When they tell the story of the year 2020 it will come with a warning.

 It’s seemingly been one gut punch after another and the crazy stories seem to come so fast & furious that when the government pretty much admitted this summer that UFOs do indeed exist …….no one seemed to skip a beat.

 UFO video footage

 Seriously there are little aliens (we better hope they're little) flying ships around our skies…that felt like big news to me but what do I know? In our defense, we are getting a lot thrown at us…

 One positive that seems to have come out of this year is the relationship between opposing coaches who have often worked together this off-season to make sure the kids will be playing football this season.

 The ‘Did that guy just go for 2 up 26 points?’ and ‘Oh you’re going to fake punt up four touchdowns??…ok…..ok……’ moments seem to have been pushed aside for the time being. The coaches instead have been laser focused on making sure their kids have a chance to play football and they’ve come together to make that happen.

 “It’s been pretty great to see coaches talking throughout this process to help one another get approved for a season,” said Spaulding head coach Kevin Hebert. “I can’t say enough about the coaches in our division and how hard they have worked to make this season a reality.”

 “It’s been a whole different set of circumstances for all the teams in our division this year. How coaches have come together to find a positive result for our season has been great to see,” said Exeter head coach Bill Ball.

 “Yes there are some fiery and competitive coaches in this division but at the end of the day the focus came back to the kids,” said Windham head coach Jack Byrne. “We have a lot of great coaches and positive conversations with other programs that have helped significantly.”

 “Everyone agreed that the kids deserved a chance to try and play,” said Londonderry head coach Jimmy Lauzon. “No one worried about how they would benefit, from every coach I spoke to it was always about the kids.”

 These kids have been incredibly resilient and mature in ways I don’t think I would have been capable of at their age.

 Whether the season gets us all the way to the four championship games in November or ends abruptly all these kids asked for was a chance to play. Friday night and into Saturday they finally get that opportunity.

 Final 2019 Division I Standings and Statistical Leaders

 Today in our second of four football previews, we look at Division I, where 20 teams begin the season with the hope that they will end up in the winner's circle at the end like Londonderry did a year ago.

 Today’s preview is brought to you by our friends and new partners at York County Community College!

 Connect with York County Community College today!

 

 East predicted order

1. Exeter

2. Dover

3. Spaulding

4. Portsmouth-Oyster River

5. Winnacunnet

(I’m confident in Exeter & Dover at the top but honestly, the next three teams could flip in just about any order)

  The Exeter Blue Hawks were stopped by Londonderry one win away from another Division I football championship. Hall of Fame head coach Bill Ball’s teams are always led by their seniors, so even with heavy graduation losses, many of them all-state performers; expect a team capable of being there again in late November.

 “The kids are working hard and we have a lot of players ready to step into bigger roles,” said Ball. “They were ready when called upon a year ago and now it’s their team as seniors.”

 John Bunell, who came back to Exeter after playing at St. John’s Prep, and Nate Ross will each see time behind center in the Blue Hawks Wing-T offense. “ John grew up in Exeter so the kids are happy to have him back. He’s played very well for us,” said Ball. “Nate is a very good player and has looked good in the pre-season. He’s going to help us on both sides of the ball.”

 There is an abundance of depth at running back where Spencer Clark, Owen Ross, Uly Ellis, and Danny Doris will all see carries. Exeter will line up with two tight ends in some formations in an effort to utilize both Sam Snow and Jackson Hale. “ That’s another position where we have several different players who will contribute for us.”

 Mike Rollick, Garrett Whitney, John Worobel, and JC Beason will anchor the offensive and defensive lines. Nate Ross. Jacob Wiberg and Spencer Clark will help lead the Exeter secondary. Uly Ellis will be a standout for Exeter at defensive end.

“ The shorter pre-season and not being able to scrimmage is a challenge for everybody. No one has more of an advantage or disadvantage than the other, said Ball” “ It’s about being ready to play when the season begins.”

 The Dover Green Wave continues to grow their numbers, nearly doubling the number of players in the program under second-year head coach Eric Cumba. “We have 72 players in the program which is up from the mid-’30s a few years ago,” said Cumba. “We still have a very young roster with only 7 seniors on the team but we have underclassman with enough experience to take the next step.”

