Bishop Guertin's Aditya Prasad hits a return during match earlier this season. The Cards host Merrimack today in the first round of the Division I tourney. (Telegraph file photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – The first taste of the high school spring postseason arrives today with the start of the NHIAA boys tennis tournament.

Six local teams qualified for the tournament, including four of the five local Division I teams – Bishop Guertin, Nashua North and South, and Merrimack – and both Division II programs, Hollis Brookline and Souhegan.

Wednesday brings the girls tournament, with Alvirne, Bishop Guertin and Nashua North qualifying for the prelims in Division I, and Souhegan and Hollis Brookline in Division II.

BOYS TOURNAMENT

DIVISION I

There is one all-local preliminary round matchup today, with No. 5 Bishop Guertin (11-3) hosting No. 12 Merrimack (4-10). The other home local match will be No. 7 Nashua South (10-4) hosting No. 10 Manchester Memorial.

Nashua North (No. 11, 6-8) had a late surge to qualify and will visit No. 6 Exeter (10-4).

Guertin blanked Merrimack, 9-0 during the regular season, and the winner will head to No. 4 Dover (12-2) on Thursday in the quarterfinals. BG did not play Dover during the regular season. Likewise, North did not face Exeter during the regular season; that winner goes to face No. 3 Derryfield (12-2), while the South-Memorial winner will travel up to face No. 2 Hanover (13-1) on Thursday. The Panthers, semifinalists a year ago, blanked Memorial 9-0 and fell to Hanover 6-3.

Bedford (14-0) is the top seed. If South were to return to the semis (at home of higher seed) it’s possible the opponent/host would be Derryfield, which beat the Panthers in the season opener. BG is in Bedford’s bracket.

DIVISON II

HB and Souhegan were title contenders in past seasons, but this year HB finished 5-9 and will play in a play-in match, hosting No. 9 Kennett (4-9) today at 4 p.m. at the indoor courts at Longfellow Tennis Club. The two teams did not face each other this season. The winner faces top seed Lebanon (13-1) on the road in Thursday’s quarters. HB has lost its last six and Kennett lost its last seven.

Souhegan (7-7) will be at No. 2 Bow (12-2) on Thursday; the Sabers lost to the Falcons 8-1 back on May 4.

The semis are also next Monday at 4 p.m.at home of the higher seed,and the finals are on May 31 at Alvirne High School.

GIRLS TOURNAMENT

DIVISION I

Alvirne (8-6) is the highest local seed at No. 8 and will host No. 9 Salem (7-7) on Wednesday at 4 p.m. The Broncos, who won the Division II title last spring and moved up, beat Salem 6-3 way back on April 12. If they win, Alvirne’s reward is a visit to No. 1 Bedford (14-0). The Bulldogs won that regular season matchup 8-1.

No. 11 North and No. 10 BG, both 6-8 are at No. 6 Manchester Central (9-5) and No. 7 Pinkerton (9-5) respectively. North’s match is now at 3 p.m., moved from its original 4 p.m. assigned time.

The Cards lost to the Astros 6-2 back on April 12 while the Titans lost to Central 7-2, also over a month ago (April 14).

If North wins it goes to fac No. 3 Hanover (12-2) in Friday’s quarterfinals, while BG would have to go to No. 2 Dover (14-0).

The semis are next Tuesday, May 30, at home of the higher seed while the finals are Thursday, June 1 at SNHU at 4 p.m.

DIVISION II

The No.3 Sabers (13-1) have a legitimate title shot, and have a first-round bye on Wednesday. They could host local rival Hollis Brookline (No. 11, 5-9) in the quarters on Friday if the Cavs can upset No. 6 Portsmouth (10-4) on the road in Wednesday’s prelims.

Portsmouth beat HB 8-1 10 days ago, but lost to Souhegan 6-3 back on April 14. The Sabers also beat the Cavs twice: 6-3 on April 10 and 9-0 two weeks ago.

If you’re looking ahead to possible semifinals, Souhegan is in No. 2 Winnacunnet’s (13-1) bracket, and the Warriors beat the Sabers 6-3 for their only loss a month ago. That potential semi would be next Tuesday in Hampton (home of higher seed). The finals are on Thursday, June 1 at Dover High School.

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