It may seem like Division I football annually comes down to Pinkerton’s Brian O’Reilly and Exeter’s Bill Ball squaring off on opposing sidelines every final Saturday of the season but as far as feel good championship runs go, no division has produced more in recent years.

 Eric Brown and his Concord football team went unbeaten in 2013, winning the school’s first championship in twelve years in front of a record crowd at Memorial Field.

 Last season it was Justin Hufft’s Goffstown Grizzlies who finished off an undefeated season with a win over Exeter at UNH. It was Goffstown’s first ever Division I football title, a feat they accomplished while being the third smallest school (in terms of enrollment) in the division.

 So where does this story line take us in 2016?

 Here’s where the divisions coaching fraternity morphs into a mutual admiration society. “Goffstown is still the team to beat because they’re the champs,” said Bedford head coach Derek Stank.

 “ I think you have to look at Bedford as being as good as any team in the state,” countered Goffstown head coach Justin Hufft.

 You see what I mean..

 So what about the team pegged as 2016’s Cinderella story? “Last year it seemed like we didn't get any attention in the pre-season and now people are telling us how good we are before we even play a game,” joked Merrimack head coach Kip Jackson. “This division has so many good coaches and teams..it will be a battle every week just to get to the post-season.”

 Sage advice, let’s enjoy it while it plays out in front of us.

 Today we begin with the first of our three football previews with a look at Division I.

 Today’s preview is brought to you by Adrenaline Fundraising; helping sports programs all over New Hampshire reach their goal with guaranteed results.  Visit Adrenaline Fundraising today

*- playoff team

 

East Conference Predicted order of Finish

1.Exeter *

2.Winnacunnet *

3.Portsmouth *

4.Dover

5.Spaulding

 

 You need only take a look at the Exeter sideline Friday night to see why the word ‘depth’ is a term head coach Bill Ball uses with great comfort and confidence. The Blue Hawks will again have 120 players to fight for 11 spots on each side of the football. That kind of competition leaves you with a very good team at the end of the pre-season. “We have about four starters back on either side of the ball and that’s usually the turnover rate from year to year,” said Ball. “We start a lot of seniors and so by the time the players are in their fourth year of the program they’re more than ready to step up.”

 Leading the way will be senior quarterback Kyle Ball who lost his favorite target Hunter Long to graduation but has a group of running backs that may be the best collection of backs in the state. Cam Flanagan returns as a two way starter and is joined by Brayden Lowery, Brad Cammett, Zach Knight and Brad Palmer. “We feel comfortable giving the football to any one of a number of our backs,” notes Ball.

 Josh Walmsley and Patrick Gillis anchor a solid offensive line (“ We have pretty good depth on the offensive line,” said Ball) while defensively the Blue Hawks will be led by Flanagan, Gillis, Ball, Walmsley, defensive end Jake Porazinski & defensive back/back-up quarterback/ace pitcher/three point threat Cody Morrisette.

 A team that often beat opponents up in the trenches a year ago will feature an attack built around their new look personnel…and a lot of speed. “We have the athletes with this group to match up pretty well week to week,” said Winnacunnet head coach Ron Auffant. “We lost a good group of seniors but we had an undefeated JV team last season and those players are more than ready to step right in.”

 Junior quarterback Patrick MacDougall looks ready for a breakout season (“He’s a junior who plays and carries himself like a senior,” said Auffant) and will look to wideouts Liam Viviano and Logan Keane, both capable of all-state seasons. Viviano is a standout on both sides of the ball and will be used at quarterback as well in wildcat sets.

 Billy Powers & John Ferrelli will be two of several backs to carry the football after the graduation of all-state backs Brian Auffant and Mike Lewis. Seth Provencher may be the team’s best lineman while Matt Havey will contribute from the outside linebacker position. Auffant hopes to get Phil Antonio back from a shoulder injury as over a dozen new starters step into bigger roles. “This is a really fun group to coach,” said Auffant. “Week to week it’s going to be a tough challenge but the goal remains the same and that’s getting back to the post-season.”

