A quick note before we preview the biggest games of the weekend.

 To follow up on the work Pete Tarrier & Jennifer Chick did on the video to our readers I just wanted to echo Pete’s statement that this is a free website run by people with families & full time jobs that love covering the kids & the schools of New Hampshire. Our valued advertisers only can cover the cost of operating the site and we spend our time & money to bring you the coverage you love and value.

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 The New Hampshire Football Show returns Saturday morning from 9 to 11 am on ESPN NH when Pete Tarrier & I will welcome Winnisquam head coach Pat Riberdy and St. Thomas head coach Eric Cumba as our guests. Justin McIsaac of WTSN joins us as always at 10:30 in a segment that usually straddles the line between thought provoking & utter nonsense.
 
 Listen Live right here on our site by simply clicking the button on the homepage or on Tune In Radio by searching ESPN NH.
 
 Justin McIsaac & Jennifer Chick will also bring you all the highlights and post-game interviews from Dover/Spaulding in one of our two Games of the Week.


 Division I

 Exeter (4-0) at Salem (3-1)

 The non-conference games have been terrific in Division I this season and here is another example of that. Salem beat a good Timberlane team last weekend on the road and that opening night win over Winnacunnet looks better by the week.

 These are two very similar teams as neither team has what you would consider an elite playmaker.  Both teams win with balance and mistake free football. Last weekend Timberlane struggled to move the football and waited for Salem to make a crucial mistake but Rob Pike’s team never did. The Blue Hawks are known for their discipline and fundamentals. Exeter has an exciting QB in Kyle Ball and a group of backs that allow them to stay fresh for four quarters. Ball (291 yards), Cam Flanagan (265) and Jackson Allen (225) have all carried the ball 45 times or more in just four games.

 The Blue Devils similarly have given the ball to Nick Shumski, Johnny Bartose, James LaBond & Charles Sibanda over twenty times each. Defensively Salem is allowing only 15.7 ppg. and if Exeter has looked ordinary in one facet this season it’s been their offenses ability to score when they get over midfield.

 Both teams look like they will be playing in the post-season but nothing is assured yet for Salem and Exeter has home field to play for. Should be a terrific game this weekend.

 Listen live on ESPNNH for full coverage of their Game of the Week
 
 Timberlane (2-2) at Winnacunnet (2-2)

 I’ve labeled both of these teams as playoff teams so let’s take a closer look and see if that stands up.

 Winnacunnet: Pinkerton looms next week so that certainly adds some urgency here (the champs are still the team to beat folks).  After that it is Portsmouth at home (they can’t stop anyone up the middle right now unless they send 8 guys there) and Londonderry (your danger team..they are going to ruin someone’s season in October) before closing out against the Fighting McIsaac’s on the road (they look a year away..maybe two). Would 5-4 get The Warriors in? Maaaaaaaaybe but with Salem owning the tie-breaker over you, you don’t want it to come down to a Friday Night Lights coin toss at some gas station off the highway (just kidding it will come down to a mathematical formula we don’t understand).

 Verdict: Winnacunnet is in good shape if they win here.

 Timberlane: They also have a date with Pinkerton coming up (October 16th) and some very winnable home dates (with Dover & Spaulding). They also close the season against a Merrimack team that is probably reading this right now and asking ‘What the heck have we done to not even be mentioned?? That season finale might be another de-facto playoff game like Salem/Londonderry last season and Bedford/Central the year before. 

Verdict: I think we just figured out this is a pretty big football game.
 
Nashua North (2-2) at Manchester Central (3-1)

 How good is Central? Is Nashua North a playoff contender? I’m not sure if we are going to find that out Friday night, in a game we will have full coverage of. One thing is for sure after last weekend, both teams have put themselves in the conversation.

 Daunte Laurendi’s Titans are playing in a conference that once again appears to be up for grabs while Ryan Ray’s team is in the toughest conference top to bottom in Division I. Nashua North has had great success on the ground behind Devin Leonard (17 carries for 252 yards and 5 touchdowns) while Central has seen several players step up over the course of a three game winning streak.

 Central has gotten big time contributions from wide receivers Jason Lam & Nick Tyler. Defensively the Little Green has improved by the week behind DE Jake Stanko and a defensive line led by Izzy Karasi. Josh Thrasher was able to run the team the victory and the clock down on Concord a week ago. He & Jeremiah Rivera have helped lead Central back into the playoff picture.
 
