We’ll breakdown every playoff game in the state of New Hampshire over the next three weeks culminating with our championship scouting report previews that will be made up of blind quotes from opposing coaches, breaking down the three match-ups.

 We have produced 127 different stories this football season (columns, videos, podcasts, staff picks plus statistical leaders & weekly awards). Brought to you by our seven person staff.

 Expect that number to nearly triple for basketball season beginning with our basketball previews, weekly podcasts & 4th Annual Coaches for a Cause Jamboree.

 Our subscribers, and there are now a lot of them, have access to all of these videos, statistics and articles but those who choose not become a member of NHsportspage will not at some point in the near future.

 If you decide subscribing & becoming a supporter of our work isn’t something you want to do we will continue to provide you with free content as we have for the past nine years but at some point you won’t have access to that content.

 A one-time subscription gives you twelve months of access to these videos and articles for under $1 a week.

 Join NHsportspage and become a member today!

 

 Division III

 (8) Somersworth at (1) Monadnock

 What does Somersworth have to do to beat Monadnock?

 The Hilltoppers haven’t beaten a team with a winning record all season and in their cross over game they were handled easily by Stevens 37-12. So beating the only undefeated team in Division III on the road is going to be an extremely tall task.

 Somersworth has to load everyone in the box to stop the run and hope they can rotate enough lineman in & out of the game to stay fresh. The Huskies have worn down teams all season long with their physical offensive line and Somersworth has to be ready for that Saturday afternoon.

 

 What does Monadnock have to do to beat Somersworth?

 A healthy diet of Levi Bassingthwaite (1,222 yds. rushing) and Jarod Redfield (876) should do the trick. Of the eight games on Saturday, this would be the one with the biggest point spread.

 

(5) Campbell at (4) Stevens

 Stevens Team Page

 Campbell Team Page

What does Campbell have to do to beat Stevens?

 Greg Gush’s team is just two years removed from winning the Division III title, to upset Stevens on the road they’ll need a big game out of their sophomore QB Adam Breton and leading rusher Ryan Yanuszewski, who finished the regular season with 1,100 yards.

 Pete’s favorite Division III superstar Harrison Vedrani (player page) has been terrific on both sides of the ball after an injury plagued junior year while the leading tackler is freshman inside linebacker Keegan Mills. Their task Saturday afternoon is to make someone other than Parker Smith (613 yards) beat them down the field.

 

 What does Stevens have to do to beat Campbell?

  Breton can throw the ball but Yanuszewski only had one catch on the season, so he’ll do his damage running the football. Zach O’Brien & Richard Bell lead a good defense capable of slowing down a Campbell offense that has played well of late.

 Paul Silva and his coaching staff hope to establish the running game with Bell early and open up looks for Smith downfield and Henri Bourque opportunities to take his shots for the big play. This is a balanced football team with a lot of games together, but this will be their first home playoff game and opportunity to get to the final four.

 

(6) Winnisquam at (3) Inter-Lakes Moultonborough

Inter-Lakes Moultonborough Team Page

What does Winnisquam have to do to beat Inter-Lakes-Moultonborough?

 Pat Riberdy’s team will be highly motivated when they get to Meredith Saturday afternoon. A Christian Serrano/Timmy Harmon led Winnisquam team was poised for their first trip to Durham last year before the Lakers went to Tilton and beat the Bears on their home field in the Division III semifinals.

 A year later Serrano  & Harmon have graduated but Hunter Tierney & Brandon Vaughn have both had big seasons at QB & WR. The loss of Jake Snow to an injury early in the season took away one of Riberdy’s (one of the best offensive coaches in Division III) main weapons but this is still a team that can score in the thirties.

 Their challenge on Saturday is to slow down one of the best offenses in the division and one that should have their quarterback Ryan Kelly back after a week off with an injury.

 What does Inter-Lakes-Moultonborough have to do to beat Winnisquam?

 The Bears defense has not been great and how they are able to match-up with the likes of Andrew Brothers (player page), DeAndre Miller, Jayden Lara, Thomas Robinson and Zach Swanson ( player page) will be what to watch for early.

 The offensive line anchored by Justin Tinker (player page) has given Ryan Kelly (1,099 passing yards) time to make his reads downfield. The concern for Winnisquam is getting too far behind early to ever have a chance to get settled in. After the loss at Kearsarge last weekend Jon Francis’s team isn’t going to be looking past a Winnisquam team that wants revenge.

 Expect both teams to be ready to go Saturday afternoon.

 

(7) Newport at (2) Bishop Brady

Newport Team Page

Bishop Brady Team Page

 What does Newport have to do to beat Bishop Brady?

 It says a lot about the perceived strength of the North conference in comparison to the South that many people are picking Newport to beat the top seed from the South.

 That is a fair perception, Bishop Brady’s only loss of the season came in Week 2 to Inter-Lakes-Moultonborough and it was a lopsided 35-7 affair in Concord. Newport beat Winnisquam 36-0 in their cross-over game and a 6-3 Kearsarge Regional team that didn’t get in the playoffs beat Franklin 47-34 in their battle against the South. Many coaches believe that Kearsarge team would have been a top seed in the other conference.

 The Tigers will face a Giants offense that can beat you by air or with Moses Murenzi (843 yards rushing) on the ground. Joe Bernard (920 yds.) has had a very good season throwing the football for Matt Shaw’s team while Rich Sullivan (530 yds.) is the second leading receiver in Division III. This will be a very good test for a new look Newport defense.

 What does Bishop Brady have to do to beat Newport?

 The Tigers beat you with execution and with a running game designed to wear you down over four quarters. The defending champs don’t have the  home run hitter they possessed the last two years with Noah Wade but John Thibeault (708 yds.), Tyler Sharron (261 yds.) and the latest Hogan star in the Newport football family, John ( Newport’s leading receiver at 197 yds.) give the Tigers enough weapons to pull the upset.

 Bishop Brady wants to give Newport a healthy diet of Moses Murenzi running the football and then try to hit Sullivan downfield when the defense commits to stopping the run. This is going to be an interesting score to watch and if you’re the top seeded Giants, having the defending champs come in this early is a tough draw.