 Junior Darian Lopez-Sullivan returns at quarterback and is set up for a big season. “He’s grown and spent the off-season working with (former UNH and Nashua South QB) Trevor Knight. Darian is as inquisitive as any quarterback I’ve ever coached and I’ve been lucky enough to coach some pretty good ones.”

 Lopez-Sullivan will be joined in the backfield by Beau Normandeau, Luke Geppert, and Brett Davis. “Each has their strengths and you’ll see us using all three based on the situation,” said Cumba.

 Hunter Kaarto should have a big season at tight end and will be joined at the skill positions by wide receivers Nate Shea, Gabe Rubio, and Conner Sheehan.

 Max Berube and Nate Moss will anchor the offensive line for a team heavy on talented juniors. “We have a very strong junior class. The biggest leap you see in athleticism is usually from a player’s sophomore year to their junior year,” said Cumba.

 Beau Normandeau and Luke Russell will lead the defense from the linebacker spot while Gabe Rubio returns to the secondary where he had two pick 6’s a year ago. Freshman Ryder Aubin is another player to watch.

“We feel like we are in a good position to compete with every team in our division,” said Cumba. “It will come down to how much we improve week to week.”

 Spaulding continues its climb under head coach Kevin Hebert as 24 seniors give the Red Raiders a group capable of beating any team in their conference. “We have a group of seniors that have now been in the system with us for three seasons,” said Hebert. “Having that familiarity when you begin the season allows you to hit the ground running.”

 Danny Fogarty will take over at quarterback after serving as the back-up a year ago. He will be joined in the backfield by returning leading rusher Jaric Levesque and Kelly Casey. “Danny is very smart and he makes good decisions with the ball,” said Hebert. “Jaric has been very good for us as well.”

 Wide receiver Max Frost gives Spaulding a weapon on the outside and in the red zone at 6’4 while the offensive line will be anchored by all-state performer Andrew Goldstein and Isaac Lapointe. “We have gotten to the point where we don’t have to have 8 players playing on both sides of the ball. That’s why it’s been so important to develop our depth,” said Hebert.

 Chandler Sutton and Brandon Gondin, who has played very well in the pre-season, will lead the linebacking group. Caleb Vega will head up the Red Raider secondary. “The kids have been resilient,” said Hebert. “They understand there are going to be new things we will have to deal with all the time and they have been very good about not letting it affect their focus.”

 It wasn’t until late last week that Portsmouth-Oyster River knew they were playing football this fall.

 Head coach Brian Pafford and his veteran staff continued to practice, even with the uncertainty of participating in the regular season, and the team they have in heavy on speed and underclassman. “The kids just kept working and so we are very happy we are going to have a season,” said Pafford. “It’s been an exhausting process, to be honest, but we are ready to play football.”

 Billy Omahen will start at quarterback although Charlie Pasqualoni also will likely take snaps behind center. “Billy is a good athlete and he’s coming along,” said Pafford. “He’s missed games due to injuries the last two years so we need him to stay healthy.”

 Cam Francois gives the Clippers toughness in the backfield while Joe Sigmon has very good speed, which is always put to good use in John Iofolla’s spread offense. “Both have good qualities and we as coaches have a lot of confidence in them. We feel pretty good about our skill players across the board,” said Pafford.

 Derik King will line up at wide receiver while Matt Koener and Ethan Yu will line up in the slot. “Derik might be the best route runner we have had here, and that is saying something with all of the good receivers we have had,” said Pafford. “Both Ethan and Matt are very smart and understand what we are trying to do offensively.”

 Joey Gobbi is set for an all-state season on the offensive and defensive lines and will be joined in the trenches by Silas Garland and Jon Moats.

 Defensively Gobbi, Koener, Yu, Charlie Sciretto, Cam Francois and Chris Edwards will all contribute to a small but fast unit. “We like our speed on the outside with our outside linebackers and our secondary,” said Pafford. “We have good numbers, with 63 players on the roster but only 8 seniors. So we will need our junior class to continue to improve week to week.”

 The Winnacunnet Warriors were set up for a rebuilding year after back to back playoff appearances including a championship in 2017.

 Ryan Francoeur’s first season as head coach saw a lot of youth, key injuries seemingly every week, and a lot of lessons learned.

