Varsity Insider: Focused on Souhegan
Editor's Note: Reed Spiller is a senior at Portsmouth High School and a fullback/defensive lineman on the PHS varsity football team. He helped the Clippers reach the Division III championship game in 2006, the program's first season in Division III. Reed's Varsity Insider column will appear each week throughout the season.
It was the battle of the titans ... two teams at the top of their division ... the top of their game ... going at it to see who would leave with a victory and who would suffer their first defeat. Both Souhegan and Portsmouth came into last year's matchup at Tom Daubney Field undefeated at 5-0. With great anticipation for the first meeting between the two teams, Portsmouth won a hard-fought game 42-21 in what turned out to be the turning point in the Clippers' season. Although we never met again in the playoffs, a sense of mutual dislike might start to brew this time around as the Souhegan Sabers and Portsmouth Clippers clash Friday night in "The Jungle" in Amherst.
Is it obvious that I am incredibly keyed up for this game? Unfortunately, it is still early in the week with days to wait before the ensuing battle, so before I get too excited, now might be a good time to switch gears and begin to explain the college football recruiting process from the perspective of the athlete. This, a totally different kind of jungle. College recruiting is heavily dependent upon a proactive approach from the athlete. People have always told me, "If you're good enough, they will find you," but when you live in New Hampshire, a state not considered a recruiting hotbed, you must advertise yourself.
I received my first piece of college mail during the winter of my sophomore year. Although inside the envelope was only a generic newsletter, my family and I were excited to be recognized. In the big picture, all this letter meant was that the college knew about me and knew I existed, which is the first step. I would occasionally open a letter or two the rest of my sophomore year, but at that point, I still did not know where I stood as far as skill level.
Having only competed against New Hampshire athletes all my life, I was unsure how this state compared to the rest of the country. For that reason, I took my talents to the University of Pennsylvania football camp in the summer before my junior year, when I spent three days and three nights in the dorms in Philadelphia. In the different letters I had received in the spring, many schools asked me to come to their camp, citing that it was a fantastic opportunity to get myself exposed and learn new techniques. It just so happened that Philadelphia was the closest camp from my aunt's summer home in Atlantic City.
Although it wasn't cheap, it was the best money we had ever spent. As a soon-to-be-junior, I did every drill with the seniors and captured the coaches' attention. When all was said and done, the Penn coaches told me I had the potential to be a I-AA player, and more importantly, I was on the recruiting fast track at Penn. This word of assurance meant that I could concentrate my energy around I-AA schools, while still communicating with the Division III coaches.
During the football season the following fall, my one and only college obligation was to play hard and help my team win games. Not until after the season did recruiting finally kick into gear. Letters started coming on a regular basis from a wide variety of schools. Some envelopes I wouldn't even open, some, I read the introductory letter, and most, I would complete an enclosed questionnaire. Questionnaires are miserable. Every one of them asks the same questions - name, address, school, SAT scores, 40 time, etc. The list goes on. Unfortunately, they all had to be handwritten, which meant no copying and pasting.
After the questionnaires are returned, the schools send you another letter asking for junior film, which is where the highlight film and experience with video equipment come in. That's a story for next week, though because I am way too focused on Souhegan to even think about college football. To be honest, I have been looking forward to this game for quite some time now, and I would assume the Sabers have been the same way.
Although Portsmouth is not undefeated this season like last year, this match up has all the makings for a tremendous high school football game. Souhegan has a potent offense that can score on any play, while the Clippers haven't given up a point in eight quarters. Even though it will only be the second meeting between the two teams, it seems as though a rivalry has already developed that will induce the kind of intensity that existed in the old Seacoast rivalries with Portsmouth, Dover, and Rochester. Souhegan will not look past us. We will be ready to play. To quote Muhammad Ali, "It's gonna be a 'Rumble in the Jungle!'"
