HANOVER — The Hanover High girls soccer team continued a strong season on Wednesday with a 2-1 defeat of Winnacunnet in the NHIAA Division I teams’ first-round playoff game on Merriman-Branch Field.
The Bears’ defeat of the Warriors (7-8-2) advanced them to Sunday’s quarterfinals at second-seeded Portsmouth (14-2). The Clippers have won 10 consecutive games.
Hanover (11-5-2) took a 1-0 lead into halftime after Sydney McLaughlin headed in a Kiran Park corner kick during the 30th minute.
Maeve Lee gave the hosts a 2-0 advantage a minute into the second half off a Nora Bradley assist. Winnacunnet halved its deficit on a penalty kick.
“Hanover took some time to calm the pace of play but gradually moved toward dominance and worked down the clock,” said coach Doug Kennedy, who noted standout play from goalkeeper Sadie Ross and midfielder Sophie Wise.
Hanover entered this season, its third campaign playing a full Division I schedule, at 13-21-1 during the past two years.
HOPKINTON, N.H. — The 14th-seeded Royals (7-10-0) were thumped by the fourth-seeded Hawks (13-2-2) in Mascoma’s first-ever playoff game.
Andrea Fernandez headed in an Emily Seiler cross at the back post for the visitors’ goal. Coach Mark Rockwood credited Molly Gray with a strong game at goalkeeper.
CLAREMONT — Faith Norton and Maddy Minckler scored and Payton Ferland and Maddy Chambers had assists as the fourth-seeded Cardinals (13-2-0) downed Derryfield (6-8-1) in an NHIAA Division III first-round playoff game.
Stevens hosts fifth-seeded Kearsarge (11-4-2) on Sunday in a quarterfinal. The teams split their two regular-season meetings.
LEBANON — Brooke Walker scored twice and Sophie Longacre once and the eighth-seeded Raiders (9-7-1) broke a scoreless halftime tie against the ninth-seeded Knights (7-8-2).
Longacre had two assists and Phoebe Ballard and Payton Breedlove had single assists for Lebanon, which visits top-seeded Hollis-Brookline (16-0-0) on Sunday in the quarterfinals. The Cavaliers won both their regular-season meeting with the Raiders, by 4-0 and 3-2 scores.
WOODSTOCK — The 13th-seeded Olympians (4-10-1) opened the scoring shortly after halftime of the VPA Division III first-round playoff game, but the Wasps owned the day the rest of the way.
Shane Morse headed in a Oden Schlager corner kick to get Oxbow going.
The fourth-seeded Wasps (8-6-0) answered with an Ezra Lockhart hat trick, the senior’s first tally coming not long after Oxbow’s strike.
Luke Hecker had two assists and Bode Wood one for Woodstock, which hosts fifth-seeded Enosburg (10-5-0) for a quarterfinal game on Saturday.
ENOSBURG FALLS, Vt. — The 12th-seeded Wildcats (6-9-0) surrendered a goal during the game’s first minute before building a tie on Finn Bailey’s goal off a Brayden Russ assist during the second half. The Hornets (10-5-0) scored the winning goal with 20 minutes remaining in the VPA Division III first-round playoff game.
ORFORD — Will Knowles scored five times, Jacoby Patterson twice and Gabe Wright-Swaime once for Rivendell in a tournament opener.
The fifth-seeded Raptors (9-5-1) visit Richford (10-4-0) on Saturday in a VPA Division IV quarterfinal.