The State of Football: Week 12
By Roger Brown
nhfootballreport.com
Pinkerton Academy will be trying to win its third straight Division I championship. To do so, the Astros will have to beat a Nashua South team that handed Pinkerton a 30-7 loss in Derry two weeks ago.
Pelham can complete the first unbeaten season in the program's history if it wins the Division V championship game. The Pythons will be facing an upstart Gilford team that dropped a one-point decision to Pelham earlier this month.
Perhaps Saturday's most intriguing storyline involves Bishop Guertin, however. The Cardinals have their sights set on a fourth consecutive Division II championship. Exeter is the only team standing in their way. The same Exeter team that beat BG 28-21 during the regular season.
"We had an opportunity to close the door on them and we didn't do it," BG coach Tony Johnson said. "If our offense and defense is not sharp we will not win this game. We will not beat Exeter."
Despite a fair amount of mistakes -- Exeter intercepted three passes in the first half -- BG had a 21-14 lead after three quarters in its regular-season game against Exeter. Then the Blue Hawks did what they do best: They chewed up the clock with long scoring drives.
Exeter put together a 14-play, 69-yard scoring drive, and followed that with a 14-play, 75-yard scoring drive. In other words, they stuck it right down BG's throat.
"They played Exeter football in the fourth quarter," Johnson said. "I was happy with the way our defense played for most of the game, but from the third quarter on we didn't tackle well. We didn't do a good job on second- and third-down situations."
Exeter, which lost to BG in each of the past two championship games, is seeking its first state title since 2003. No team plays better defense than the Blue Hawks, who surrendered 120 points in their 11 games.
Exeter will be facing a BG offense that's averaging 40.6 points per contest. The Cardinals scored at least 31 points in nine of their 11 games. BG's 21-point performance against Exeter was the team's lowest offensive output of the season.
"They have skill everywhere and they're big," Exeter coach Bill Ball said. "They have a real good quarterback (senior Ryan Burgess) and everything runs through him. They scored (447) points. You don't do that with 15-play drives. They obviously have big-play potential and that's a concern for us.
"I think we have to play better defensively than the first time. We have to play our game."
No team has won four straight Division II championships since Milford (1976-79).
"What we can't do is shoot ourselves in the foot," Johnson said. "We have to minimize mistakes. This game is going to come down to who gets the third and three, fourth and two.
"You're talking about two very strong programs and their defense is as strong as its ever been. I think 20 points will win it."
The Picks ...
DIVISION I
Nashua South 24
Pinkerton 14
The Astros are better than they showed in their first meeting with South, but are they that much better? The Panthers celebrate their first state championship since 1997.
DIVISION II
Exeter 20
Bishop Guertin 17
If the Cardinals play a clean game they'll win. If they don't, they won't. Exeter place-kicker Sean Coleman may be the difference.
DIVISION III
Pelham 28
Gilford 14
Like Laconia and Plymouth, Pelham completes its season unbeaten.
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Last week: 6-2
Record to date: 208-52
The State of Football, a commentary on New Hampshire high school football, will appear each Friday throughout the season.
