Contact: Jim Stout
CBS MaxPreps Inc.
Tel: (845) 367-2864
jstout@maxpreps.com

CAMERON, PARK, Calif., - CBS MaxPreps, Inc., the nation's largest and most comprehensive provider of high school sports content and information on the Internet, and the New Hampshire Football Report, the definitive Internet home of high school and college football in the state of New Hampshire, have entered a media partnership, it was announced today.
 
MaxPreps.com, a Cameron Park, Calif.-based company that was purchased by CBS in 2007, will provide the New Hampshire Football Report (http://www.nhfootballreport.com ) with its entire platform of high school data and statistical coverage in the state. That means that every scholastic program in New Hampshire will have a comprehensive and fully integrated statistical home at the New Hampshire Football Report, powered by MaxPreps.
 
The high school content on the New Hampshire Football Report pages will now include up-to-date schedules, results, standings, rankings, rosters and statistics for all schools, making it the most thorough in the state. The individual team pages will be maintained by the combination of the team coaches, team support personnel, by MaxPreps' regional representatives and by New Hampshire Football Report personnel.

"The state's football community has been very receptive to New Hampshire Football Report and the site is growing much faster than expected," New Hampshire Football Report founder and publisher Roger Brown said. "This partnership with MaxPreps will enhance our content by providing scores, statistics, schedules and standings. This is a huge addition to the site."
 
East Regional Manager Vin Iovino, the former athletic director at New Canaan (Conn.) High and a member of the Connecticut High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame, heads MaxPreps' operations in the Eastern United States. The company's New Hampshire field representative is veteran high school football and basketball coach Tom Taylor of the Canterbury School in New Milford, Conn. MaxPreps' National Association Director is ex-New York Jets quarterback Al Woodall.
 
Since its inception in July 2007, the New Hampshire Football Report has been grabbing the attention of fans and players throughout the state by providing editorial content that includes columns, features, game previews, news items, notebooks and player journals. In addition, a feature called Chalkboard allows coaches and athletic directors to submit items such as coaching vacancies, clinics and open dates.

*****

Editor's Note: This press release was issued by MaxPreps on Monday. In the coming days there will be a MaxPreps logo on the site that will allow vistitors to navigate to statistical pages that will include schedules and up-to-date standings. For the time being please use the High School Scores and Stats text link located in the black box above the monthly archives. Coaches or other team personnel will be able to input statistics. Those with questions can send them by email to rbrown@nhfootballreport.com.

Roger Brown
nhfootballreport.com

Coming off a 42-6 non-league victory over Dartmouth, the University of New Hampshire moved up two spots to No. 5 in the latest Sports Network FCS Top 25 poll.

UNH is 4-0 overall and 1-0 in the Colonial Athletic Association's North Division. The Wildcats need two victories to reach the 500-win milestone in the program's history.

UNH will be off this weekend. The Wildcats will face William & Mary in Durham on Oct. 11 (noon).

FCS TOP 25 POLL
(first-place votes in parenthesis)

1. James Madison (87)
2. Appalachian State
3. Montana (16)
4. McNeese State (1)
5. New Hampshire (3)
6. Richmond
7. Elon
8. Cal Poly
9. Wofford
10. Northern Iowa
11. Eastern Washington
12. The Citadel
13. Southern Illinois
14. Villanova
15. Furman (1)
16. Delaware
17. North Dakota State
18. Massachusetts
19. Central Arkansas
20. Liberty
21. Western Illinois
22. Jacksonville
23. South Dakota State
24. Northern Arizona
25. Brown

Roger Brown
nhfootballreport.com

Plymouth State tailback Jeff Mack and PSU defensive back Zach Parsons were both selected to the New England Football Conference's weekly honor roll Monday for their performance in Saturday's 30-10 triumph against UMass-Dartmouth.

It was the third time Mack, a senior, has been named to the honor roll this season. Parsons, a sophomore, made the honor roll for the first time.

Mack, who played at Milford High School, rushed for a career-high 218 yards on 34 carries and one touchdown against UMass-Dartmouth. He scored his touchdown on a 9-yard run in the first quarter.