 After a scrimmage against Portsmouth two weeks ago Londonderry head Coach Jimmy Lauzon compared Clippers junior quarterback Cody Graham to Johnny Manziel, with his ability to create huge plays out of broken ones. Head coach Brian Pafford likes the reference, he just would rather see his franchise quarterback comfortable in the pocket and not running for his life. “Cody gets it, he understands the offense and he has an excellent ability to keep his eyes downfield to find the open receiver. We just can’t afford to have him running around with four lineman on his heels like we had a year ago. We have to protect him.”

 Kevin Moore, Isaac Munson and Alex Gladu will anchor a revamped offensive line (“We had a lot of kids work really hard in the weight room over the off-season. Isaac in particular really worked extremely hard,” said Pafford). Graham will look to find playmakers Christian Peete and Shon Parham in space as Portsmouth offensive coordinator Johnny Iafolla will make sure the pair get their touches. “We will move Christian & Shon around the field, we may even line them up in the backfield together,” said Pafford.

 Graham and Parham will lead the Clipper secondary while defensive end Ben Barba, who Pafford raves about, is set up to have a big year both on the edge and running the football. “Ben has had a terrific pre-season for us, he was a beast in our scrimmage last weekend,” said Pafford.

 Hunter Adams will contribute from the outside linebacker spot while underclassman like Owen Kane will get their opportunities as well. “We are way ahead of where we were at this time a year ago but the proof is in the results and we have a very tough schedule beginning with a big game over at Keene.”

 Numbers are once again an issue for Ken Osbon’s Dover football team but a strong junior class is reason for optimism heading into week one. “We have some players who are ready to step into bigger roles, the key for us will be avoiding the injury bug,” said Osbon.

 Carson Webb and John Cantwell have been competing for the starting quarterback job all pre-season, to the point where both are likely to see a lot of action throughout the season. Vinny Paneta and Caleb Bolden will get a majority of the carries out of the backfield while Nick Hendrickson is one of the team’s best athletes from the wide receiver spot. Jacob Couture will serve as the tight end in the Dover offense.

 Dover’s offensive line will be led by Dylan Russell (who will play LB defensively), Evan Santello, 280 lb. Chance Champagne and 6’4 250 lb. Julian Nicholson. A good linebacking group will be led by Kyle Letourneau, Paneta, Russell, Seth Clark and Eric Stevens.

 

 North Conference

1.Bedford *

2.Goffstown *

3.Manchester Central

4.Concord

5.Manchester Memorial

 

 Derek Stank’s Bedford Bulldogs may be the best team in the state of New Hampshire. A program that has gotten all the way to the Division I title game two seasons ago looks poised to take the next step and if Stank doesn’t want to hear about who looks the best in August he does acknowledge the time is now. “This is a really fun group of kids to coach,” said Stank. “We have good senior leadership and kids who are focused day to day. As with any season it comes down to execution and of course health but I like the group we are sending out there every week.”

 Connor Robert returns at quarterback and looks poised to make the sophomore to junior leap in production. “He knows what we are trying to do out there and he does a good job of putting us in a position to win.” Senior captain Nick Leahy has come back quickly from a knee injury suffered in the spring. Leahy was one of the best backs in the state last season and will be joined in the backfield by fellow captain Sean Tierney.

 Shahrukh Hussain had a breakout season at wide receiver a year ago and will team with Noah Chaberek to give Robert options downfield. The offensive line was the bedrock of this team a year ago and this year Stank has to plug in five new starters. The second year head coach is confident he has the players to do it. “We have a lot of depth and some pretty good position battles upfront,” said Stank. “That will play itself out as the season goes along.” Ben Lacombe, Josh Koellmer and Jake Gregson will anchor the re-vamped unit.

 Defensively Nick Cannone will call out the defense from the linebacker position while Hussain, Connor Collins, defensive end Brian Thibeault and Kyle Jalbert will be major factors if Bedford is going to make a return trip to Durham.

