As the end of the 2018-2019 school year approaches at Oyster River High School, the seasons of the spring sports teams are also coming to a close. Both boys and girls lacrosse, baseball, softball, unified volleyball, and tennis have all qualified for their respective postseason tournaments. Whatever each team may have accomplished during the regular season will fall away, as focus shifts to winning one game at a time on the path to a state championship title.

This is part one of two. Part one includes boys and girls lacrosse, baseball, and softball. Part two which will be posted tomorrow, includes unified volleyball, boys and girls tennis, and boys and girls track & field.

 

Softball

Wednesday 5/29

Preliminary Round – #11 Pembroke (8-8) vs. #6 ORHS (12-5)

4:30 pm @ ORHS

 

Although the Bobcats did not play 11-seed Pembroke during the regular season, they are confident heading into the first round of playoffs after finishing seven games above .500 and winning their last four games of the year. However they are determined to not let the confidence of a hot streak and home playoff game deter their focus from Pembroke. “We’re going to treat them like they are the best team. We have to play it one game at a time, because we know this is it. If we lose we go home,” says captain Madi Brown-Bloom (‘19). There is also a little added motivation at play for this first round matchup, as it was Pembroke that eliminated the Bobcats from the playoffs last season in the same round. Consistent hitting and energy will be keys for an experienced Oyster River softball team who looks to make a deep tournament run.

 

Winner plays winner of #14 Bow vs. #3 Merrimack Valley in Quarter-Finals

Girls Lacrosse

Wednesday 5/29

Quarter-Finals – #6 ORHS (8-6) vs. #3 Winnacunnet (12-5)

5:00 pm @ WHS

 

Led by a strong group of seniors, the ORHS girls lacrosse team will go up against a tough Winnacunnet team who beat them 16-3 at home in their lone regular season matchup. The girls are coming into the quarter-final game with a lot of momentum having won their last four regular season games. “We definitely have the ability to upset Winnacunnet, we all just need to have a positive mindset going in,” says captain Ally Marshall (‘19). Improving clears, playing a smart offensive game, and stopping the opposing fast breaks are focuses to beat the three-seeded Warriors. “If we all have positive mindsets and go in ready to give it our all, it comes down to just passing and catching,” says Marshall as ORHS looks to advance to the Semis.

 

Winner plays winner of #7 Hanover vs. #2 Hollis-Brookline in Semi-Finals

Baseball

Thursday 5/30

Preliminary Round – #9 ORHS (10-6) vs. #8 Coe-Brown (10-6)

4:00 pm @ CBNA

 

After winning only four games and missing out on playoffs last season, the Bobcats baseball team finished four games above .500 and are looking to bounce back from a sloppy 9-5 loss against Coe-Brown earlier this season. After winning five of their last six regular season games, and allowing zero runs over their last three games, the Bobcats look to advance to the quarter-finals for the third time in the last four years. A tough CBNA team stands in the way. “I think one of our teams biggest keys is believing in ourselves. Very few people believed this team would even have a fighting chance of making the playoffs this year after winning only four games last season,” says captain Max Lewis (‘19). “We need to keep a chip on our shoulder and continue to prove people wrong if we want to make a run at a state championship.”

 

Winner plays #1 Bow who received preliminary round bye, in Quarter-Finals

 

Boys Lacrosse

Thursday 5/30

Preliminary Round – #14 ORHS (7-8) vs. #3 Portsmouth (14-4)

7:00 pm @ PHS

 

Underdog will be the role of the boys lacrosse team in their preliminary matchup against three-seeded Portsmouth, who beat ORHS 14-3 in a mid season matchup. However the boys team is eager for the challenge, more than willing to play with a chip on their shoulders for a shot to knock out a highly ranked team. “Since our Portsmouth loss, we’ve come a long way. Pretty much nobody thought we’d make playoffs or even win more than three or four games,” says captain Tucker Henry (‘19) of his team. A young team, that features a short bench, they have been studying and practicing to play Portsmouth again with hopes of an upset. “[The goal is to] come out harder and more aggressive against a talented Portsmouth team,” says Henry, whose team looks to defy predictions.

 

Winner plays winner of #11 Manchester Central vs. #6 Merrimack Valley in Quarter-Finals