The high school football season is here so without further ado, we start off our state by state kickoff previews with New Hampshire.
Preseason Top 10
1. Pinkerton
2. Bishop Guertin
3. Souhegan
4. Bedford
5. Trinity
6. Londonderry
7. Nashua South
8. Plymouth
9. Manchester Memorial
10. Pelham
10 players to watch
Joel Gomez Jr. TE, Manchester Memorial
Nate Bowen, QB, Bishop Guertin
Justin Fish, WR/DB, Nashua South
Mike Brearley, RB, Windham
Davis Magarian, TE/DE, Londonderry
Brady Spellman, RB/DB, Pinkerton
Jaxon McDonald, WR/DB, Winnacunnet
Anthony Roy, WR/DB, Bishop Guertin
Marquis Twomey, WR/DB, Kennett
Noah Rao, WR/DB, Pinkerton Divisional Favorites
Divisional Favorites
Division 1: Pinkerton: The Astros are in a good spot to potentially get back to the title game and win it this time. Brian O’Reilly has a talented group of seniors back that will be motivated after losing to Bedford last season.
Division 2: Souhegan: It is almost chalk picking Souhegan but D2 is tougher than you think. Trinity won it all last season, beating the Sabers 31-21 in the state title game. Souhegan has revenge on their mind but they will still have to navigate a tough schedule.
Division 3: Gilford: The Eagles are well positioned to go back to back but they will need to fend off Monadnock and Campbell, both teams are talented.
Division 4: Hillsboro-Deering: With a good senior class returning, there is no reason to think that the Hillcats cannot repeat as D4 champs.
Teams to watch
Bishop Guertin: Anthony Nalen has developed a quality program and the Cardinals are ready to burst on the scene and make a statement in Division One. Guertin has good skill and a group of young lineman that are among the best in the region.
Bedford: Forget about the Bulldogs at your own peril. New coach Tom Babaian won a lot of games at Pelham and he has the Bulldogs well positioned to continue their recent run of dominate success. Solidifying the quarterback position and filling some openings on defense will be key.
Trinity: How do you forget about a defending state champion? Simple. You have a team in their division that has been the standard in recent years. Souhegan is that team. The same team the Pioneers knocked off last season in the state title game. Trinity returns enough talent that they could end up seeing the Sabers in a rematch
Salem: The Blue Devils lost to Pinkerton in the semifinals and with some quality players returning, Salem could potentially be a sleeper in Division One again.
Londonderry: Do not let last season fool you. Jimmy Lauzon’s Lancers are good and they will be in the hunt in Division One. If they can get good quarterback play, they will be in the mix come late November.
Plymouth: With quarterback Cavan Sanborn returning and a strong offensive line, the Bobcats will be one of the favorites in Division Two.
Final Analysis: New Hampshire is as good at the top as any state in the region. The Division 1 programs have had a lot of success in recent years playing other programs in New England and this season should be no exception. The state is balanced with talent across the board and in all divisions and it should once again be a great year for high school football in the Granite State.