highlighting seeding quirks. He outlines playoff dates, including quarterfinals on June 7th and semifinals at Bill Ball Stadium in Exeter. For Division 2, he discusses how St. Thomas and Hollis Brookline tied in ratings due to extra points from beating Division 1 teams, affecting seeding. Play-in games and quarterfinal matchups are predicted, with semifinals at Bedford High School. In Division 3, Marcellina covers a 12-team playoff with byes for top seeds. He explains a complex tiebreaker between Conval and Keir Sarge involving 'quality of wins against tournament teams.' The episode ends with Marcellina sharing an anecdote about an athletic director using his predictions without credit, and he invites listener feedback via email.

As heard by us

Joe Marcellina works through the boys' lacrosse seeding math ahead of Monday's official pairings.

Joe Marcellina sorts through the likely boys' lacrosse playoff seedings for BG, Bedford, Exeter and the rest of the Division I field. The most useful stretch concerns Concord, Dover and Nashua South, whose three-way tie cannot be settled head-to-head because each team beat one…

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Why you'd press play

You get the host's expected Division I boys lacrosse seeds before Monday's official pairings, plus the tiebreaker logic.

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