As we do every week we look at the biggest football games in all three divisions around the state of New Hampshire.
 

Division I

Pinkerton Academy (3-0) at Londonderry (3-0)

 What I think Pinkerton’s 14-7 win over Salem told us, or maybe more accurately, what Salem’s 14-7 loss to Pinkerton told us, is that this is a division with great parity. Bedford has an elite defense and if they can balance their passing & running attacks they may be the best team in the state. Londonderry is much improved on special teams and has two all-state runners in their backfield, one of which happens to be the quarterback. Goffstown is the team absolutely no one wants in the playoffs. Nashua South got their bounce back a week ago and there are underdogs lurking within their conference (see: Alvirne).

 Concord just keeps winning even as the bad luck & injuries pile up. The Portsmouth/Winnacunnet/Exeter/Spaulding conference has their own issues to be worked out with one another over the next month and a half while Salem proved a week ago that this is a special group Rob Pike has under his watch. They would go into a possible second meeting with Pinkerton sporting tremendous confidence.

 Which leaves Brian O’Reilly’s Astros who may feature the best combination of offense, defense & special teams amongst all of the teams we mentioned. Friday night, and we will have Pete Tarrier and the Great Jon Kesty in the house with all of the coverage, they come in as the opponent Londonderry did that one extra set in the gym for. That one extra sprint when practice could have been over already.

The Lancers will do what Salem did a week ago; measure themselves against the team to beat in what has been the most interesting race in the state. Pinkerton, Salem and Londonderry are all terrific football teams, and at least one of them will not get to the post-season.
 
Alvirne (2-1) at Merrimack (2-1)

 The Broncos are exhibit A of how much your offense can improve when your playmakers have time to operate. A vastly improved offensive line has given QB Danny Brown (445 yards passing), running back Jack Mahoney (378 yards) and wide receiver George Notini (240 yds.) the ability to make plays and a two game winning streak has been the result.

 Dante Laurendi’s Merrimack team turned the ball over seven times last Saturday afternoon against Nashua South and won’t beat anyone in New Hampshire doing that again. You can count on ball security being a heavy topic of conversation this week as the Tomahawks know they have a chance to get back on their feet in a hurry with a win here. For the Broncos to win a third straight they will have to slow down one of the deepest receiving groups in the division as Ryan Barry (12 catches for 102 yds.), Andrew DeGregorio (7 for 145), Ian Roberts (6 for 96) and Dylan Beaulieu (6 for 100) can all get loose for big gains.

Jennifer Chick and guest play by play announcer Jim Foley of WMUR will bring you all the coverage and post-game interviews of this game Friday night.
 
Division II

Laconia (1-1) at Hanover (1-1)

 The top running back in Division II so far this season meets up against its top tackler. The Sachems Kyle Chaisson has rumbled for 443 yards in just two football games for a Laconia team that looks greatly improved under veteran head coach Craig Kozens. The 22-21 loss at Lebanon on opening night looks like a pretty good result now after Lebanon went up to Plymouth a week later and stunned the defending champs.

 For Mike Ivanoski’s Hanover team it has been an inconsistent offense that has cost them in opening performance against Kingswood and Kearsarge Regional. Jack Cavallaro has 27 tackles in two games and will be watching Chaisson everywhere he goes this weekend. The North conference teams have been safe to assume it was Plymouth and whoever could fight & claw for second place. That’s not the case any longer, and with Kearsarge and Lebanon in particular looking vastly improved every game is a playoff game. The Sachems have had the tough luck of going on the road for their first two conference tests, a win at Hanover would be a huge boost to a team that used to getting to the post-season under Kozens.

Listen in this Saturday morning to another edition of the New Hampshire High School Football Show as Pete Tarrier & I break down the biggest games of the week and preview the Saturday match-ups as well from 8 to 9 am on WGIR 610 AM or 96,7 FM on the seacoast.

Listen online on the link below:
   http://www.iheart.com/live/WGIR-AM-610-2752/
 
Merrimack Valley (1-2) at Kearsarge Regional (2-1)

 It was a bad weekend for fans across the state with news that Concord’s Jacob Szulc and Merrimack Valley QB Ivan Niyamugabo would be lost for the season with a broken leg and wrist injury. After a down to the wire loss to St. Thomas Saturday afternoon MV has to bounce back quickly; they’re in a division where they can still make the playoffs behind the running of Tucker Burt (223 yds. and 3 TDs) but it will have to be as a completely different offense. That’s the versatility Niyamugabo brought to this team, and the entire complexion of this team now changes in a weeks’ time.

 Putting underclassman out on the field a year ago is starting to pay off for Zach Matthews at Kearsarge. His team has a steady group of runners led by Riley Antle, Scott Matthews, QB Ryan Stanley and Justin Norris. Kearsarge needs to try and force turnovers with MV bringing in a new signal caller. If they can control the clock and keep their defense off the field Kearsarge has a good chance to get to 3-1.
 
Division III

Bishop Brady (2-0) at Bow (2-0)

 Brady comes in with a potent offense, which is good, because they will need every bit of it against a Bow team that has yet to give up 50 yds. rushing in two games.

 Brendan Johnson will have to come out throwing the football, Bow has proven you can’t beat them strictly running it. Moses Murenzi is the change of pace running back who could benefit from draw plays or catching passes out of the backfield. The key will be keeping Bow off balance and with Johnson’s ability to run the ball when he faces pressure.

 Bow’s formula is simple; stop the run and use five different backs to dominate time of possession and wear out the opposing defense. Matt Ehrenberg is off to a predictable start with 305 yards rushing. The depth comes from Chris Robbins (133 yds.) and Kyle Barrington (87). Campbell was a team that could throw the football behind Kyle Manning but the defending champions shut them down. They get another good test this weekend.
 
 Campbell (1-1) at Somersworth (1-1)

 Interesting match-ups of two teams that expect to be in the postseason come November.

 Somersworth could not slow down Carter Mercer and a very good Gilford passing attack last Saturday in a 40-27 loss. Campbell will come in with their own passing QB in Kyle Manning as head coach Greg Gush tries to keep a Somersworth defense led by Hunter Kretschmar off balance.

 For Campbell it begins and ends with stopping all-state running back Elyjah Dejoie, or maybe not stopping him as much as trying to contain him. Dejoie is capable of a 200 yard day, Campbell needs to make someone else beat them and win the field position game.