Mack is third among NEFC players in rushing with an average of 160 yards per game. He has run for 2,805 yards in his collegiate career, which is third in PSU history. Former Pinkerton Academy standout Russ Massahos is second with 3,276 yards.

Parsons, a safety, made a team-high seven tackles (six solo) against UMass-Dartmouth and also intercepted a pass. Parsons is one of three NEFC players with a league-high three interceptions this season. He's sixth on the team in tackles (19).

Plymouth State will play Western New England at home Saturday (1 p.m.). The Panthers will be trying to stretch their home winning streak to 10 games.

Roger Brown
nhfootballreport.com

When University of New Hampshire coach Sean McDonnell was asked to assess his team's performance through the first four games of the season, he didn't utter a negative word.

UNH is 4-0 overall (1-0 in the Colonial Athletic Association) and coming off Saturday's 42-6 triumph over Dartmouth, its in-state rival. The Wildcats are averaging 38.2 points per game, nearly 18 more than they're allowing (20.8). 

"I think we've answered some questions that we had to answer, especially on the offensive side of the football with (quarterback) R.J. Toman," McDonnell said. "He's getting more comfortable every week. R.J. had a little bit of a back injury last week and missed practice time Wednesday and didn't really practice on Thursday. He seems to be adjusting to what we need him to do."

Toman has completed 79 of his 113 pass attempts for 910 yards (227.5 per game). He's thrown 10 touchdown passes and has been intercepted four times.

McDonnell also said he likes what he's seen from the team's offensive line and the rest of the offensive backfield.

"I feel good about the running game, in the sense that (Chad) Kackert, (Bobby) Simpson and (Sean) Jellison have all given us something different.

"Defensively, we've got to find a way to win in space. We did a little bit better job on Saturday with that. I still think pressuring the quarterback is the key -- how we can get to him and still cover things. We're doing OK.

"Obviously very excited to be undefeated. Now you're coming into the next seven games in the CAA against some very talented teams that are going to make or break the season."

Think Green

UNH's victory Saturday evened the series against Dartmouth at 17-17-2. The Wildcats have won 15 of the last 16 meetings. Dartmouth's last victory came in 1976. The 1990 game ended in a tie.

"I thought we played a pretty solid game against a good Dartmouth team," McDonnell said. "We went up there and played pretty hard. We played pretty well on both sides of the ball."

The Wildcats played without Kackert, who had arthroscopic kinee surgery Friday. Kackert is averaging 112.7 yards rushing per game. He leads the team in yards rushing (340) and rushing attempts (39).

"Bobby Simpson and Sean Jellison did a tremendous job filling in for him," McDonnell said. "Both those guys ran the ball very well. I thought our offensive line sustained blocks and stayed on people.

"And then defensively I thought we got to the ball pretty well."

Time to say bye

The Wildcats will be off until Oct. 11, when they'll face William & Mary in Durham. McDonnell said the bye has come at a welcome time.

"We've got to get a couple of guys healthy," he said. "It'll be really good for (free safety) Johnny Clements to stay off the hamstring for another week and get healthy. We're not going to practice him. (Linebacker) Matt Parent (who is nursing a shoulder injury) will practice. He probably could have played last week.

"You want to work on some timing things (during the bye week). You want to make sure you stay crisp. You want to make sure you get you're younger guys some time. Guys who haven't seen a lot of time in games -- you want to bring them up to speed.

"The biggest thing, knock on wood, is to stay healthy. You want to make sure nobody gets hurt this week, but we're gonna go practice and practice hard."

Noteworthy

William & Mary is 2-1 overall and has yet to play a CAA game. The Tribe's only loss came against N.C. State (34-24). William & Mary will play Villanova at home Saturday. ...  McDonnell called Willliam & Mary's Jake Phillips as good a quarterback as there is in the league. ... UNH has scored twice as many touchdowns as its opponents (20-10) and has outscored its opponents in all four quarters. ... Sophomore Ryan McGuinness filled in for Clements on Saturday and made a team-high seven tackles. He also intercepted a pass. 

