skip navigation

The Nashua Community College Division II Girls Basketball Mid-Season Snapshot

By Lance Legere, 01/31/25, 6:00AM EST

Share

Anne Phillips and Pembroke are among the contenders in Division II (photo by Chip Griffin)

  As we do every year, we will examine each division at the halfway mark with all-state and coach and player-of-the-year picks. 

 Today we will take a look at Division II as they sit at the midway point. 

 

Brought to you by our friends and partners at Nashua Community College!

 

The teams I could see winning the championship in March: Laconia, Derryfield, Milford, Oyster River, Pembroke

 This division was wide open coming into the year, and it feels more wide open than ever at the mid-way point. 

 Derryfield and Laconia find themselves as the lone unbeaten teams, but they have not been running away in any of these games. They have been challenged, but they have found themselves on the right side of these games so far.

 Macy Swormstedt has been everything the Sachems have needed in more. From her savvy scoring ability and playmaking to her leadership, she has put this group in a position for a title once again. 

 The roster felt deeper last season, but this may be the best shot this team has at a championship in the four years Swormstedt has been on the roster.

 Maddie Mousseau has turned into a nightly double-digit scorer and Ava Currier has filled a role on both ends of the floor.

 Derryfield has fully adapted to Division II and their rotation has found more continuity. 

 Tia Ferdinando and Bre McCabe have played at an even higher level, especially with their ability to score off the dribble and create for others. 

 Freshman Anna Fazelat has been the x-factor, leading the team in scoring at 12 points per game and giving opposing defenses another weapon to worry about, leaving more room for Ferdinando and McCabe to get into their spots.

 Milford came in with one of the more experienced lineups and their ability to hurt you with all five options on the floor makes them a tough team to gameplan for.

 They spread you out and their ability to dictate pace with their play on the defensive end can help them against the teams who want to use their size and turn it into a half-court type of game. 

 The return of LuLu Maguire could propel this group even farther into title contention. She scored nine points in her debut on Wednesday and could swing the title race in Division II.

 Even without Caitlin Klein, Oyster River has the feel of a team that could win four games in the postseason.

 Vivian O'Quinn can score with the best of them in this division and pairing her scoring alongside the emergent play of Olivia Andersen has made this team a bit different than they were last season. 

 The outside scoring has only gotten better with Wren Horne playing like a veteran this year and the recent play of freshman Ashling Ferris, who worked her way into the starting lineup, gives the Bobcats more options.

 The experience Pembroke got in the playoffs last season should help them with the tough field they will have to take on this season. 

 Kate Stephens and Anne Phillips are ready to take on playoff defenses as go-to scorers this time around Kaitlin Arenella is a senior who has been on these types of deep runs before.

 Having three players who can go for 20 on any given night along with the solid individual defenders the Spartans have sounds like a good recipe to have.

 Bow just took down this very Pembroke team and should feel confident as we head towards February. 

 Peyton Vaughn has been even better than expected. You feel like she can be the best player on the floor with any team they take on. 

 Bry Szepan is back in the lineup and could help this team take care of the basketball and bring the defensive energy the Falcons have had in years past.

 The field is wide open, and these next few weeks will be crucial for seeding as a number of teams are just separated by a game or two in the standings.

 

The dark horse team that could make a run: Merrimack Valley, Pelham

 You could certainly make the argument that both MV and Pelham are in the conversation for the title, and they certainly are, but both could be battling it out to get into the top eight over the next few weeks, making the path a bit more difficult.

 The good thing is that these teams both feel like they can play with all of the teams mentioned above.

 Kayla Smith may be the best forward in the division and her ability to impact the game with her scoring and rebounding make the Pride a dangerous team to play.

 Izzy Navoy has emerged as the secondary scorer Bob McNutt was hoping she would be and Jada Lucas is up to take on the challenge of defending opposing leading scorers on any given night. 

 Point guard Emma McNutt has brought stability to the backcourt as a freshman and helps keep this offense running. 

 Pelham has the best size advantage in the division and if they find themselves on the right side of the bracket they could find themselves in the Final Four.

 They were seconds away from making it there last season and with a majority of the roster back this team can make a similar run. 

 Sophia Guinazzo can score inside and help the Pythons win the rebound battle every night out. Grace Riley has been efficient on the ball this year and her scoring has taken a real jump from last season.

 The second half of the schedule is a challenging one, but if they can find a way to stay afloat they will be ready to go come playoff time.

 

The lower seed that could pull a first-round upset: Souhegan, Lebanon

 Souhegan has knocked off playoff teams like Coe-Brown and Hollis-Brookline and played Derryfield to one of their closer games of the season in a 67-60 contest.

 This team plays hard and are settling into established roles. Zofia Rosenfield has had a breakout season and Caroline Drum has been consistent on both ends of the floor.

 This might be the team no one wants to draw in round one. 

 The same could be said about Lebanon, who just defeated Pelham 50-43 in overtime for their best win of the season.

 Summer Crowell has turned into the top-scoring option for the Raiders and Ainslee Delisle and Cathryn Bachelder have taken a real leap from last season.

 They have turned things up defensively and their offense has come a long way from last season. Watch out for Lebanon as well.

 

Mid-Season First Team All-State

Macy Swormstedt of Laconia

Kayla Smith of Merrimack Valley

Vivian O'Quinn of Oyster River

Kate Stephens of Pembroke

Avery Fuller of Milford

Tia Ferdinando of Derryfield

 

Mid-Season Second Team All-State

Peyton Vaughn of Bow

Olivia Andersen of Oyster River

Grace Riley of Pelham

Shea Hansen of Milford

Bre McCabe of Derryfield

Sophia Guinazzo of Pelham

 

 

 

Mid-Season Player of the Year: Macy Swormstedt of Laconia

Mid-Season Coaches of the Year: Jeff Greeley of Laconia

Most Popular

Tag(s): Home  Article Archives  Girls Basketball