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 With Division III on a one week hiatus we take a look at the biggest games of the weekend from Division I & Division II.

 We will be at two games this weekend when Pete Tarrier and Jon Kesty bring you the coverage of Nashua North hosting Exeter Friday night.

 On Saturday afternoon Pete & Jennifer Chick-Ruth will be out at Hollis (not Brookline!) when Hollis-Brookline hosts the Con Val Cougars in what should be an air show.

 

 Division I

 Portsmouth (4-1) at Bishop Guertin (4-1)

 It took about two possessions in last year’s Pinkerton/Portsmouth game  (Game highlights) to see that it was going to be a very long evening for the Clippers.

 The Astros offensive line consistently pushed the smaller Portsmouth defensive lineman three yards behind the line of scrimmage as Pinkerton ball carriers chose the closest hole to run through on route to an easy victory. As Pinkerton rotated in ten to twelve lineman the Clippers could only hope that the guy replacing the guy wouldn’t be as effective.

 He was, and the tone of the night was set early.

 That game, and a rare season without a post-season appearance , was a theme that played over & over again during a long winter and into the spring. The Clippers couldn’t get beat up at the line any longer if they wanted to be a factor in a division where they are one of the smallest teams in terms of enrollment.

 All of the work over the off-season,  all the extra hours that it takes to get better, paid off last Friday night. With their starting quarterback having to watch his teammates in street clothes the re-vamped Clipper defense stepped up when it had to and gave up only fourteen points in Bill Ball Stadium, walking away with a win over Exeter that shocked players and coaches around the state.

 While names like Cody Graham, Christian Peete and Shon Parham get a lot of the attention, this was a win forged in the trenches. Players like Kevin Moore, Ben Barba (who was outstanding against Exeter), Alex Gladu and Keondray Lucas.

 It’s a defense that seemed to have arrived in the win over Winnacunnet three weeks ago. That night the Clippers held a Warriors team that has scored 28, 34, 28 & 35 in their other four games to only 6 points. The defense has gotten a big lift from the return of David Fields, the play of linebacker Hunter Adams & Thomas Lalime, as well as the emergence of cornerback Owen Kane.

 On Saturday night they face a team looking to beat them in space and not primarily at the line of scrimmage. The first will be interesting to watch, the second, as recently as last season, was a given.

 That’s no longer the case for the first place team in the East Conference.

 

 Division II

 Sanborn (2-3) at Hanover (5-0)

 Hanover is the surprise team of the Division II race and they have done so with both old & new. Head coach Sam Cavallaro (whose sons Shawn & Jack were all-state players for the Marauders) has his team undefeated in his second season and boasting a top ranked defense led by former head coach Mike Ivanoski.

 Hanover(team page)

 Running back Reed Winter (620 yards rushing) and quarterback Connor Stafford (367 yards passing) understandably get most of the headlines but a defense that allowed only 20 points in their last three and a half games deserves a ton of the credit.

 It’s a defense built on playing as a unit with thirteen to fifteen players rotating in & out of the game. Schuyler Cyrus has been a beast on the defensive line while Mike Staiger has been extremely effective when lined up at defensive end.

 Will Chambers has been an anchor on both sides of the ball while Alan Bake, Elliot Kelly along with Bobby & Nick Putnam have led a balanced unit that has been dominant since falling behind early against Laconia in the opener. Hanover shut the Sachems down in the second half on the road and has been dominant ever since.

 In a match-up against a very well coached Sanborn team they face a team that likes to control the clock and beat you running the football.  Chris Hanna (428 yards rushing) and Shaun Murphy (233 yds.) have been very effective for head coach John Welch’s team who comes in looking to build on a 7-6 win over Pelham last Friday night.

 

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Con Val (4-1) at Hollis-Brookline (4-1)

 This is a game we’re really excited to cover as Pete Tarrier and Jennifer Chick-Ruth will be in the house Saturday afternoon.

 This is one of those games where there’s no need to panic if you’re the team that falls behind 14-0 early. The top two yardage leaders will square off when QB Joey Delaney leads his high caliber offense against QB Dan Spezzaferri and Con Val’s offense. Isaac Bacon and Liam Baldwin are two of the top receivers in the division and Spezzaferi has shown an ability to run with the football when his receivers are covered.

 Head coach Chris Lones’ Hollis-Brookline defense has been overshadowed by the Tecmo Bowl numbers the Delaney brothers (Joey & Brian) and Matt Simco have been putting up. Nose tackle Clem Sherwood has been relentless on both sides of the ball while ILB Mike Moscatelli and three year starter Jack Byrne (OLB) anchor a good linebacking group.

 Four underclassman have worked their way into the offensive line rotation that is anchored by the coaches’ son Jeremiah Lones, who has bounced back from an injury last season for an all-state campaign in 2016.

 Winner here earns a key tie-breaker between two teams who look playoff bound this November.

 

 Bow (4-1) at Kennett (3-2)

 This one will have a playoff feel when these two teams square off Friday night in North Conway.

 Kennett is line for a playoff berth in what many thought would be a rebuilding year. To get back to the post-season for a third straight season the Eagles, who have been led by QB Brett Miller and RB Tanner Brown, will likely have to finish 3-1 over a stretch of games against; Bow, Laconia (always a big game for both teams), Hanover and Kingswood.

 Bow is faring just fine thank you as they have made the transition to Division II. Three Falcon runners have already gained over 200 yards on the season (Jake Corriveau, Mark Borak & Justin Mooney) running behind an offensive line anchored by Nolan Filteau, Alex Berube, Andrew Berube, Jack Tellifson, Chris Wheeler & Mike Darrach.

 Nate Alford is the best tight end in the state that you’re not talking about (I’m going to keep beating that drum for him..) and has also teamed with Justin Porath at defensive end for a Bow defense that allows only  9.4 ppg.

 Duke Biehl and Tom MacEachron have worked well at linebacker alongside Corriveau & Mooney. The mission on Friday night will be to contain Tanner Brown and make Kennett become a one dimensional offense.

 

 Tune into The New Hampshire High School Football Show on ESPN NH hosted by Pete Tarrier & Joe Marchilena from the NH High School Sports website, who will be sitting in for me as I’ll be WAY up north.

 Listen LIVE on 900AM (Nashua area) or 1250AM (Manchester area) Saturday mornings from 9-11am to catch up on all the scores from Friday night, plus opinions and coaches interviews...You can also click on the link on our website to listen online or find us on your Tunein Radio app.