College: Wildcats' depth tested at Dartmouth >> Foster's Daily Democrat

High School: It's 37 straight for Plymouth >> Manchester Union Leader

High School: Saints blast Bow >> Foster's Daily Democrat

High School: Campbell's defense shines >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: Panthers could face desperate opponent Friday >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: A do-it-all QB in Concord >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: Coach impressed by BG's defense >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: New divisions, same result for Milford >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: Rain hurts Souhegan and Bedford >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: Alvirne home on the road >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: Merrimack sticking with it >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: Giants run rampant >> Concord Monitor

High School: Bears claw out a victory >> Concord Monitor

High School: Sachems march past Lebanon >> Laconia Citizen

Five topics on the New Hampshire football landscape:

1. Friday's top game 

One of the most interesting games on this weekend's menu will take place Friday in Portsmouth, where Souhegan and Portsmouth will meet to determine first place in Division III. Plymouth's victory over Milford on Sunday left the Sabers and Clippers as the only unbeaten teams in the division. Each team is 4-0 overall.

It figures to be a game with plenty of offense. Portsmouth has thrown nine TD passes in its four games. Junior split end Mike Montville has five TD receptions.

Souhegan has scored 118 points in its three Division III contests.

2. Pinkerton at Londonderry

Call this the back end of this weekend's premier doubleheader. Both teams are 3-0 in Division I. 

Since dropping a 10-3 decision in a non-league game against Bishop Guertin, Pinkerton has outscored its three opponents 103-34. First-year Londonderry coach Jon Rich couldn't have scripted a better start for his Lancers, who have beaten Winnacunnet (non-league), Salem, Concord and Manchester West.

Rumor has it this is a pretty good rivalry too.

3. Big men on campus

Even though UNH has a bye this weekend, it will be easy to take in a local college game Saturday. St. Anselm will play American International at home (1 p.m.); Plymouth State will be at home against Western New England (1 p.m.); and the Dartmouth-Penn game can be seen on CN8 (noon).

4. Defensive posture

It appears points will be at a premium when Bishop Guertin visits Exeter on Nov. 7. The game will likely determine the No. 1 seed for the Division II playoffs.

BG has allowed 10 points this season, but its defense hasn't surrendered a touchdown. The Cards gave up a field goal against Pinkerton, and Merrimack scored on a kick return.

Exeter stretched its scoreless streak to 13 quarters when it blanked Winnacunnet, 38-0, Saturday. The Blue Hawks have allowed 20 points this year. All 20 came in a season-opening 21-20 victory over Nashua South. One of Nashua South's three TDs came on an Exeter fumble that was returned for a touchdown.

5. Plymouth State's running man

For those who may have missed it, former Milford High School standout Jeff Mack, a senior, rushed for a 218 yards to help Plymouth State defeat UMass-Dartmouth, 30-10, Saturday. The 218-yard rushing effort was Mack's career best.

College: Mack leads PSU to another win >> Manchester Union Leader

College: UNH shreds Dartmouth >> Nashua Telegraph

College: CAA roundup >> CAA athletics site

High School: Late safety hurts Titans >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: BG 'D' outshines offense >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: Keene line dominates >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: Cavs pick up first victory >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: The Demoralizer >> Manchester Union Leader

High School: Dover cruises to win >> Foster's Daily Democrat

High School: Exeter rolls past Winnacunnet >> Portsmouth Herald

High School: Portsmouth beats Goffstown >> Portsmouth Herald

College: UNH looks to continue dominance >> Portsmouth Herald

High School: Londonderry runs over West >> Manchester Union Leader

High School: Purple reign in the rain >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: South slips, slides past Central >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: Battista locks up first win >> Nashua Telegraph

College: Banged-up Wildcats brace for Dartmouth >> Laconia Citizen

College: UNH-Dartmouth -- a streak series >> Manchester Union Leader

College: UNH/Dartmouth breakdown >> Concord Monitor

High School: North assistant brings new offense >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: Hines to face mentor >> Manchester Union Leader

The Division II game between Keene and Alvirne that was scheduled to be played Friday night in Hudson has been moved to Saturday night (7) and will be played at Tyngsboro (Mass.) High School.