 The Warriors though look poised for a bounce-back season behind a now experienced core. “Last year was tough on everyone but you either feel sorry for yourself as a group or you all decide to work to get better and that’s exactly what we’ve done,” said Francoeur. “We love coaching this group and they are committed to getting better every day.”

 Kyle Tilley takes over at quarterback after leading the JV team to an undefeated season a year ago.

 The running back group should be a deep one with Ryan Eaton and Dylan Atwood both returning from a year ago. Thomas MacDougall is set up for a big season at tight end and will be joined at the skill positions by Dominic Gould and Ben Chase. “We really like the speed we have at receiver, said Francoeur.

 Jack Wilber, David Araujo and will anchor the play on the line while Matt Alkire and Jack Mccann will lead the team from the linebacker spot.

 With a week left in camp, there were still a lot of jobs up for grabs. A very good problem for Francoeur and his staff to have. “It has made for some very competitive practices. We tell the kids, ‘You decide who plays’ and that brings out a level of intensity in practice that we will carry over into games.”

“We only have three players who will play both offense and defense,” said Francoeur. “That speaks a lot to the depth we now have on this roster.”

 

 West Conference predicted order

1. Nashua North

2. Nashua South

3. Bishop Guertin

4. Merrimack

5. Keene

 Londonderry and Exeter gave us a terrific Division I championship game a year ago but it was Nashua North who was the pick of a lot of smart people to be the last team standing.

 Dante Laurendi’s Titans finished the regular season undefeated but a late-season injury to all-state quarterback Curtis Harris derailed their title hopes.

 One year later Harris returns along with a strong nucleus that makes Nashua north one of the teams to beat. “We have a lot of experience in our lineup but we also have a target on our back,” said head coach Dante Laurendi. “It’s a whole new start and a brand new season.”

 “Curtis has been very good and has really developed as a leader,” said Laurendi of his senior captain. Harris will be joined in the backfield by Anthony Greene and Brian Mwangi, who both were key contributors a year ago.

 Lucas Cunningham and Jayden Espinol give the Titans an all-state caliber receiver on the edge and in the slot while Devin Bracetty will play multiple positions on offense. The offensive line could be a strength as well as Spencer Whiting, Max Ackerman, and Zac Maszczak all return from last year.

 Ackerman, Whiting, Harris, and Espinol will lead the defense for a team that might be the team to beat from Day 1. “The kids have been working very hard and are appreciative that they have the chance to compete,” said Laurendi. “We play a very good Nashua South in Week 1 so we will need to be ready to go.”

 Scott Knight’s Nashua South Panthers have the makings of an elite offense behind maybe the best running back in the state.

 How far they go in November may come down to the players battling in the trenches. “We have some areas where we will be able to hit the ground running but there are other areas that need improvement and our inexperience on the line is one of those areas,” said Knight of his Panthers.

 One question that has already been answered is who will be the focus of the offense. All-state running back Jason Compah has transformed from a 210 lb back a year ago to a 230 lb wrecking ball after a busy off-season in the gym. “He’s been working incredibly hard and he looks terrific right now,” said Knight. “We are looking for big things from him this season.”

 Brother Josh Compah will join him in the backfield along with Tyler Armeen and Connor Rowsell who you’d be better off naming the positions he won’t be lining up at. Knight said he will use Rowsell at CB/RB/LB/TE and in the slot. “He’s a very versatile player and he’s going to help us in a number of different ways.”

 Jaden Murphy and Drew Fleury will each line up at wide receiver and the secondary while Josh LaCourse, Matt Harting, Colby Vancelette, Aiden Smith, and Robert Isaac will make up the offensive line. “That’s the unit that will need to come together for us this season,” said Knight. “With the shorter pre-season, it is going to take a few games to get to where we need to be. We hope that we are playing our best football by Week 5.”

 The Compah brothers and Rowsell will play linebacker while Tony Martinez has had a very good camp at defensive end. “We have a good group but depth is an issue. We’ll need to stay healthy but we have a chance to be very competitive again this season.”

 Bishop Guertin will be young this season but head coach John Trisciani has his team headed in the right direction and maybe a year away from contending into late November.

