Even though half our staff sold out to the lure of BIG POWER POLL, there's still only one Top 10 in New Hampshire that REALLY MATTERS (and the stats back that up). This is the Top 10 of whatever caught Justin McIsaac's attention this week .

10. DAVE’S PANTS

You know, we at NHSportspage.com have always spoken very highly of the folks at UNH. And how do they repay our fearless leader, Dave Haley? By installing a clearly cursed and/or haunted fence, that reached up and ripped Dave’s pants when arrived at Wildcat Stadium for Championship Saturday. Disrespectful if you ask me. Dave was able to get back into the action before kickoff of the D3 game after securing some new khakis, but his old pants will never be the same…

9. THE NEW WILDCAT STADIUM

Disrespectful fences that Dave tried to jump aside, the new digs at UNH are outstanding, especially if you’re a spoiled media type like myself. The old press box at UNH was, to be nice, a damned atrocity. It was also pretty small, and if you needed to use the men’s room at halftime, you were SOL because there wasn’t one. The new place though was GREAT! Internet that worked, no exposed wires, and when the wind blew, I didn’t feel the need to call my family and say my final goodbyes. Nice job, UNH.

8. THE BAD LUCK CURSE IS LIFTED

I guess it’s hard to say Bedford was “cursed”, when they’ve only had a varsity program since 2008, but taking an 0-3 in the Big Game wasn’t something Bedford was thrilled about. The Bulldogs used a ferocious defense to hold Exeter in check all night, something nobody had been able to do since 2009. Exeter was held to just 152 total yards, most of those coming in the first half, as Bedford was able to get the lone score on the opening drive of the 3rd quarter. Congrats to the Bulldogs!

7. MY CREW OF COLOR COMMENTATORS

I’m going to use some space here to publicly thank the guys that came on MOSN with my to provide insight on the games Saturday – Dave for D3, although most of that time was spent arguing over the events of 1968 (more on that later), Saint Thomas Coach Eric Cumba for D2 (who was probably torn up that he was in the booth instead of being on the sidelines for the 3rd straight year during this game), and Somersworth Coach Dan Hodsdon in the D1 game (who said “Man, we gotta get here!” upon arriving at the stadium). I couldn’t have gotten through the three games without you guys, so a sincere thanks.

6. HAVE A DAY, PARKER SMITH

You think Henri Bourque likes throwing the ball to Parker Smith? 12 targets on Saturday tells me that might be the case. Smith shook off a few early drops to put up a stat line of 9 grabs for 150 yards and a score in helping Stevens grab the D3 title, including a few highlight reel catches to make up for the earlier drops. He was a force to be reckoned with in the biggest game of the year.

5.  JACK CORRIVEAU WAS A MONSTER FOR BOW

5 tackles on defense (officially- it sure seemed like he was in on every play to me), 1 rushing TD, 5 catches for 103 and 2 scores, he did it all for the Falcons on Saturday.  Bow came up just a bit short in their first D2 season, but the Falcons shouldn’t hang their heads one bit.

4. GARRETT MACOMBER IS A CERTIFIED BEAST

This dude was outstanding for Plymouth on Saturday. It looked like he was injured scoring the opening TD for the Bobcats, and was far less than 100% in the 2nd quarter. The extended halftime break seemed to do wonders for Macomber, who ended the game with 178 yards rushing, 2 TD’s on the ground, and the first catch of his HS career, which turned out to be the biggest of his life.

3. THE O’BRIEN BROTHERS NEED TO BE A WWE TAG TEAM, AND THEY NEED TO BE ONE NOW

These two kids were WRECKING people for Stevens on Saturday! Zach had 89 total yards and a receiving TD, Nick had a rushing TD, and the two had about 35 combined teeth-rattling hits on IL/M ball carriers. With my past wrestling experience, I’ll manage them and have them in the main event at WrestleMania in 6 years, tops.

2. PARTY LIKE IT’S 1968

Stevens hadn’t ever won a football championship game- their last football title came in ’68, and the playoff format didn’t go into effect until 1971. But the Cardinals did it in style, shocking Monadnock on the road, and running away with the game in the 2nd half against Inter-Lakes/Moltonborough for Claremont’s first football title since bell bottoms were worn un-ironically. Congrats to Paul Silva and his crew, the whole Stevens program is a class act.

1. D2 HAD THE GAME OF THE DAY

What an incredible game from both Bow and Plymouth. A championship game in every sense of the word. When the Falcons went up 17-6 in the 2nd quarter, I thought it was curtains for Plymouth, but a HUGE Connor Magowan run before the half gave the momentum back to Plymouth.

When Macomber gave Plymouth the lead in the 4th quarter, I thought the wheels might come off for Bow.

When Jack Corriveau punched it in for Bow with 4:02 remaining, I thought Plymouth was doomed once more.

When Plymouth threw just their 2nd pass of the game (on a play that Eric Cumba said to watch out for, even though Plymouth hadn’t run it the entire season) and Macomber snagged it for the go-ahead TD with :16 seconds to go, I thought “Well, I’ve been wrong about 6 times already, maybe Bow can pull off a miracle”. It was not to be though, as Plymouth won 27-24, in one of the best championship games I’ve seen. Congrats to both teams on amazing seasons, and an Instant Classic in Durham

ALSO RECEIVING VOTES: Cody Morrisette and Connor Crowley did an excellent job punting in the D1 game, The Pats D kinda stinks now, I’d like to hit everyone (the children included) in the Lexus Christmas commercials with a steel chair, Congrats to Jeff Fisher on tying for the 2nd most coaching losses ever