The game was originally scheduled to be broadcast on SUNNY-FM 97.7 (Swanzey), but the station will carry Saturday night's game between Sanborn and Monadnock instead. The pregame show will begin at 6:45 p.m.

Editor's Note: Ben Stallman is a senior at Souhegan High School and a wide receiver/defensive back on the SHS football team. He entered the 2008 season with 60 career receptions, which is a school record. He also set the school record for receptions in a season when he caught 35 passes last year. Ben was named to the Division III All-State First Team following the 2007 season. His Varsity Insider column will appear each week throughout the season.

Last Friday, two teams met that were solid examples of success. Souhegan of Division III and Laconia of Division IV met in Laconia in what was talked about by some as the game of the week across the state, the battle between two of the most successful teams in their respective divisions.

Laconia was off to an undefeated season and boasted a 13-game win streak and a 17-game regular-season win streak, some of the longest in the state. Souhegan came in playing great football as well, also off to an undefeated season. This was to be the true measuring stick for both teams to see how their teams faired for the rest of the season.

The game started with a bang, though it happened for Laconia. Souhegan turned the opening kickoff over and Laconia manufactured three quick points from it. Later on the first quarter another turnover occurred and Laconia punched it in this time, putting Souhegan into an early 10-0 hole. However, as Coach Mike Beliveau put it "our team weathered the storm."

After the first quarter was over, the Souhegan defense rallied around each other and came out determined to shut down the Laconia offense, and did just that. The Sachems were held scoreless the rest of the half.  During this time Souhegan really got its run game going with a handful of different running backs, using the T-formation offense and the spread offense to work its way downfield and punch in a touchdown in the second quarter.

Throughout the second half, Souhegan continued to firmly establish the run game, using its athletes up front to muscle out holes for the halfbacks to run through. Passes were mixed in, keeping Laconia off balance. Souhegan managed to score another touchdown on the ground to take its first lead of the game at 14-10.  Laconia quickly answered back, this time using its aerial assault to find holes in the defense for a long touchdown connection, retaking the lead at 17-14. 

That was the end of scoring for Laconia however; as Souhegan's defense stitched together the few holes in the secondary to take away the pass game that had been affective early for Laconia. Souhegan again battered away at Laconia with the run game, using its no-huddle offense to perfection. Another goal-line plunge brought the score to 21-17 Souhegan, and the Sabers never looked back,  adding another touchdown late through the air to bring the final score to 26-17 Souhegan. 

This game epitomized what inter-division games should be about: High-powered teams and great matchups that otherwise would not have a chance to be played out. You could not have asked for a better night and better battle.  The weather was perfect and the competition was heated. This was a classic Friday night high school game, and it was played exactly how you would expect an old rivalry game to be played out, until every last second had ticked off that clock, and every last player had finally stepped off the playing field.

Roger Brown
nhfootballreport.com

Last November, minutes after Exeter High School had beaten Bishop Guertin in the Division II championship game, an Exeter player was asked if he had just experienced the most satisfying victory of his career.

Without hesitation, the player shook his head from side to side and said, "Beating Winnacunnet."

Not even Winnacunnet coach Ron Auffant completely understands the rivalry between Exeter and Winnacunnet, teams that are scheduled to meet at Exeter's Eustis Field on Saturday (1:30 p.m.).

"At the barber shop people say, "I don't care if you win another game, just beat Exeter," Auffant said. "I've had people tell me they'd rather beat Exeter than win a championship. I'd take the championship, but that's the mentality around here."

Few know the emotions this rivalry can stir better than Bill Ball, who is in his 16th season as Exeter's head coach. Ball and his Blue Hawks absorbed a 28-26 loss to Winnacunnet during the regular season last fall, but beat Winnacunnet, 28.6, in the Division II semifinals.

"It's always the biggest game of the year -- there's no getting around that," Ball said. "It's the one game you remember."

Other than the desire to beat one another, these teams appear to have very little in common this season. Exeter is 3-0 overall (2-0 in Division II) and has held its three opponents to a total of 20 points. Winnacunnet is 0-3 overall (0-2 in Division II) and surrendered 41 points in the first half of last Friday's game against Dover.

