In our final snapshot for girls' basketball, we take a look at Division I, a division filled with lots of talent and hopeful contenders. 

 Our column today is brought to you by our friends and partners at Great Bay Community college!

 

Division I

Division I Standings and Scoring Leaders

Gold Level Coaches/Programs: Kevin Gibbs of Bedford, Greg Cotreau of Manchester Memorial, Scott Blake of Spaulding, Rick Oliver of Salem, and Rob Darrell and Freddy Rivera of Concord 

 

If forced to pick Final Four teams today: Bishop Guertin, Bedford, Portsmouth, Pinkerton 

 Bishop Guertin has looked like the best team in the state, and continue to play like that as we inch toward the postseason. 

 Adding a healthy Meghan Stack to the rotation has taken this team to another level. Even when she isn't on the floor Brooke Muller has done a great job bringing energy to the floor and keeping the level of play going in the right direction. 

 It is hard to find a backcourt in the division as good as Brooke Paquette and Olivia Murray. 

 You need good guard play down the stretch, and they can both bring just that. 

 Catelyn Wheeler is putting together a really good season for this group and can sometimes be forgotten about on the wing with all the firepower this offense has. 

 Hannah Lynch was the x-factor for this group in last year's championship run and could be so once again with the spark plug mentality she has coming into games off the bench. 

 If the Cardinals speed you up and turn you over they have you right where they want you. Their defense will be a huge factor down the stretch.

 The weapons seem to be endless for this team and that is what makes them the clear favorite early on. 

 Bedford had been rolling up until Tuesday's loss to Portsmouth. The Bulldogs needed a game like that. That late-game clock and shot management wasn't there, and that's due to not having been in any situation like that this year. 

 They will learn from that one, and we should be a better Bedford team going forward in that department. 

 The difference between this year's and last year's team is the true emergence of Kate Allard. 

 Last year they were lacking that Isabella King-type player. Allard had the skillset to do that last year, but now she has the full trust of her team and more opportunity to create for herself and others.

 Lana McCarthy has looked more poised around the rim and is adding more offensive tools to her arsenal with each game. 

 McCarthy and Allard can control the boards against most teams. Their ability to offensive rebound has been a huge key to success early on. 

 Sydney Grogan is as tough as they come defensively, and the more she gets involved in the offense the more good things happen. 

 Lyla Stein and Ava Dubois are players who can get you 6-8 points a night, and also can erupt for 14-16 if needed. 

 Head coach Kevin Gibbs can go 9-10 deep if needed, showing how solid this rotation can be, 

 Portsmouth got the signature win they needed the past two years. Going on the road to Bedford, clawing back late, scoring 7 points in a matter of 55 seconds, that was a huge confidence boost for a team that feels they can be the last one standing at UNH.

 Bella Slover showed that she was a true gamer with her play down the stretch in that Bedford game. She has a lot of trust in her coaches and teammates, and when the moments are the biggest, she steps up big-time for the Clippers. 

 Avery Romps is one of the better two-way wings in the division and the entire state. The junior has let the game come to her this season, and the results have shown in their 7-1 record. 

 Everything is fluent and smooth on the offensive end, and defensively she can take on most any assignment head coach Tim Hopley throws her way.  

 Enough can't be said about the play of Maddie MacCannell and Margaret Montplaisir. They are consistent in their roles and do all the little things that help Portsmouth be successful, especially rebounding.

 Savannah Emery is looking better by the game and was the one who capped off the comeback in Bedford with her go-ahead layup. 

 Emery could be the x-factor for the Clippers going forward. If she continues in the direction she has been going, good things can happen for the Clippers down the line.

 Pinkerton can really score the basketball, but defense will be the deciding factor for this group. 

 Liz Lavoie has been an offensive tear as of late, averaging 22 points a game over her last four contests. 

 There aren't many defenders who can stop her from getting to the basket. Lavoie getting to where she wants opens up a lot for this group. 

 It also helps when you have a poised floor general in Syd Gerossie directing traffic. Gerossie has seen the ball in her hands even more than she did last year. 

