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| By Dave Haley, Posted 11-11-2011 | ||
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Division III (4) Portsmouth at (1) Goffstown The coverage of Portsmouth High school is sponsored by Craven, Sullivan & Splendore PLLC. Box score of the first match-up: I'm pretty sure this is not what Goffstown had in mind when they fought so hard the last month of the season to earn the top seed in the Division III playoffs. You see, losing to an opponent during the regular season and then turning around to host a playoff game against that same school is not an uncommon occurrence. This though was not a 21-14 loss in the rain or a 28-27 game where a bobbled extra point snap was the difference. This was 49-7. This was seniors taking curtain calls. This was subs and JV kids getting to play under the bright lights for a change. This was domination. So how did we get here? And why is Portsmouth jumping on a bus to Goffstown and not the other way around? For an explanation we need to take a step back. Goffstown shook off the loss and beat Milford the very next week 24-17 to give them the inside track to a top 4 seed. It may seem unlikely now but that game at the time was an elimination game of sorts for both teams. Milford was 2-3 and still thought to be capable of rattling off some wins with the toughest part of their schedule behind them. Goffstown QB Connor Benjamin though ran for 147 yards and two scores in the win and in a division full of big time quarterbacks, maybe we missed the most indispensable one of all of them? The Grizzlies closed out the season with wins over Con-Val and Hollis-Brookline to earn the top seed. In the win over Hollis-Brookline Benjamin played one of the best football games any athlete has played in New Hampshire in 2011. He ran for 210 yards and two scores and then added four touchdown throws to three different receivers. Michael O'Donnell ran amok through a very good Cavalier secondary; catching 12 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns. The win clinched Goffstown's first ever top seed. Saturday they get a shot at the only team that beat them. That brings us back to the Clippers. When we did a radio interview on WTSN with head coach Bill Murphy and four of his players back in early September I joked with Billy Hartmann about being the leading passer yardage wise in the state. He took some ribbing from his buddies and then sheepishly looked at his head coach, who was looking right back at him, and said ‘Too many turnovers though..need to take better care of the ball.' His coach didn't disagree. At that time Hartmann only had two on the season. In truth though, a very good first season at the helm has not been without its up & downs and it has been turnovers that sent Portsmouth into its two game slide in recent weeks. In games against Hollis-Brookline & Bedford Hartmann was picked off seven times. The losses fell on a team that couldn't make key stops, continue key drives or avoid costly penalties. There were even a few drops here & there..So it doesn't all fall on Billy Hartman. But if you look at the numbers closely you'll see that in Portsmouth six wins Hartmann threw 3 interceptions. In their three losses: 9. Probably a good time to note that Hartmann did not throw a single pick in the first meeting with Goffstown. If it is as simple as taking care of the ball then Portsmouth has a very good shot to get back to the title game for the fourth consecutive year. This is a team loaded with playmakers and a very underrated defense. For the four seed the trouble is, with Connor Benjamin playing as well as he has for the past four weeks, it may not be that simple anymore. (3) Hollis-Brookline at (2) Bedford The coverage of Bedford high school is sponsored by Bedford Dental Associates & HK Photography Box score of the first match-up: Two very evenly match teams that tied for the second place in the division. Bedford earned the #2 seed with wins over Hollis-Brookline and Portsmouth and now hosts their first ever playoff game. The Bulldogs have been led by lounge member James Caparell, running back Jordan Garron and wide receivers Mike Gardiner and lounge member Brian Collins. This is an offense that produced more points than any other team in Division III and a defense that went six consecutive games without allowing over 14 points in a contest. Up until last weekend's loss to Souhegan this was the favorite to win the Division III title. Does all of that change in a single weekend? Hollis-Brookline has been as consistent as any team in the division and they will look to pound the ball behind the duo of Colin Pellerin (786 yds. rushing & 8 TDs) and Nathan Ferenczhalmy (512 yds. & 5 TDs). The Cavaliers have been here before and a closer than expected loss to Souhegan last November gives them the edge in playoff experience. This is a team with a very strong secondary and they have gotten very solid contributions from players like Sean Connors and Mitch Frick. There is the very real possibility that the winner here hosts the championship game next weekend and with the entire season at stake expect both teams to use the whole playbook to get them to the final weekend.