 If there was one impression of the defending champs you came away with on Friday night at Gill Stadium it was that they are a group with a lot of confidence but a clear understanding that this is not 2015 anymore. In other words they have a lot to prove just like everyone else. Exactly as their head coach wants it. “I’m pleased with the progress we’ve made in the pre-season,” said Goffstown head coach Justin Hufft. “We have a lot of guys stepping into bigger roles and we know there are sometimes growing pains that go with that.”

 Nik Moquin steps into a starting quarterback role he has been preparing for three years and his coach has a ton of confidence in his new QB. “He’s worked really hard and is well prepared to step in and lead this group. Nik can really throw the football,” said Hufft. Moquin will look to spread the ball amongst running backs Carter Cormier and a pair of sophomores Josh Juneau & Jack Stinnett.

 Moquin will look to two all-state wide receivers Franklin Castillo-Diaz and Andrew Duval, two of the best players in the state, and will work behind a new look offensive line led by returning center Josh Tucker. “We don’t have a ton of experience upfront but we do have seven or eight players who I think will really contribute, so we do have some depth in the line,” said Hufft.

 Defensively Joey Poisson, Justin Penard (“He’s had a really good pre-season,” said Hufft) and defensive end Christian Filteau will lead the front of the Grizzlies attack while Duval will lead the secondary.

 Concord head coach Eric Brown likes the progress of his football team since camp began three weeks ago. Always good news when you are competing in one of the best conferences in the state. “Our division is really good top to bottom, it’s a battle every week so we need to be ready to go from the opener on,” said Brown.

 Christian McClellan won the quarterback job and will be joined in the backfield by Kevin Suarez, Sean McCready and a much improved David Tumani. McClellan will look to a solid receiving group led by slot receiver George Tarwo, Gavin Moody, Matt Burke, Chandler Paradis and Reid Ljungholm. “We have several players we think can make an impact in that group,” said Brown.

 Brown is also optimistic about his offensive line, a group led by Cody Hardy and Tim Schneible. “If we can stay healthy I feel like that is a group that can be a factor for us.” Tarwo will lead Concord on the defensive side of the ball along with Hardy, Schneible and defensive lineman Ben Roy.

 Manchester Memorial head coach Peter Colcord will build around two huge defensive lineman, Anthony Angerami and Derrick Terrazzano, and speed on the outside. You may go around the Crusaders but it won’t be easy going through them.. “ When we put the two of them in the middle of our defense you really can’t move them,” said Colcord, “ and that opens up a lot for our other defensive players.”

 Tyler Battista will run the Memorial offense from the quarterback position while Cameron Hall will get the bulk of the carries and Kyle Waszeciak returns at the wide receiver spot. Chandler Duhamel is one of several playmakers on defense surrounding a good group of linebackers.

 

 We will kick off our coverage Friday night with two games;

 Matt Corsetti & I will be joined by videographer Ryan Rogers in Concord as the Tide takes on Pinkerton in the season opener.

 Pete Tarrier & Jennifer Chick will be at Bedford as maybe the two best teams in the state square off when the Bulldogs take on Merrimack.

 As we roll into our ninth year of football coverage on NHsportspage we will bring you all the highlights plus post-game interviews with the winning players & coaches.

 

 South Conference

1.Merrimack *

2.Salem *

3.Pinkerton

4.Londonderry

5.Timberlane

 

 When I asked one prominent coach why he thought Merrimack was the team to beat he simply said, “That offense is going to be impossible stop, they will spread you out and challenge you to defend them.”

 Not to go all courtroom on you but that statement is not based on speculation..It’s based on facts. Justin Grassini was the leading passer in the state last year according to our statistics and with Joe Eichman, Brody Kelley and Tyler DeNeill returning around him Kip Jackson’s offense has the chance to be special. “ This is a group that has played together for a long time and they are excited to compete every week,” said Jackson.

 Merrimack’s head coach agrees with the coaches around the division who say it all starts with the quarterback, “ Justin does such a good job allowing his receivers to make plays and yardage after the catch. He does that by throwing a catchable ball and with his ability to ‘throw people open’.

