The Portsmouth High School spring sports season is in full swing, as boys and girls lacrosse, softball, baseball, track and field, and tennis enter the home stretch of the season, and the title hopes are strong.
The athletes of all these young teams have high hopes for the rest of the season, and the hopes of title runs are high. From the baseball diamond to the track, Portsmouth athletes are pushing themselves to excel in the fiercely competitive NHIAA Division.
Baseball-
The high school baseball team has experienced its share of ups and downs, sitting at an 8-8 record, but certain stars have shined through in the program, and its future is looking very bright.
In a highly competitive division, Portsmouth has had quite a few close losses to top teams like Exeter, Merrimack, and Marshwood, but has remained strong the rest of the season, winning games backed by strong pitching from players like Jake Carlisle, Xave Lampert, Tucker Huskey, and Andrew Hudlin.
At the plate, Patrick Bancroft, Finn Melchior, and Nick Gladu have excelled in providing solid at-bats and creating opportunities to score. Devin Driscoll, a well-rounded junior who has been good at both sides of the ball, has recalled the strength of their starting pitcher rotation. Driscoll gave credit to the strongest part of their game, saying “The starters, they look great.”
The team has three more games before the end of the season, hoping to improve their record and finish strong before they make a playoff run. The lineup is packed with star-studded talent, so attending a game is a must.
Softball-
The softball team has had a difficult season, as being in Division I has shown the lineup tough challenges against schools much larger than them, but they’ve been able to learn a great deal in their time there.
Abby Nersesian, senior and 4-year player on the team of the team, has had great success at the plate and in the field. She noted that they have gelled together well on and off the field, doing group activities and picking each other up to help with the team dynamic.
The team has brought intensity to the games, recognizing that supporting her team when at the plate and on the field is the key to winning.
“I think the biggest thing is leadership. It’s not up to one person on a team; it’s up to everyone and the effort they give,” said Nersesian.
She has high hopes for the remainder of the season, as the team prepares to begin practicing for playoffs to make a deep playoff run coming soon.
Boys Lacrosse-
The PHS Boys lacrosse team has been dominating the division, remaining undefeated against the top schools in the state, and it is clear they are firing on all cylinders. They are confident in their ability to make a deep playoff run, hoping to carry the winning streak throughout the end of the year.
Although the roster is stacked with multiple Division I commits like Nick Smith and Zac Amend, the juniors and other underclassmen have been dominating the field with contributions from goalie Kai Patterson, Nash Conklin, and Ben “Scoop” Pursell, who was one of the team’s top scorers before getting injured.
Briggs Catino, star player and junior on the team noted how well-rounded their group is, saying, “We’ve had some big games, beating Derryfield and Exeter. We’re a well-rounded team. Nick has been dominant on face-offs, Zac and Ben lead our offense, and Masi has been a wall on defense.”
One thing motivating them was the bitter defeat of losing in the championship game in overtime against Derryfield.
“We’re using that to fuel our run this year,” Catino said.
This is the midst of Portsmouth’s dynasty, and all their games are must-watch for the upcoming postseason.
Girls Lacrosse-
The Girls Lacrosse team is 11-2, dominating their opponents in their run for a title. They sit atop their division with some of the best teams in the state such as Pinkerton, Bishop Guertin, Bedford, and Exeter. They have been solid throughout their lineup, holding up defense, offense, goalkeeping, and faceoffs well.
Annie Parker, star player for the team and Syracuse Commit, praised the underclassmen in their ability to show up when they are needed, saying: “We have a pretty young group, but we were able to do a lot of team bonding. They’ve adapted well and learned a lot.”
She has been delighted with the team’s improvement and work ethic, stating: “We have a lot of talent and good coaches. We cover all the positions.”
The team is more ready to make a playoff push then they ever have. They have come a long way from the beginning of the season, as many new players joined to fill the vacancies that last year’s graduating class left, a worry that quickly disappeared from the returning student’s minds when they started winning games.
Portsmouth is in search of another deep title run, stacked with playmakers, a deep bench, and a well-rounded squad that has much playoff experience. They have a tall task ahead, but there is no team better equipped to handle it.
Boys Tennis-
The Boys Tennis team has had a rough season, going 4-10 as of May 20th. They have had fierce competition, as teams like Bow, Goffstown, Hollis-Brookline, and Lebanon have dominated Division II.
The future for the tennis team is looking bright, however. With no seniors on the team, the underclassmen are going to have time to build a team bond, work on their skills, and continue to practice every day.
Next year will be the grand opening of the new High School tennis courts, bringing a new home for Portsmouth Tennis. The future is looking bright for this young program.
Girls Tennis-
Sitting at 11-3 Portsmouth’s Girls Tennis team has thrived in a very competitive division. After a narrow defeat to undefeated Oyster River, ending an 11-game win streak, Portsmouth is looking to capitalize on their success on the court. They have been on fire, blowing out most of their opponents and emerging as a top competitor in the division’s playoffs.
Lindsay Lee, a junior on the team who has played since freshman year has been happy with her performance as well as the team’s, but knows there’s room for improvement.
For the playoffs, Lee said, “I need to work on my backhand, serves, and coordination with my doubles partner.”
They’ve had a dominant run this year, but she stresses the importance of staying level-headed throughout the postseason.
Lee quickly pointed out their coordination, adding, “We’ve been coming together to talk on and off the court.”
Coordinating during doubles matches and staying consistent with supporting each other has been the key to winning, as they hope to take it further into the tournament.
Track and Field-
Hoping to follow up on a dominant season last year, the track team has been working tirelessly to improve on their weaknesses as they enter the end of the season. One thing, however, that has been a great tool for winning meets is the competitive spirit and commitment they bring to each other and the team.
Mariam Nada, breakout star and senior here at Portsmouth after living, where she ran track as a secondary sport. She competes in the 100 Yard-Dash, 100 Hurdles, 4 x 1 relays, 4 x 4, long jump, and triple jump.
The acceptance and encouragement of her team allowed her to find a community and friends in a completely new environment. After immigrating from Egypt, she needed an outlet to let her find a place in the community, saying “As I found myself within the team and with great coaches and teammates, I found myself more inclined to be a better person and assimilate better.”
She has high hopes for the team, not just for this season, but in the future, telling The PaperClip: “The team this year, there is a lot of potential with the seniors and upcoming classes are all doing quite well.”
Their reason for success has been thanks to the coach, Mr. Lyford.
“Our coach does a really good job with fostering a team connection over performance. Some coaches put the team performance over wellbeing, but that’s not the case for our team,” said Nada.
This approach has created success alongside belonging, and makes them formidable contenders for the championship.
As for the team, there is confidence in their ability to overcome the hurdles getting in their way of going back to back, and the remainder of the season stacked up against fierce competition will provide electric matchups for the home stretch.