Junior running back Jason Busfield has run for 430 yards in three games and is the big-play threat in Winnacunnet's option attack, Exeter quarterback Andrew Kukesh has completed 12 of 25 passes for 168 yards and four touchdowns. He also leads the team in rushing (220 yards on 32 carries).

"I think they're athletic," Ball said. "Busfield is a threat every time he touches the ball. They've played three pretty good football teams (Londonderry, Keene and Dover). After kickoff it comes down to execution."

Auffant said finding a way to score against Exeter's defense is his No. 1 concern. The Blue Hawks haven't allowed a point in more than nine quarters.

"Defensively they're very sound," Auffant said. "They win a lot of games defensively. Can we score enough points to be in the game against them? That's the question.

"Last year we were a slight underdog. This year we're a big-time underdog. We have to have our best effort."

THE PICKS ...

College: Dartmouth/UNH game notes >> Dartmouth athletics

College: Vs. spread, best 'D' is more 'O' >> Concord Monitor

College: Defenses can't beat the spread >> Portsmouth Herald

High School: Milford set for test with familiar foe >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: New life at Trinity >> Manchester Union Leader

College: Plymouth State/UMass-Dartmouth game notes >> PSU athletics

Editor's Note: Officially Speaking with Steve Hall is a feature that allows readers to ask questions about high school football rules, and runs weekly throughout the season. Hall has been a New Hampshire high school official since 1989 and has officiated nearly 300 NHIAA regular-season varsity games. He has also officiated more than 25 playoff games, and worked his 11th championship game last year (Pinkerton at Nashua South). Hall, who is a member of the New Hampshire Football Officials' Association Board of Directors, has been the NHFOA rules interpreter since 2001, and is also the New Hampshire representative on the National Federation of High Schools rules committee. Questions, which may be edited for clarity, can be submitted to rbrown@nhfootballreport.com. Please include your hometown.

Question: I have a two-part question I'd like to submit. I was at the Portsmouth-Con-Val game Friday night. In the first quarter the Portsmouth punter fielded a bad snap, ran to his right and got the kick off while on the run. He was hit and roughing the kicker was called. Later in the game the Con-Val punter was hit (hard) after he kicked the ball, but there was no penalty. I heard the referee tell the Con-Val coach that no penalty was called because there was some question about whether or not the kick would get off. I wasn't close enough to the field to hear the full explanation. Can you clarify this?
Second, what is the rule with regard to roughing the kicker when a punter becomes a runner? Thanks.

-- Hampton

Answer: This must be the year for roughing-the-kicker questions, because I've been asked about similar plays three times already. Roughing the kicker occurs if a defensive player blocks, tackles or charges into the
kicker. However, roughing the kicker is not called when any of the following occur:

(a) contact is unavoidable because it isn't reasonably certain that a kick will be made
(b) the defense touches the kick near the kicker and thereafter, contact is unavoidable
(c) contact is slight and partially caused by movement of the kicker
(d) contact is caused by the defender being blocked into the kicker

To answer your questions, you need to understand what a "kicker" is. A player becomes a kicker when his lower leg contacts the ball, and he remains a kicker until he has had a reasonable opportunity to regain his balance. In the plays above, it sounds like the player ran with the ball then abruptly pulled up and kicked it. If the referee judged that the defensive player had committed to his charge prior to the runner becoming a kicker, roughing the kicker wouldn't be called because of exception (a) above. It sounds like that's what happened in the second instance that you describe. However, if the referee judged that the defensive player had
sufficient time to realize that the ball was going to be kicked, roughing would be called.

The difficulty with calling roughing the kicker is that it's entirely a judgment call by the referee. Players are usually moving at top speed, and if a potential kicker begins to run prior to kicking the ball, the referee must make a call while he is on the run, which increases the difficulty of the call. Moreover, the referee's positioning can be a factor as to whether he can observe the action of the defense. In short, it's the toughest call to make for a referee.  Making a judgment call one way or another doesn't make the call a bad call, because someone will disagree
with it regardless of whether a foul is called.

Football University, an organization that conducts elite instructional camps for top youth and high school players throughout the country, is seeking players from New Hampshire for its Boston mini-camp later this year.

