Our sixth year of football coverage began two weeks ago and today we begin the first of our weekly previews of the biggest games from around the state over the weekend.
 

Division I

Exeter (1-0) at Keene (1-0)

The coverage of Exeter high school is sponsored by Chad Fletcher at Blue Water Mortgage

Bill Ball's team didn't waste a lot of time easing into their 2013 title defense as a 17 yard Ryan Kelly touchdown run mid-way through the first quarter was followed up by a blocked punt that would serve as the first of Jay Inzenga's three touchdowns on the day, giving Exeter a 14-0 lead they were in no danger of losing. Ball promised to spread out the carries, at least early in the season, among his horde of running backs and he kept his word. In all 15 different players carried the ball against Dover and for the second straight year the seacoast rivalry opener was a decidedly one sided football game.

It'll get a lot tougher this weekend as the Blue Hawks take their longest bus ride of the season to Keene where John Luopa's team has enough playmakers and starters back from a semifinal team in Division II a year ago to make some noise in Division I.

Alex Parentau ran the ball 17 times for 141 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-0 ‘did you see that score??' win over Nashua North. Hunter Massucco takes over at quarterback for the graduated Lucas Luopa and his 8 for 10 (98 yards and a score) passing performance in the opener had to be very encouraging for his head coach. Winnacunnet made roughly the same bus ride a year ago and came back with what would be their only loss of the season and no one needs to alert Exeter's players of that fact. Winning at home and on the road are two very different animals; no one doubts that Exeter is back in the mix to be the last team standing come November but to get there you have to accumulate a lot of big game experience along the way. Here is their first opportunity.

Salem (0-1) at Concord (1-0)

The coverage of Salem is sponsored by Merrimack Valley Sports

Pre-season jamboree's can feel like a beauty contest sometimes because you see 16 different teams in about 7 hours and at the end you only remember the ones that caught your eye. Well Concord was one of those teams at Gill Stadium two weeks ago. It was twelve months ago that a lot of smart people picked Eric Brown's team as the sleeper pick in Division I but as it turns out they weren't ready and now it looks like they might have only been a year away. Tolbert Nemo (the school's all-time leading rusher) may be gone but in his place step in Leo Sudieh (11 carries for 137 yards against Central last week) and Walters Ndi (12 carries and 103 yards) to give Brown's offense the kind of combination the Patriots have with Shane Vereeen and Steven Ridley, you know,,when they're both on the field..

 Concord returns Robbie Law at quarterback and has one of the best tight ends in the state in Seimou Smith. It's an offense that can now win shootouts and defensively this is a faster team than we saw a year ago. Salem is in the middle of a transition and that is due to a couple of different factors that includes a new coaching staff and smaller enrollment numbers. Their task this weekend is to force turnovers and capitalize on them because they don't have the kind of offense capable of staying with Concord.

After the decisive win at Gill Stadium Saturday night expect a big crowd in Concord Friday in a game Pete Tarrier & Jon Kesty will cover with play by play, interviews & highlights.

Division II

Monadnock (1-0) at Lebanon (1-0)

Two football teams feeling pretty good about themselves today after a very impressive opening weekend.  Souhegan was looking for the license plate number of the truck that ran them over as Mike Lochman's first halftime speech as the Sabers new head coach was discussing the options facing a team down 33-0 at the half. That's like taking over as the captain of an oil tanker after you've already hit land. Dylan Bell ( 9 carries for 98 yards), Drew Bolewski ( 10 for 74), first year QB Isaiah Prince (5 for 37) and players' lounge member Mason LaClair ( a 22 yard touchdown reception) all had big nights for the defending Division V champions and the defense held Souhegan scoreless until the fourth quarter in a game many people expected them to lose.

Lebanon celebrated a lopsided win of their own against Con-Val and follows the lead of third year starter Travis Hastings at quarterback. The key in what should be a low scoring game will be the defense led by Grayson Hardy, Domick Morrill, Ian Durwood and Austin Pelletier. Both teams like to eat clock, move the chains and run the football. The better defense and the team that takes care of the ball moves to 2-0 in their new division.

Kearsarge Regional (0-1) at Merrimack Valley (1-0)

The best kept secret in the state might be playing his football in Penacook this fall. I know, I'm as surpised as you are.

Ivan Niyamugabo though was a one man wrecking crew a year ago for a winless Pride team and twelve months later he's been even better, and more importantly so are the guys around him. Niyamugabo was 12 for 18 for 214 for four touchdowns through the air and added 74 yards and a score on five carries on the ground in just over two quarters of work. That's almost old news around the Concord area, the latest developments though have Tucker Burt rushing for 142 yards on just seven carries and a defense that seemingly was handing out free passes a year ago allowing only 220 yards total to Carson Dunn and John Stark last weekend.

 They'll face a Kearsarge Regional team that is very young at a lot of key positions but has a keeper in RB/LB Riley Antle who is only a sophomore. It will be Zach Metthews defense's task to try and hold Niyamugabo & the new look Merrimack Valley offense in check Friday night.

Division III

Winnisquam (1-0) at Gilford (0-1)

The Bears head over to the house that Eric Dean built with a ton of momentum after a season opening win over Mascoma 36-22 that saw both Christian and Andrew Serrano go for over 100 yards rushing and combine for five touchdowns. A second victory here also gives them their first sub-division win (and get ready to hear that term 4,000 times in the next two months) in what should be a competitive race. That fact is also exactly why this is a big game for Gilford.

The Golden Eagles lost their opener 26-6 on the road at Newport, traditionally a very tough place to win. That loss can be easily forgiven and with Newport off in another sub-division (3,999 to go..) it doesn't do any immediate damage either. What has to be acknowledged though is that the Golden Eagles face Winnisquam (the pre-season favorite) and Inter-Lakes Moultonborough (who just knocked off defending champion Franklin 27-26) in back to back games. In other words the season long outlook can get awful dark in a hurry. No one likes be on the outside looking in that early but for Giford that is their reality. The Golden Eagles need more offense and will look to veteran quarterback Jack Athanas to help provide it. Winnisquam is going to put points on the board behind possibly the best rushing attack in all of Division III, the question is can Athanas and Gilford keep up?