By Roger Brown
nhfootballreport.com

Bishop Guertin and Exeter. Exeter and BG.

Ask any coach which teams are likely to finish at the top of the Division II standings this season and you'll probably get one of those two answers. Identifying the top teams is easy. Predicting the correct order of finish is not.

BG has won the last three Division II championships, and beat Exeter for the title in both 2005 and 2006. The Cardinals finished 11-1 last season -- BG suffered a regular-season loss to Exeter -- and return 11 starters (six on offense).

Quarterback Ryan Burgess is among the returnees. Burgess came off the bench late in the third quarter and led BG to a 21-14 triumph over Exeter in last year's title game. Burgess, who started two games during the 2006 regular season, led BG to three fourth-quarter scoring drives in that contest. He completed all six of his pass attempts for 186 yards and two touchdowns. Burgess also ran for a TD.

"I know they have a lot back," Exeter coach Bill Ball said. "Offensively we've played well in spurts (during the preseason). My biggest concern is we have to get better defensively. Defensively we seem to have breakdowns at key times that cost us."

The Blue Hawks also return 11 starters from a year ago (six on defense). The team's strength may be in the offensive backfield, where fullback Gabe Bourgeois (939 yards, 11 TDs) and halfback Brett McAllister (775 yards, nine TDs) both averaged 6.7 yards per carry last season. McAllister also caught nine TD passes. 

Exeter, which has reached the Division II championship game in nine of the past 11 seasons, will be at home when it faces BG on Oct. 12.

Alvirne, Keene, Spaulding, Timberlane and Winnacunnet are teams that will be looking to earn playoff berths and prevent a third straight title game that features Exeter and BG.

High School previews: Division II.