 “We are coming along in the pre-season and right now it’s about players stepping up into important roles for us,” said Trisciani. “We’ve begun to build the program back up and I like the make-up of the players we have in the program.”

 Dylan Santosuosso, who is also an all-state basketball player for BG, will see time at quarterback this season but may miss games early in the season due to injury. Josh Larson, Hayden Shattuck and Dylan’s younger brother Matt are all competing for time at quarterback.

 Hunter Rheaume will step right in at running back as a sophomore and will be joined in the backfield by Charlie Bellavance.

 Brendan Callahan is set up for a good season at wide receiver while Dan Flemming will move between running back, wide receiver and lining up in the slot. “That’s a talented group and what you hope to develop over the shortened is more depth at those skill positions,” said Trisciani.

 Rocco Geraci will anchor a young offensive line while the Cardinals defense will feature Aiden Szewczyk (DL), Connor Guibord (LB), sophomore defensive end Jacob Baker, Tim Kelleher (DL) and Hayden Shattuck (DB).

 “Our freshman team went undefeated a year ago and we have had some good players join the program this year,” said Trisciani. “I’ve been so impressed with the coaches we have gone up against and the adjustments that are made in-game or at halftime. We are trying to get better week to week against those teams and the kids are excited to compete.”

 A year ago Merrimack knocked off top seed Nashua North to advance to the semifinals before falling to Exeter on the road.

 Kip Jackson’s teams have been a perennial playoff team since he took over as head coach but will have to replace their four most productive offensive players in 2020.

 Jared Dyer, James Dowling, Devin Wood, and Zach Twardosky graduated last spring but an experienced offensive line will make the transition a bit easier in a shortened regular season.

“We lost a lot of production from a year and so we are going to need some players to step into bigger roles,” said Jackson.

 Kyle Crampton takes over at quarterback for James Dowling, who threw for over 1,500 yards last season.

 He will be joined in the backfield by Jake Bunis and will line up behind a very good and experienced offensive line led by Nathan Lemire, Dylan Sadowski, and Camden Wheeler.

“The offensive line should be the strength of our offense,” said Jackson. “That’s always a good place to start obviously.”

 Cody Keefe and Sean Morrilly will lead the linebackers while Jake Trahan and Brett Michalewicz lead the Merrimack secondary. “ The kids have been working hard. With the open playoff system it’s about getting better week to week,” said Jackson. “ I think every team in our division will look very different in Week 4 from where they were in Week 1.”

 

 South Conference Predicted order

1. Pinkerton Academy

2. Londonderry

3. Salem

4. Windham

5. Alvirne

 Pinkerton Academy took it on the chin a few times last season, dropping a lopsided playoff game to arch-rival Londonderry to end the season.

 Injuries and inexperience were too much to overcome for the Astros but 2020 is a brand new year, and you know what they say the most dangerous kind of bear is?

 “We are healthy again. We have a lot of depth and experience at key positions,” said Hall of Fame head coach Brian O’Reilly.

 In other words, Pinkerton is back to being Pinkerton again.

 Nate Campos will start at quarterback with Elliott Beals also likely to see time behind center as well.

 The running back spot is a strength for O’Reilly’s team with Jacob Albert and David Clark both returning after seeing extensive playing time a year ago. They’ll be joined in the backfield by fullback Evan Wilson. “We have a lot of backs who will carry the football. We’ll sort out who is getting the majority of the carries when the games start,” said O’Reilly.

 If there is a strength of the team it is the depth & size of their offensive and defensive lines. Many of the starters today were injured a year ago. The scramble to find replacements a year ago has produced depth in the trenches.

 Thomas Macdonald, Brady Durrazano, Max DeLangie, Logan Robinson, and Nate Burris will anchor what should be one of the best offensive lines in the state. “We had multiple guys miss games a year ago and it seemed like every player that played on the line had some sort of injury at one time or another,” said O’Reilly. “That now becomes an area of strength for our team.”

 There is depth at wide receiver but who gets the most snaps is still to be determined with no pre-season games in this most irregular season.

 Defensively Evan Wilson (MLB) and Jack Mackiernan will lead a very good linebacking group while Albert and Clark will head the secondary. “I like the depth and size we have as a team,” said O’Reilly. “You still have to go out there and compete so we won’t know anything for sure until we get out and play on Friday night.”