The mini-camp has room for 175 New Hampshire athletes. There are 150 spots available for freshmen, sophomores and juniors, and room for another 25 players in grades 6, 7 and 8. This mini-camp is by invitation only, and Football University has asked New Hampshire Football Report to forward a list of top players from New Hampshire. A player must be on this list to receive an invitation.

Players who attend this mini-camp do not have to be college prospects, but must be motivated players interested in receiving high-level instruction. The camp date will be released in October.

High school and youth coaches who have players who are interested in attending the Boston mini-camp should forward the player's name, grade, position, team and contact information (mailing address, phone number and email address) to rbrown@nhfootballreport.com. Whenever possible, please include the player's height and weight as well. There is no limit on the number of players a coach can nominate.

This information must be received by Sept. 30.

More information can be found at the Football University web site.

Five topics on the New Hampshire football landscape:

1. Salem runs to record

Which New Hampshire high school team turned in the top performance last weekend? Salem, which ran for 431 yards in a 65-20 victory over Manchester Memorial. The Crusaders are 0-3, but whenever a team scores 65 points --- regardless of the competition -- it looks like a misprint.

The 65 points Salem scored is a school record for points scored in a game. The old mark of 64 points was set when Salem beat Somersworth, 64-0, in 1971.

2. Spaulding has reason to smile

Yes, the Red Raiders are 0-3, but it's unlikely any team is happier that the fourth week of the season is here. Spaulding opened with a 35-7 loss against Division I Concord, and then had to play Division II heavyweights Exeter (35-0) and Bishop Guertin (35-0).

Here's one thing not working in Spaulding's favor: Each of its three losses came at home. The Red Raiders will play five of their seven remaining regular-season games on the road.

3. Footnotes from Durham

• Through three games, former Plymouth Regional standout Mike Boyle leads the University of New Hampshire with 20 receptions for 268 yards. Boyle has three receiving touchdowns and has scored a team-high 24 points.
  
• Sophomore quarterback R.J. Toman has thrown nine touchdown passes in three games. UNH has also allowed nine TD passes through the air.
  
• UNH will meet in-state rival Dartmouth on Saturday (noon) in a game that can be seen live on WMUR-TV (Channel 9). UNH has won the last 10 games in the series, which resumed in 2000,

4. It's not Alabama/Auburn, but it's close 

UNH/Dartmouth won't be the only rivalry game played Saturday. Winnacunnet will play a Division II game at Exeter in what may be the fiercest high school rivalry in the state. Winnacunnet handed Exeter its only regular-season loss last year, when the Warriors beat the Blue Hawks on their home field.

5. Rising stock

No team has grabbed our interest more than Londonderry, which is off to a 3-0 start with victories over Winnacunnet (26-13), Salem (28-14) and Concord (33-12). The Lancers were a bit of a mystery during preseason because of an offseason coaching change (Jon Rich replaced Tom Sawyer), but now have to be included in the discussion when talking about teams that could be at home for the Division I semifinals.

We'll know more about the Lancers after they play Pinkerton at home Oct. 4.

Roger Brown
nhfootballreport.com

The University of New Hampshire football team, which improved its record to 3-0 with a 32-24 victory over Albany on Saturday, moved up from 10th to No. 7 in this week's Sports Network FCS Top 25 National Poll.

The Wildcats began the 2008 campaign ranked No. 16 in The Sports Network Preseason Top 25.

UNH is off to a 3-0 start for the third time in the last four seasons, and will play at Dartmouth in the Granite Bowl on Saturday. That game will be shown live on WMUR-TV (Channel 9).

The last time UNH opened the season with four consecutive victories was in 2006, when the Wildcats won their first five contests.

The Colonial Athletic Association has three teams among the top 10: Richmond (No. 1), James Madison (No. 2) and UNH (No. 7). The Wildcats also received one first-place vote.