 The key to finding those open receivers will be having enough time to operate offensive coordinator Dave Jackson’s spread offense. That begins upfront where Ryan Roberts, Jason Theriault and Zach Lachance will anchor the line. “I feel like we have enough depth in the line play to continue to produce if someone goes down.”

 Merrimack can score but can the defense stop teams from keeping up? It begins with hard-nosed Danny McKillop who will lead a defense that includes Kelley,  Avery Paulson and Nick Marchand at linebacker. “ Our plan with the defense is to rotate a lot of guys in so we are fresh,” said Jackson.

 Theriault, Roberts, Joe Degegrio and Ryan Fournier, who has had a very good pre-season, will all be major factors if Merrimack is to advance to Durham come November.

 Rob Pike has done a terrific job at Salem and seems more than happy to let everyone give all the attention to the other teams in the best conference in the state. “ We go about our work day to day and I really love the way kids have been competing,” said Pike of his Blue Devils. “ This is a really fun group to coach.”

 Matt Saldono returns at quarterback and will have a bevy of good running backs to move the chains. Josh Sibanda leads a group that includes James LeBlond, Ben Genest and Adam Maroun (brother of all-state performer Doug). Salem will run the Wing-T offense and try to control the clock against teams like Merrimack that want to get their offense back on the field as quickly as possible.

 Nick Saulen and Ryan Michaud anchor a very good offensive line that can go 6 or 8 players deep.

 Ben Emerson will line up at defensive end and serve as one of the team’s captains while Genest  leads a good group of linebackers. Jake Fantasia is set up for an all-state caliber year at cornerback and will be one of the leaders of the secondary. “ There is a lot of toughness in this group and that makes it so fun to come to practice every day,” said Pike. “This conference is loaded and every game is a really tough test so week to week that toughness needs to come out.”

 Pinkerton head coach Brian O’Reilly has been coaching for a very long time, so when he says this year’s Astros team is the youngest team he has ever coached, you take notice of that statement. “ We have a big sophomore class and a lot of players are going to play very important roles for our team,” said O’Reilly. “ They are a very talented group…but they are sophomores.”

 As the line goes the best thing about freshman are they became sophomores..and on from there.

 Ryan Albrecht returns at quarterback and will spend considerable time this fall getting the ball to all-state running back Nicco Buccieri. The team was dealt a blow when Nick Coombs went down with an injury, in his place it will be a running back by committee for a team with more opportunities for underclassman than ever before.

 Christian Gendrau and Austin Fields are two seniors that return as starters on the offensive line while O’Reilly likes what he has seen out of tight end Jackson Sullivan.

 320 lb. Nick Acciard will start at nose guard and plug up the middle for a new look defense that has position battles spilling into the first days of September. “ We have a chance to be much improved by the time we get to the middle of the season but right now there is a lot of work to be down to get there,” said O’Reilly.

 Londonderry head coach Jimmy Lauzon has a very long coaching career ahead of him but it will be a long time before he has another pre-season like he did this season. A virus/bug that hit the team in August sent between 26 & 32 players’ home from practices and scrimmages. Meaning Lauzon and his staff were often dealing with half of their roster at a time. “ Never seen anything like it,” said Lauzon. “Hopefully we got all of that behind us.”

 The Lancers have a team capable of making a playoff run as they did in 2014 with ten starters returning from a year ago. Jake Stevens returns at quarterback and leads a backfield that includes Eric Doran and Ben Johnson, who Lauzon would like to line up in multiple positions because of his athletic ability. Lauzon likes the depth of his offensive line and feels that unit could be a strength of the team.

 Nick Scarf and Zac Garside are two very good linebackers that lead a strong unit that includes Colin Reardon & Doran. “We have the potential to have a very good defense and I like the way that unit has worked here in the pre-season,” said Lauzon.

 Timberlane is another team capable of a run back to the playoffs in 2016 (I can’t emphasize enough how good this conference is..) as head coach Kevin Fitzgerald goes to battle with a new quarterback and a familiar face in the backfield. “The offense is getting better as pre-season progresses,” said Fitzgerald. “ It’s a mix of experience and some new starters.”

