I’m pretty sure the saying ‘Hindsight is 20/20’ is supposed mean you learn from the mistakes of the past. In that case, why are we all assuming we’re three weeks away from Campbell vs Monadnock at UNH?

 Recent history and some very good football team’s stand in opposition to the belief it’s going to be that simple. A season ago it was the march towards Inter-Lakes-Moultonborough vs Monadnock until Stevens snuck in and crashed the party.

 Today we look at the four first-round games in Division III

 (8) Kearsarge at (1) Monadnock

 Box Score of the first meeting

 The status of Huskies QB Tim Santaw, who left the season finale against Stevens with an injury, may not be the difference in Round 1 but a long-term injury could spell trouble…and right now ‘long-term’ is three weeks.

 Zach Matthews Cougar defense will have to contend with the duo of Chandler Matson (689 YDs rushing) and Tim Hart (538) no matter who is under center Saturday afternoon. In the first meeting between these two teams, Kearsarge couldn’t get Monadnock off the field and the game got out of hand soon after that.

 Kearsarge running back Logan Seaholm will run behind an undersized but athletic offensive line as the Cougars try to pull off one of the biggest rarity’s in high school sports; the #1 seed going down in the first round.

 (5) Epping-Newmarket at (4) Newport

 A fun match-up between two teams that did not meet during the regular season.

 The Tigers are built for a playoff run; they have an all-state back (John Thibault) who went over 1,000 yards on the season, a good defensive line led by Peter Thibault & Gavin Lovely and they can throw the football with Ethan Houde if they need to.

 Will they need to Saturday against Epping-Newmarket? The Blue Devils offense is good enough to move through the playoffs and test Newport on Saturday but can their defense keep them in the game?

 This is a unit that has given up over 50 points in a game twice. Newport is going to pound the football behind Thibault & Cody Turgeon and take their shots downfield to receivers like Kyle Rossiter (who also may see time at QB) and Joey Ackerman.

 (7) Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough at (2) Campbell

 Box score of first meeting

 The 42-0 loss to Campbell in Week 2 was our first indication that this was not the same Laker team that advanced to the Division III championship game in 2015 & 2016. The Cougars rushed for 398 yards in Meredith and the Lakers haven’t looked like a championship contender since.

 There are players to watch for including Andrew Brothers (who was our pre-season player of the year) and Jayden Lara but the Lakers lost a lot of important seniors a year ago like Zach Swanson, Ryan Kelly, and Justin Tinker and replacing them has proven harder than anticipated.

  I’m on the record that this Campbell team is better than the one that stunned Bow in the 2015 semifinals and went on to beat Newport at UNH. That team won a title though, Campbell’s three-game march begins Saturday and with a win, they’ll be home again next weekend against either a Somersworth team they beat on the road or the defending champs.

 (5) Stevens at (4) Somersworth

 Box score of the first meeting

 One of the cool things about being the champs is that someone has to knock you out before you give up that title.

 Don’t expect Stevens to go with a whimper, they hung with Somersworth for a half before several key guys went out of the game with injuries. They’ll show up tomorrow expecting to knock the 7-1 Hilltoppers off.

 Paul Silva’s team will give Somersworth a steady diet of Keaghan McAllister between the tackles and Quentin Bicknell & Baylor Rozzell on sweeps. Every time the Cardinals stand in the shotgun they’ll be watching to see where all-state linebacker Ray Mills is and if Stevens can stay in this game until the fourth quarter the pressure switches over to the higher seed at home.

 Christian Abkarian had a HUGE game in the first meeting; rumbling for 250 yards on the ground. The Stevens defense needs to plug that leak or it’s going to be a short trip to the playoffs.

 I anticipate a very good game in Somersworth tomorrow afternoon.