By Roger Brown
MaxPreps.com
The question Division III girls lacrosse coaches were asking before the season started is the same question they're asking now: Can anyone beat Portsmouth?
At the moment, the answer appears to be no.
The Clippers, who capped an unbeaten season by winning last year's Division III title, stretched their winning streak to 31 games by beating Division II Winnacunnet, 12-11, in a non-league contest last Friday.
Portsmouth had to overcome a two-goal deficit in the second half.
"Winnacunnet was the toughest team we've faced this season," Portsmouth coach Cindy Fitzgerald said. "Start to finish it wasn't our best game of lacrosse, but that was a test. It was a good lesson for us – that we can come back under pressure, pull ahead and end up winning."
Portsmouth improved its record to 13-0 overall and 11-0 in Division III. Barring a late-season collapse, the Clippers will be the No. 1 seed for the Division III tournament.
Earlier in the week Portsmouth defeated previously unbeaten Hollis-Brookline, 18-10.
Portsmouth is one of five unbeaten lacrosse teams in the state. The Souhegan girls (Division I), Bow girls (10-0), Bishop Guertin boys (12-0) and Portsmouth boys (11-0) are the others.
Fitzgerald said the tough test her team received from Winnacunnet will help the Clippers in their attempt to win back-to-back Division III titles.
"It gave the girls confidence to know that they can do it," she said.
Baseball: Exeter's Struggles Continue
Perhaps no Class L team has had a more frustrating season than Exeter, which is 4-13 and has suffered five one-run losses.
"It's been different things on different days," Exeter coach Kevin McQueen said. "Several games have slipped away from us late."
Here's a sample of what Exeter has experienced this year:
Nashua North 4, Exeter 3: Nashua North erased a three-run deficit by scoring four runs with two outs in the top of the sixth.
Goffstown 9, Exeter 8: Exeter took an 8-7 lead in the top of the eighth, but Goffstown prevailed on a two-run single with two outs in the bottom half of the inning.
Alvirne 7, Exeter 6: The Broncos tied the game by scoring three runs in the seventh, and then scored the game-winning run in the eighth even though they didn't hit a ball out of the infield.
Pinkerton 5, Exeter 3: Exeter led 3-2 after six innings, but Pinkerton scored three times in the seventh.
"The kids have played hard," McQueen said. "The effort has been good. You'd like them to have something to show for how well they've played at times."
Softball: Franklin's Barton Hits 500
Franklin's Amanda Barton recorded the 500th strikeout of her high school career when she pitched a no-hitter against Belmont last Monday. Barton, a senior, struck out eight batters in the game.
Barton, who will play for Southern New Hampshire University next season, became the second Franklin pitcher with at least 500 career strikeouts. Ashley Smith, an assistant coach at Southern New Hampshire University, was the first.
Tennis: Tournament Time Arrives
The boys and girls team tennis tournaments will get underway this week. The girls quarterfinals are scheduled to begin Wednesday, and the boys quarterfinals are scheduled to start Thursday. All quarterfinal-round matches will be played at home sites.
