We had some sound issues with the Saturday morning show that kept us from being able to post the video this week.

 With those issues behind us we are back on the air Saturday morning when Bedford head coach Derek Stank and Newport head coach Larry McElreavy will be our guests.Justin McIsaac also makes his weekly appearance at 10:30.

Listen to the New Hampshire High School Football Show Live by simply clicking the button right on our homepage.

 Remember coaches or parents can email game statistics to me atdavehaley@nhsportspage.com. 
 
 Division I

 Salem (2-0) at Pinkerton Academy (2-0)
 The coverage of Salem is sponsored by Merrimack Valley Sports

 The first major test for the defending champs. The Astros are as good as advertised; a well-balanced team that tackles well, controls the line and can run the football with any one of five different players. Defensively James Tulley is a presence on the edge, Mike Curley is one of the best linebackers in the state and kicker/punter Nick Cantalupo gives the Astros a huge advantage in the battle for field position.

 The Blue Devils have thrown the ball only 13 times all season so they  will try and move the football behind Charles Sibanda (209 yards rushing in 2 games), Nick Shumski, Johnny Bartose & LB/RB Doug Maroun. Shawn Knight and Tim Dodier anchor a very good offensive line.

 Salem played Pinkerton even a year ago in a season that ended with them getting twice the attention of most playoff teams simply because they didn’t make the post-season. Timberlane will fight with these two teams for the conference title (we’re not giving up on Londonderry yet but Jimmy Lauzon’s team appears to be a year away) so a win here is crucial to that end.
 
Bedford (2-0) at Bishop Guertin (1-1)

 The Bulldogs are picking up where they left off a year ago when they fell one win short of the state title. First year head coach Derek Stank has as much depth as any team in the state and a group that spent considerable time in the weight room over the off-season.

 Nick Leahy is averaging a gaudy 14.3 yards per carry behind an offensive line anchored by senior captain Bobby Heald at center. That elite offensive line includes Nolan Lacombe (LG), Will Fargo (RT), Gardner Gendron (LT) and Justin Mellow (RG). First year QB Connor Robert has thrown 3 touchdown passes but has rarely been in 3rd and long conversion situations because of the success Bedford has had running the football. Making play action all that more effective.

 Jeff Moore’s Bishop Guertin Cardinals are going to try and make Bedford’s equally dominant defensive line grasp at air. JT Hiscoe ranks tied for 4th in passing yards in Division I (242 yards). He will try to spread the ball around and test a Bedford secondary that includes free safety Tucker Lavigne.

 A tough opening stretch will ease up a bit for BG with Keene, Alvirne, Memorial & Nashua North coming up in the next four games.

 Pete Tarrier and Jennifer Chick will be in Nashua Saturday night to bring you all the play by play, highlights and post-game interviews in our Beals Insurance Game of the Week.
 
Division II

Souhegan (1-0) at Milford (2-0)

 Big one Friday night and not only will Pete Tarrier & the Great Jon Kesty be there but our partners at ESPN NH Radio as well;  Nick Anastos , Mike Beliveau and Laura Stelchook.

 Milford picked up their game in a Week 2 win over Hollis-Brookline after an opening 27-20 victory over a (better than we thought?) John Stark team. Running back Bryce Walker ranks 3rd in Division II in rushing with 285 yards running behind a line anchored by Kody Palladino and underrated RT Dillon Burdick, who Head coach Keith Jones raves about.

 This is really a match-up between one of the best offensive lines in the state (Milford) and Souhegan’s elite linebacking group led by Cam Kinney and Nick Truchon, who forced the fumble that won the season opener against Monadnock. The Sabers have had a week to clean up any issues with an offense that only produced 13 points in the opener. These two teams know each other as well as any arch-rivals should. Expect this one to come down to the final minutes….
 
 Kennett (2-0) at Plymouth Regional (1-1)

 You get the feeling that when Plymouth Head coach Chris Sanborn looked out on to the field last Friday night he didn’t quite recognize what he was seeing.

 The team that rolled over Rutland, VT missed defensive assignments and their offensive line, so good in Week 1, really struggled against Lebanon. The good news is they can get that mojo back, the bad news is they better do it quickly. A playoff spot isn’t on the line quite yet but for a team that missed the playoffs because of early season struggles a year ago. You don’t want to be on the wrong end of tie-breakers with both Lebanon & Kennett.

 Kennett All-state QB Will Pollard has thrown for 256 yards and run for 325 yds. & 4 TDs in two games. It will be the task of Plymouth linebacker Aaron Evans to keep Pollard and running backs like Ryan Stevens from breaking any long runs. Plymouth gave up 306 yards to Lebanon’s Ryan Milliken on the ground a week ago so the leaks are going to have to be patched up quickly.

 Kennett’s defense struggled against Kearsarge in the overtime win last Saturday night (highlights which can be seen here on NHsportspage) and had to outscore them to get out alive. Plymouth has their own elite running game behind Garrett MaComber (380 yds. in two games) and Sam Slaughter (193). The battle at the line of scrimmage will tell you a lot about who wins this one on Saturday afternoon.
 
 Division III

 Bow (2-0) at Bishop Brady (2-0)

 Great measuring stick for a Bishop Brady team that has been the surprise of Division III early on. Last season Brady could score on you all day, against most teams anyway, they just couldn’t stop anyone. A year later a much improved defense behind coordinator Chase Phaneuf & head coach Matt Shaw has been quick to make in games adjustments and is led by Chris Thurber and Matt Fogarty. In Bow they face an offense with three running backs already over 100 yards on the season (Chris Robbins 255 yds., Justin Mooney 159 & Jake Corriveau 105 yds.) and another dominating defense led by Nate Alford & Max Johnson on the defensive line.

 Moses Murenzi has been a force at running back for the Giants early on and this will be his toughest test of the regular season. Gilford was able to move the football between the 20’s against Bow last week but The Falcons defense clamped down in the red zone. Saturday night we’ll see how much Brady has closed the gap on Bow from a year ago.
 
 Winnisquam (2-0) vs. Farmington-Nute (1-1)

 Justin McIsaac asked whether Farmington-Nute might be a little better than we thought in his Weekly Top 10. We’re about to find out.

 Andrew Szendre has done a nice job in a short amount of time as head coach, after coaching Newfound a year ago, and is building around a nucleus of senior Captains Kane Texeira, Howard Patch, and DJ Hersom. Hersom had 5 catches for 98 yards and a TD in a Week 1 26-20 loss to Somersworth while Texeira has a pair of touchdown receptions on the season.

 Szendre’s offense, run by his wife Jennifer, produced 265 yards in the air in Week 1 and then 300 yards on the ground in a 34-0 victory last weekend against Newfound.

 Pat Riberdy’s Winnisquam Bears own one of the best offenses in Division I and maybe its most entertaining player in QB/RB/Whatever you ask him to do Christian Serrano (137 yds. passing & 178 rushing in limited time) who got dinged up during a lopsided win a week ago. Jake Snow (198 yds.) can’t be overlooked in the backfield and WR Tim Harmon (4 touchdowns on the season) is a player opposing coaches rave about.

 A win by the Bears would set up a huge match-up next weekend with defending champion Campbell.