NHIAA DIVISION I PREVIEW

The League: Pinkerton Academy (3,331 enrollment), Nashua South (2,287), Salem (2,263), Manchester Memorial (2,165), Manchester Central (2,159), Nashua North (2,054), Concord (1,877), Londonderry (1,827) and Manchester West (1,809).

Defending Champion: Pinkerton Academy. The Astros defeated Nashua South, 14-2, in last year's championship game.

Top Story Line: Can Pinkerton win the Division I title for the fourth consecutive season? Nine starters return from last year's Pinkerton team.

Player to Watch: Nashua South running back David Zocco rushed for 1,155 yards and scored 16 touchdowns as a junior last season.

Game to Watch: Nashua South at Pinkerton (Nov. 25). A rematch of last year's title game. These teams appear to be the class of the division again, and this contest could determine home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Noteworthy: Jon Rich is entering his first season as Londonderry's head coach. Rich replaced Tom Sawyer, who retired after 28 seasons with the Lancers. ... Peter Colcord, Manchester Memorial's offensive coordinator last season, has replaced Dante Laurendi as Memorial's head coach. Laurendi is now on the staff at Nashua North. ... The Division I season will kick off with two intriguing non-league contests Friday. Pinkerton will face Bishop Guertin, which has won three of the last four Division II titles; and Nashua South will meet Exeter, last year's Division II champion. ... Two other non-league games of note this season: Nashua South at Lowell, Mass. (Sept. 19), and Pinkerton at Brockton, Mass. (Oct. 17). ...This year's semifinals will be held Nov. 15, and the championship game will be played Nov. 22. All games will be played at the home of the higher-seeded team. The championship game will be televised by CN8.

-- Roger Brown