Division II

Souhegan (3-0) at Windham (4-0)

 First place is on the line when the Sabers and Jaguars square off this weekend.

 Mike Lochman’s team proved to themselves that they were a contender for a spot at UNH with their road win over arch-rival Milford. This match-up is about where they are slotted if they are able to get into the post-season.

 Windham may not be the dominant unit they were a year ago but they have been rock solid over the first month of the season. While Matt Shea & Victor Pizzotti tend to get most of the attention the players in the trenches have played a crucial role in the 4-0 start.

 Mike Furey has anchored a very good offensive line and been great coming off the edge on the defensive side of the ball. Brendan French missed the first two weeks of the season but came up huge on the defensive line in a win against John Stark. The wrestling standout has held his own against lineman 40 lbs. heavier all season long and has emerged as a major contributor. Ben Emerick has played well offensively for Bill Raycraft’s team but also may be one of the best safeties in the Division. All have played big roles in the champ’s unbeaten start to the season.
 
Milford (3-1) at Lebanon (4-0)

 The Raiders venture outside of their conference for a good one with a Milford team that bounced back with a win last weekend.

 I think anyone would tell you Kennett, Plymouth, Kearsarge, Trinity, Milford, Souhegan and Windham are very good football teams. Right now two of those teams aren’t getting in to the post-season. Lebanon was blown out at Milford a year ago but this is a far different football team today. Walker Tuttle will lead a defense that faces a Spartans offense that will run the football behind an excellent offensive line. Mark Madigan (320 yards) and Bryce Walker (317 yds.) have found the end zone a combined 9 times in four games.
 
 Laconia (2-2) at St. Thomas (4-0)

 Craig Kozen's team is feeling better about themselves after two straight wins (Jacob Filgate has been tremendous for Laconia) and now take on the team our eyeballs tell us is the best team in Division II.

 This is the rematch of a terrific game we covered a year ago when Brendan Mooney & Matt Swormstedt led Laconia to an upset win up in the Lakes Region. The return trip to Dover is going to be their toughest game of  the season as St. Thomas moved to 4-0 with a blowout win over Plymouth last Saturday afternoon.

 QB Stephen Hedberg and a talented group of receivers get most of the headlines but today let’s take a deeper dive into the players who have played tremendously while going largely unnoticed.

 Matt Elliot is a three year starter on the offensive line and part of a group that has allowed Hedberg to drop back to pass roughly 70 times without being sacked. Will Micali (G/DE) and Jay Gallipo (OL/DL) are the other all-state level performers on both lines. You may recognize Gallipo as the kid who spent most of Saturday afternoon in the Plymouth backfield tackling ball carriers for losses. Tom Bouchard is a TE/LB elected as a team captain who has 20 tackles on the year and 150 yards receiving. If there has been an unsung MVP on the Saints Bouchard fits the profile.

 Saturday it will about avenging a loss that head coach Eric Cumba pointed to as a wakeup call a year ago. Bet on the Saints being ready from the opening kickoff when the Sachems roll in.
 
 
 Division III

 Inter-Lakes-Moultonborough (3-1) at Stevens (4-0)

 What a start for Stevens. The blowout win over Newfound was expected (at this point you just hope the Newfound program doesn’t dissolve) but wins over Mascoma 22-0 (that was a sneaky good win), Epping-Newmarket 26-13 (the game that got everyone’s attention) and finally a terrific come from behind win last weekend over a good Franklin team 36-31. Richard Bell has stepped in at quarterback after an entire pre-season at another position and leads Division III in passing yards with 375 yards.

 The Lakers came out of a 34-21 home loss to Newport last weekend (right now Newport-Bow looks like it could be an epic final) knowing that they are in the same class with the Tigers. This was from all accounts a very well-played & entertaining football game as Noah Wade (160 yds. rushing and FIVE touchdowns) stepped up when his team needed him most.

 Both of these teams are going to the post-season but the winner here lines themselves up as the #2 seed in the North Conference. A spot that would pair them up with the #3 seed from the South Conference (currently Bishop Brady).
 
 Newport (4-0) at Fall Mountain (0-4)

 Oh boy…………………