SPORTS NETWORK FCS TOP 25 NATIONAL POLL  
(First-place votes in parenthesis)     

1. Richmond Spiders (49), 2,389
2. James Madison Dukes (37), 2387
3. Appalachian State Mountaineers, 2122
4. Montana Grizzlies (12), 2,095
5. Northern Iowa Panthers (2), 1,979
6. McNeese State Cowboys, 1,760
7. New Hampshire Wildcats (1), 1,528
8. Elon Phoenix, 1,306
9. Cal Poly Mustangs, 1,272
10. North Dakota State Bison, 1,257
11. Eastern Washington Eagles, 1,197
12. Central Arkansas Bears, 1,184
13. The Citadel Bulldogs, 1,155
14. Wofford Terriers, 1,137
15. Southern Illinois Salukis, 1,115
16. Furman Paladins, 970
17. Delaware Blue Hens, 880
18. Massachusetts Minutemen, 870
19. Villanova Wildcats, 883
20. South Dakota State Jackrabbits, 773
21. Eastern Illinois Panthers, 754
22. Western Illinois Leathernecks, 743
23. Tennessee State Tigers (1), 576
24. Georgia Southern Eagles, 544
25. Liberty Flames, 431

Roger Brown
nhfootballreport.com

Two members of the Plymouth State University football team have been selected to the New England Football Conference honor roll for their efforts in Saturday's 26-7 victory at Coast Guard.

Senior tailback Jeff Mack (pictured) and sophomore defensive back Kevin Whalen were PSU representatives on this week's honor roll.

Mack, who played at Milford High School, gained 124 yards on 26 carries against Coast Guard. He also rushed for a touchdown. Mack is ranked fifth in the 16-team NEFC in average rushing yards per game (141) and is tied for sixth with four touchdowns.

Whalen, a cornerback, made a team-high 10 tackles (all solo) in the victory. He also broke up two passes and recorded an interception, which he returned 30 yards. Whalen was a second-team All-NEFC selection last year.

Plymouth State will attempt to extend its home winning streak to nine games when it faces UMass-Dartmouth at Currier Field (1 p.m.) on Saturday.

Roger Brown
nhfootballreport.com

Freshman Foley Schmidt, a place-kicker on the Dartmouth College football team, was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Week for his performance in Dartmouth's 34-20 loss at Colgate on Saturday.

Schmidt (pictured) became the first Dartmouth football player to earn one of the Ivy League's weekly awards since Tom Bennewitz (offense) and Tim McManus (rookie) each earned an award following Dartmouth's game on Nov. 5, 2007.

Schmidt kicked two field goals (39 and 26 yards) in three attempts and converted both of his PAT attempts against Colgate. His lone miss was a blocked kick. Dartmouth had a total of three field goals in 10 games last season.

Dartmouth (0-1) will be at home when it faces the University of New Hampshire (3-0) on Saturday. The game, which is scheduled to start at noon, will be televised by WMUR-TV (Channel 9). 

Roger Brown
nhfootballreport.com

Exeter resident Kyle McAllister (pictured), a defensive back on the Bates College football team, was named the NESCAC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in Saturday's 17-7 loss to Trinity.

McAllister, a junior, recorded a game-high 13 tackles, including six solo stops and one tackle for a loss. He also recovered a fumble and intercepted a pass, which he returned 25 yards. McAllister led the conference in interceptions as a sophomore.

McAllister played fullback and defensive back at Exeter High School and represented New Hampshire in the2005 Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl.

College: Dartmouth is next for 'Cats >> Manchester Union Leader

High School: North goes back to the drawing board >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: DII locals need points >> Nashua Telegraph

College: Toman recovers from rough start >> Foster's Daily Democrat

High School: Milford wins battle of Spartans >> Nashua Telegraph

College: Punt gives 'Cats a kick start >> Concord Monitor

College: Jellison shines in limited role >> Nashua Telegraph

College: Imperfect 'Cats remain unbeaten >> Concord Monitor

High School: Cavaliers in it until end >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: Broncos stand tall on "D" >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: Three by land, two by air >> Nashua Telegraph