 It begins at quarterback where Justin Berube and Dan Hayes have battled it out during the pre-season meaning there is a good chance both will see time behind center. Jakob Post is one of the most exciting players in the state and will get the ball behind a fullback by committee set and an offensive line led by returning starter Alan Rendo. Fitzgerald called converted tight end and current lineman Tom MacDougal one of the pleasant surprises of camp.

 Returning starters Joshua Thibeault and Trevor Guilmette lead a good linebacking group while Berube and Seth Blackadar will call the defense for the secondary. “ Depth is always a concern but we have a good group really committed to getting better,” said Fitzgerald. “ It’s been a fun group to be around every day.”

 

  West Conference

1.Nashua North *

2.Bishop Guertin

3.Keene

4.Nashua South

5.Alvirne

 

 Nashua North was one of the surprise teams of the 2015 season and in his second season at North head coach Daunte Laurendi has a team capable of winning the conference. “ We have some good pieces but we also have a ways to go,” said Laurendi after Friday’s Queen City Jamboree. “ We do some things very well but it needs to come with more consistency.”

 Jeff Baldassari will again run the offense from the quarterback spot, “ We’ve seen a nice progression with him over the last year. He was voted a team captain and that says a lot about his leadership ability.”

 Joining him in the backfield will be Max Fay, Tylor Chase and speedster Jordan Buckmire. Steve Lambert and Levi Gosselin are two all-state caliber receivers, meaning if Baldassari has time to throw he’ll have weapons galore to go to. Trey LeGraw and Finn Littlefield will anchor the offensive line. “ That group has been working hard all pre-season,” said Laurendi.

 The defense will be led by linebackers Mason Dane and Fay. “ There is a lot of balance in this division so we will have to be ready to compete every week.”

 Keene head coach Jon Luopa enters his 12th year at the helm with a team a year wiser and better for the experience, now it’s about that translating into wins. “ This is a great group to go to practice with every day,” said Luopa. “ They can’t wait for the season to start and to get going.”

  Sean Corrigan is poised for a breakout season at the quarterback spot. Having experience and ability at the quarterback position takes a lot of pressure off the head coach. “ Sean is very consistent and I see him having a very good year for us. He has enough weapons around him to find the weakness in the defense.”

 That means spreading the ball around to the likes of power running back Marcin Maleski out of the backfield and all-state caliber wide receivers Logan Galanes & Michael Abreau. Jake Blaisdell will start at tight end while Jamie Therrian will line up at fullback for the Blackbirds.

 The defense will be led by middle linebacker Jack Zwierzchowski, primed to have a huge season. Abreau will lead the secondary alongside the talented Galanes and Cullen Costa.

 Sam Cooper, Cam Wilhelm & Therrian make up a strong group of linebackers for Luopa’s defense. “ We play in a very good conference but I also think it’s a very balanced conference. Our goal is take a step up this season.”

 Maybe no team in the division has the upside that Pete Tarrier’s alma mater Nashua South has. Head coach Scott Knight, whose son and former NHsportspage player of the year Trevor Knight was just named the starting quarterback at UNH, has a young talented roster that could surprise teams in 2016. “We were extremely young last season and it caught up with us at times,” said Knight. “ Depth is still an issue but we have positions on the field where we have really gotten a lot stronger.”

 Sean Holland will again be back at quarterback for the Panthers and according to his head coach, is playing better by the week. Myles Johnson and Owen Amigo will both get carries from the backfield while Terrell Lewis, Tony Agor and Andrew Penkala make up a very good receiving group.

 Max Osgood has a chance to have a breakout season at tight end while Stephen Mckay and Cameron Bisson will anchor the offensive line. On the defensive side of the ball sophomore Jalen Pacheco will call the defense from the linebacker spot alongside Tim Daigneault & Osgood at outside linebacker. Sophomore Tanner Plourde will also contribute to the Nashua South defense.

 

 Tune into The New Hampshire High School Football Show on ESPN NH hosted by Pete Tarrier & Dave Haley every Saturday morning.

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