 As a coach there is the feeling you think your team is capable of winning a championship and the moment you know it.

 For Jimmy Lauzon and the Londonderry Lancers, it was their 42-24 win over arch-rival and bully to the east Pinkerton (Highlights and post-game interview: Londonderry 42, Pinkerton 24).

 “I think we as coaches had felt our team was capable of winning a championship,” said head coach Jimmy Lauzon of the impact of that win. “But it was clear after that game. We had to beat Pinkerton and to do it on the road, that showed all of our players what we were capable of accomplishing.”

 The Lancers ran the table, beating Pinkerton again in the playoffs (45-3) and both Salem (35-14) and Exeter (21-10) on their way to the title.

 A year later there is still a ton of talent and depth on the roster. The Lancers though will have to replace their quarterback Jake McEachern, their leading rusher Jeff Weidenfeld and their two top receivers in Cole Keegan and Alex Tsetsilas. “It would take all day to go back and talk about all the plays those four made for us,” said Lauzon. “Replacing them will be very hard but at the same time there are very good players who have waited for their turn and they have that opportunity now.”

 Aidan Washington, Aiden O’Loughlin, and Dylan McEachern all are competing for time at quarterback in a backfield that will include Riley Boles, Robbie Derhak and Hayden Austin.

 “We’ve seen flashes from each of the three quarterbacks,” said Lauzon. “Right now it is about finding consistency. With the running backs, no one has separated themselves from the group so I think you’ll see quite a few backs getting carries for us.”

 Nick Asdadoorian was the team’s 3rd leading receiver a year ago behind Keegan & Tsetsilas, and is set up for a big senior season. Junior Colby Ramshaw has had a very good off-season and will contribute right away at receiver as well.

 The offensive and defensive lines will be a strength for the Lancers with four starters back: Hayden Fielder, EJ Donovan, Ian Ward and Dan Gear. “Our strength will be in our line play and that’s obviously a very good place to start,” said Lauzon.

 The defense has the potential to be one of the best units in the state and will be led by the defensive line as well as Will Reyes, who returns to the secondary, Lucas Seaman, who was a key contributor a year ago, and Riley Boles at linebacker.

 “The kids have been doing a good job of just understanding that there are going to be things out of our control,” said Lauzon. “They just want to play ball and get after it again. They’re excited to get going.”

 The Salem Blue Devils will debut their new field under a new head coach as former assistant Steve Abraham takes over for Rob Pike.

 The name of the man leading them may have changed but little else will when it comes to one of the best football programs in the state. Salem is going to play tough, physical football and they are going to run the football out of their Wing-T offense.

 “This is a very hard-working group, it's a bring your lunch pale type of team, and they’ve been a pleasure to coach,” said Abraham. “They hold each other accountable at practice and I’m looking forward to seeing how that carries over into the regular season.”

 Three different players are vying for the starting quarterback job and all three are likely to see time behind center this season. Cody Clements, Kaleb Bates, and Noah Mustapha are competing for the quarterback job and each has had good moments in the pre-season.

 The Blue Devils seemingly have a stable of running backs every season and 2020 will be no different. Dante Fernandes, Jake Brady, and Tommy Ahlers will lead another strong group of running backs.

 The offensive line will be anchored by Tanner Morgano, Noah Poulin, Jordan Scott, Jonathan Smith, and Andrew Sullivan. “We aren’t very big on the line but it’s a fast and aggressive unit,” said Abraham.

 Noah Poulin, Jake Brady, Jack Milos, Andrew Sullivan, and Tommy Ahlers, and Aidan McDonald will lead the Blue Devils defense. “The kids have been excited to get going and we are looking forward to seeing what we can become as a team.”

 An already challenging season became a lot tougher when Windham high school had to suspend sports after positive tests two weeks ago.

 The Jaguars though have become one of the best programs in the state because of the family-like atmosphere the program has built under Bill Raycraft and now Jack Byrne.

 It’s that level of trust among the coaches and players that have the entire team still giving out only positive vibes about the 2020 season. “Our players, and our senior class especially, are very resilient,” said Byrne of his Jaguars. “I’m not sure I would have handled the disappointment of having our season delayed as their age as well as they have. The kids are just focused on getting better every day and being ready when the games start.”