 Gerossie can score it when she needs to, but her ability to set others up and dictate the outcomes of plays with her decision-making is a crucial part of her game. 

 Brooke Benz has been really solid as a freshman and can be a force on the low post that this team needs with Alex White still sidelined. 

 Kaylee Dupuis has played a much-needed complementary role for the Astros and is a great glue piece. 

 This team has the pieces and the talent, now it will be about defending when they need to most. 

 Goffstown is more than capable of getting to the semifinals this year. 

 Enough cannot be said about Ava Winterburn. She has been the best player on the floor every night and has been an absolute problem for opposing defenses to deal with. 

 Teams may have to throw everything and the kitchen sink at Winterburn to slow her down, she has been that good.

 The Grizzlies had a halftime lead at Bedofrd that they let slip away in the second half. 

 That first half alone must have made Steve Largy and his team feel good about where they are at and where they can go. 

 A run in the playoffs will be dependent on the play of Maggie Sasso and Ava Ruggiero, which has been very good as of late. 

 They are two players who can create offense when needed, and with the defensive looks Winterburn will see late in the year, they will need to do so more often than not. 

 Ava Vaughn has been a great glue piece for the Grizzlies and can erupt for a 17-point night now and then. 

 Dover even at 7-2 could be sneaky come playoff time. They have a go-to scorer and dominant low post threat in Lily Nossiff and have a great roster around her that fills a lot of holes. 

 Abigail Kozlowski can get it going when needed on offense. Tory Vitko has great length and a good outside shot. Lanie Mourgenos and Payton Denning do the little things and bring great defense to the floor every night. 

 While the depth may not be there, this team has a solid 5-6 players they can go to on a given night and really compete. 

 Exeter has put their heads down all season and gone to work. They've found ways to win games and they have competed with the best of the best when given the opportunity. 

 They get a crack at Portsmouth tonight should be an entertaining game and also tell us if Exeter can get into the Final Four conversation. 

 Emma Smith has been everything for this group. Whether it be finding her own shot, creating for others, rebounding, or playing high-level defense, Smith has been at the forefront of everything the Blue Hawks have tried to accomplish this year. 

 When Smith can get to the basket, that opens up so much not only for her but for her teammates as well on the perimeter. 

 Ali Campbell continues to spark this team when they need it most and Hailey Harrington and Rachel Ludwig have had their fair share of standout offensive performances. 

 Exeter will play a lot of girls and speed you up whenever they can. They are full-go all game long, and that could help them go on a run to end the season. 

 

The lower seed no one is going to want to face: Londonderry 

 Like Liv Chau said last year, Londonderry is the underdogs and that is how they like it. 

 This team has been up and down a bit this season, but when things are clicking their offense can be electric. 

 Sammie Sullivan has been putting on a show as of late. It is fair to assume most teams won't want to see her coming to their gym in the first round. 

 Kate Sloper is one of the best on-ball defenders in the division and can hound opposing teams' best players. 

 Shannon Ball always seems to do the right thing when the basketball is in her hands and Jordan Furlong can bring you a little bit of everything on both ends of the court. 

 Reagan Anderson can control the tempo for this group, and Brooke Eacrett and Mia Giampa can both get going quickly off the bench. 

 The pieces are there for this team, they just need to put it all together by the end of the year. 

 

 

Mid-Season Player of the Year: Ava Winterburn of Goffstown

Mid-Season Coach of the Year: Jimmy Flynn of Dover

 

Mid-Season First Team All-State

Ava Winterburn of Goffstown 

Lana McCarthy of Bedford 

Liz Lavoie of Pinkerton

Meghan Stack of Bishop Guertin 

Kate Allard of Bedford

 

Mid-Season Second Team All-State

Lily Nossif of Dover

Olivia Murray of Bishop Guertin

Sammie Sullivan of Londonderry

Emma Smith of Exeter

Avery Romps of Portsmouth

 

Mid-Season Third Team All-State

Brooke Paquette of Bishop Guertin 

Bella Slover of Portsmouth 

Sydney Gerossie of Pinkerton 

Madison Pepra-Omani of Manchester Memorial 

Riley Kerens of Winnacunnet