March has been coming in like a lamb, so we’re all thinking spring. It’s the month that bridges the gap from the winter to spring sports season, and we’re all set to plan your next 27 days or so. Yes, you’re right, we just did this, but February as we know is the shortest month of the year.

Here you go:

MONDAY, MARCH 4

It’s Raider softball’s turn in Leesburg, Fla.at the Sleepy Hollow Complex, They face Concordia at 12:30 p.m. to open up and then Sage at 3:15 p.m. Really, where would these colleges be without the spring break for warm weather trips to start their seasons? Of course the funny thing is the temperatures here at the North Pole are supposed to be warmer than usual.

TUESDAY, MARCH 5

If you’re a girls hockey fan,head up to Concord’s Everett Arena. You can catch the Bishop Guertin girls in the state semifinals for fourth straight season, a 7:30 p.m. game with Hanover. Can the defending champs reach the finals? We’ll see.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6

It’s Semifinal Night. There’s North vs. Bedford in Division I boys hoop at Exeter HS at 5:30 p.m.. The Division II hockey semis are at Everett Arena, with Alvirne-Milford taking on Oyster River at 7:30 p.m. Campbell fans will be heading up to Plymouth State to watch Pembroke-Campbell take on Kearsarge-Plymouth in Division III.

SATURDAY, MARCH 9

It’s Girls Hoop Finals day for Division I and II at UNH. Bedford will hoist the plaque, erasing the pain of their previous two Finals losses to Bishop Guertin. Bank on it. And, it’s Ice Hockey Finals Day at Manchester’s SNHU Arena. Last year, we had three local teams (BG boys, girls and Merrimack boys) playing. This year? Only a chance for two, either Alvirne-Milford in Division II and/or Pembroke-Campbell in III. As always, stay tuned.

SUNDAY, MARCH 10

Now we move to the boys hoop finals. Will a local be there, or will it be a Pinkerton-Bedford rematch of last year with the Astros looking for revenge? Can North spoil that party? Again, stay tuned.

MONDAY, MARCH 11

In these eyes, it’s the second most important day of the NFL off-season: Free Agency Legal Tampering Day. This is the day when NFL teams can begin to negoitiate with free agents. Deals can be actually finalized on March 13.

We already know the Patriots, according to new head coach Jerod Mayo, are going be be “burning some cash.” They actually will be, with some $80-plus million in salary cap space for next season. We’ll get a hint of what their draft plans may be with who they sign. Go line and receiver to start.

SUNDAY, MARCH 17

Sure, we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, but it’s also Selection Sunday. March Madness re-enters our lives and we all get our NCAA Men’s and Women’s tournament brackets. Really, what would life be like without brackets?

MONDAY, MARCH 18

Spring has sprung! Well not really; that takes place the next day, March 19. But it’s the first official day for practice for spring high school sports. We’ll see how warm or cold it is, and you can bet that Stellos Stadium in Nashua will be busy with lacrosse and even softball and baseball practices, unless the mud has dried up on the fields and we haven’t had any more snow.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20

It’s MLB Opening Day! What, you say?Well, OK, only partly. The Dodgers and Padres are playing a two game series that counts in Seoul, South Korea, the first time MLB has ever played regular season games in that country. Hey, what can we say.

Also, for a good Celtics game, Doc Rivers brings his Milwaukee Bucks to town for a 7:30 tip. Are the Bucks the only team in the East that can challenge Boston? We’ll say it here right now: No one can. The Celtics – barring some major injury – are going to win the NBA title.

THURSDAY, MARCH 21

Not only is this the first full day – post play-in games – of the NCAA Men’s Hoop Tournament, it’s also a big regular season Boston Bruins game. Yes, there really is such a thing, because the New York Rangers will be in town, and the two are arguably the best two teams in the Eastern Conference, if not the entire NHL. Puck drops at 7 p.m.

THURSDAY, MARCH 28

It’s MLB Opening Day Part II, with everybody in action. The Red Sox will be at the Seattle Mariners – finally MLB realizes it’s not that smart to have an opener in March in Boston. Game time is that night, late, at 10:10 p.m. Guess Chris Sale won’t be their Opening Day starter, right?

SUNDAY, MARCH 31

Happy Easter. Yes, it’s early this year. There’ll be baseball, Sox at Seattle, and the NCAA tourney regional finals as the Elite Eight will then be done and we get to the Final Four Apri. 6 and 8.

There you go, sports fans. March on.

Tom King can be reached at tking@nashuatelegraph.com, or on X, formerly known as twitter, @Telegraph _TomK.

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