 Both Rocky Heres and Joe DaSilva, a first-team all-state basketball player for the Jaguars, will both see time behind center. “We have two very good athletes and two very smart kids as well, at the quarterback position,” said Byrne.

 Steve Mague and Alec Saklad will get the bulk of the carries in the Jaguars Wing-T offense while Cole Peterson and Westin Lippold give Windham a pair of big athletic receivers.

 The offensive line will be anchored by Eli Nicolopoulos, Zack Leclerc, James Comeau, Jackson Milano, and Richard Philogene. “We have some depth with our lineman,” said Byrne. “That’s always critical with our style of play.”

 Dan Charest is a leader on defense from the free safety/middle linebacker spots along with Steve Mague and Alec Saklad. “It’s a very unorthodox start to the season for us but we are focused on the playoffs (Division I is expected to be an open tournament this year with the shortened season) and playing our best football when it counts.”

 The Alvirne Broncos had a very good two-year run in Division II but return to Division I with only two returning starters on offense. “We lost a lot of our core players and so we’re going to be a very young team this season,” said head coach Tarek Rothe. “Conditioning has been a real focus for us because we have a lot of players that are going to have to play on both sides of the ball.”

 The Broncos do have experience at what might be the most important position on the field as all-state quarterback Kyle Gora returns as a 3-year starter. “Kyle has looked very good in practice and he reads defenses very well,” said Rothe. “He’s worked very hard to become the player he is and we are looking for a big season from him.”

 Bryant Montgomery and Craig Freni will get the bulk of the carries out of the backfield while Eric Allard gives the Broncos a short-yardage back and a lead blocker. “Not a lot of experience with that group, I think Craig only had 10 touches a year ago, but they are coming along well in the pre-season,” said Rothe.

 Look for the Broncos to go to a lot of two-tight end sets as 6’4 Liam O’Neil, an all-state basketball player for the Broncos, and 6’4 Brendan Graham will give Gora two big targets over the middle. “Both are very good athletes and they’ll contribute a lot to our offense.”

 Alex Lawson is the only returning starter on the offensive line and will be joined by Alex Linke and Dominic Willard. Defensively Gora will play middle linebacker while Lawson anchors the defensive line and Drew Porter leads the Broncos secondary.

 “We play three of the top five teams in our division so that’s a challenge in any year but we are particularly inexperienced with this group,” said Rothe. “We have a lot of quickness on the roster as well as size at a couple of key positions. We’re excited to be playing again,”

 

 North Conference Predicted order

1. Goffstown

2. Bedford

3. Manchester Central

4. Concord

5. Manchester Memorial

 Goffstown was a year ahead of schedule when they won the North conference with a 7-2 regular season a year ago.

 Former assistant coach Nick Hammond takes over for longtime head coach Justin Hufft and hits the ground running with a Grizzlies team ready to compete for a Division I championship.

 “The shortened pre-season is a challenge for everyone but we are coming together well,” said Hammond. “The kids hold each other accountable and they want to build on the success we had a year ago.”

 6’3 215 lb. Jarrett Henault returns at quarterback and is joined in a talented backfield by Zach Picard, Ryan Cote, and Uziel Mopoyo. “Jarrett is a real leader and he does it by the effort he has every day in practice,” said Hammond.

 The receiving group is very talented as well and is led by Caden Perry, Peyton Strickland, Aaron Duvall, and Will Sasso. “Our receiving group is a real strength of our team. They’ve looked very good here in the pre-season.”

 The offensive line will be anchored by Antonio Kapos, Matt Dalton, Cole Martel, and Nate Belanger.

 The defense, under coordinator Mike Leonard, will be led by linebackers Ryan Cote and Cooper Flanagan, Jeremy Heneault at safety, Aaron Duvall (S), Nick Levesque (S), and Will Sasso.

 “It’s been a good transition as head coach because of the staff we have had in place here for years,” said Hammond. “The kids are appreciative of the opportunity to compete and you can see that in the great energy & effort we have in practice.”

 Programs like Bedford, Exeter, and Pinkerton are never thought to be rebuilding, it’s more like re-loading for those football powerhouses.

 That being said, last year under first-year head coach Zach Matthews was about as close as you’ll get as the defending champion Bulldogs graduated all-state players all over the field.

 One year later there are question marks and positions still up for grabs but the Bulldogs are ready to contend for a spot at the top once again. “We have some experience now at key positions and the kids have been working extremely hard in the off-season,” said Matthews. “We have some very good athletes and we are going to put them in a position to succeed this season.”

 Joe Mikol returns at quarterback after taking over the position early last season. “I’m pleased with the progress he has made,” said Matthews. “He’s a good athlete and a very smart kid.”

 Sonny Elie and Russell Irwin will lead a talented backfield in the Bulldogs spread offense. “Each of them brings something different to the table and we feel really good about putting the ball in their hands.”

 If there is a strength of the team it may be in their wide receivers as Solomon Sanchez returns to slot receiver after an all-state season a year ago and Aaron Skaling gives Bedford another talented athlete on the edge.

“We are going to use Solomon in a couple of different ways,” said Matthews. “Aaron moved over to wide receiver (from QB) and I’ve been impressed with how he has developed into a full-time receiver. His attitude and development have been great.”

 Alex Zwickau will start at tight end and may have the best hands-on the team while Mike Kubicki and Sam Lacombe will anchor an offensive line that needs to develop depth in a short amount of time. “That group still has to come together and I believe that they will,” said Matthews.

 Sonny Elie will move over to safety from the linebacker spot while Sanchez is an elite cornerback. Hayden Cheney and Zwickau will lead a good group of linebackers, “With all of our players being remote through the season it’s certainly been more challenging but the kids have had a terrific attitude and so have the coaches. We appreciate the opportunity to play and are looking forward to competing week to week.”

 Concord was another young team hit hard by injuries a year ago. In 2020 they come back healthy but still very young under longtime head coach Eric Brown. “We have a sophomore heavy roster, that’s a group that is a strong point for our program,” said Brown of the make-up of his team. “It’s about getting experience and improving week to week during a shortened season.”

 Sophomore Zack Doward will start at quarterback. “He’s learning quickly,” said Brown. “He’s like a sponge and he’s a player who works very hard.”

 Kody Rashed gives Concord a big back that can be effective in the red zone and will be joined by Luke Champney and Jacob Hallek. The offensive line will be anchored by Jarrett Lamoureux, Hunter Jeffers, and Jaycee Haskell.

 Concord was counting on a big season from senior Pauly Buckles but he has been out with an injury. Peter Sargent and Augustine Twite will help lead the defense from the defensive end position while Nate Feudner and Austin Wells are part of a very good sophomore group that will step right into the lineup.

 Tommy Sargent and Kevin McDonough lead a good group of linebackers for the Tide while Tyler Clark-Troy joins the team after being a standout for the Concord basketball team last season.

 “We are very young but there is also a lot of potential,” said Brown. “This is about getting better every day and seeing how we stack up when its time to compete.”

 Manchester Memorial has the speed to beat teams on the edge but will need a young offensive line to come together quickly. “We have a lot of confidence in our skill position players and good depth on our offensive line,” said head coach Rob Sturgis. “I think you’ll see us throw the ball more than we have in the past.”

 Jeff Josefik returns at quarterback and has looked very good in the pre-season. “He has thrown the ball really well and he makes smart decisions with the football,” said Sturgis.

 Josefik will be joined in the backfield by Kai Colson, an explosive back, Matteo Jimenez and Erik Seymore. The Crusaders have a pair of good wide receivers in Sawyer Bergeron and Will Clark along with talented former lineman turned tight end Basil High.

 The offensive line may feature as many as three sophomores and will be anchored by Taylor Laporte and Sebastian Botehlo. “We have a lot of athletic players in the mix on our lines,” said Sturgis. “How that unit comes together will tell you a lot about how well we do.”

 Josefik, High, Will Clark, and Jacob Calabrro at OLB and Dennis Kotee at cornerback will lead the Memorial defense. “I’m interested to see how well teams tackle in Week 1,” said Sturgis. “With the shortened pre-season I think it will take teams a few weeks to really get to where they want to be.”

 

 

 Tomorrow: Division III