College: Wildcats are strong rebounders >> Manchester Union Leader

High School: Final surge is missing >> Concord Monitor

High School: Winnisquam stifles Gilford >> Laconia Citizen

High School: Newfound's home opener spoiled >> Laconia Citizen

High School; St. Thomas beats Kearsarge >> Foster's Daily Democrat

SATURDAY'S GAMES

Exeter 14
Alvirne 0

Franklin 40
Newfound 6

Inter-Lakes 40
Mascoma 14

Stevens 21
Bow 18

Goffstown 22
Hollis-Brookline 14

Milford 21
Pembroke 14

Winnisquam 6
Gilford 0

St. Thomas 28
Kearsarge 14

Pelham 32
Somersworth 0

Triity 24
Bishop Brady 16

Campbell 41
Farmington 12

FRIDAY'S GAMES

Bishop Guertin 35
Spaulding 0

Hanover 27
Lebanon 13

Londonderry 33
Concord 12

Plymouth 34
Kennett 6

Newport 46
Fall Mountain 7

Timberlane 20
Merrimack 8

Souhegan 26
Laconia 17

Portsmouth 36
Con-Val 26

John Stark 26
Bedford 6

Salem 65
Manchester Memorial 20

Lowell (Mass.) 21
Nashua South 0

Merrimack Valley 28
Sanborn 6

Dover 55
Winnacunnet 34

Kingswood 22
Monadnock 7

Manchester Central 49
Nashua North 12

Pinkerton 34
Manchester West 14

College: Dartmouth drops opener >> ESPN

College: Colonial Athletic Association recap >> CAAsports.com

College: Late rally sinks St. Anselm >> St. Anselm athletics

College: UNH moves to 3-0 >> Portsmouth Herald

College: Q&A with Dave Philistin >> NCAA.com

High School: Lowell running back burns South >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: Central makes a statement >> Manchester Union Leader

High School: Lancers roar back over Concord >> Manchester Union Leader

High School: Sachems stopped by Sabers >> Laconia Citizen

High School: Portsmouth earns wild win >> Portsmouth Herald

High School: Winnacunnet comeback falls short >> Portsmouth Herald

High School: BG eats up Spaulding >> Foster's Daily Democrat

The New England Football League's New England Hawks will play the Southern Maine Raging Bulls at Exeter High School on Saturday (7 p.m.).

The Hawks have a 4-3 record in the AAA Conference. The Raging Bulls are 4-4.

The winner of this game will be a step closer to securing a home game in the first round of the NEFL playoffs.

The Hawks are led by former University of New Hampshire running back Stephan Lewis. Other key players for the Hawks are wide receiver/quarterback Jeff Gregoire and wide receiver Jesse Utoh. Gregoire and Utoh both played at Portsmouth High School.

Last week the Boston Bandits came from behind to beat the Hawks, 33-14. The Raging Bulls are coming off a 20-17 setback against the Lowell Nor'Easter.

Tickets for Saturday's game are $5 for adults and $3 for children.

College: Wildcats face Albany in home opener >> Foster's Daily Democrat

College: Defense holds key for UNH >> Portsmouth Herald

College: Balance the name of UNH's game >> Manchester Union Leader

High School: Central looks to quiet detractors >> Manchester Union Leader

College: PSU ready to open NEFC slate >> Laconia Citizen

High School: Merrimack begins with clean slate >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: Campbell's McCartney in the spotlight >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: Saints face big test in Kearsarge >> Laconia Citizen

High School: Sachems face huge challenge >> Laconia Citizen

Roger Brown
nhfootballreport.com

Although many expect Plymouth to provide Laconia with its toughest test of the 2008 season, there are others who believe Laconia's toughest test may come Friday night. That's when Souhegan will visit Laconia in a non-league game for each team.

Souhegan, a team that appears to be the favorite to win this year's Division III championship, is off to a 2-0 start with victories over Goffstown (41-0) and Hollis-Brookline (34-0). Perhaps no team in the state is more diverse on offense than the Sabers, who will spent most of their time in the spread formation, but also line up in the Straight-T.

"It doesn't get any tougher than this," Laconia coach Craig Kozens said. "It'll prepare us for Plymouth. I like a good challenge.

"We have to control the ball and slow the game down. They have too many weapons to go punch for punch."

Although Souhegan isn't afraid to throw the ball 20 or more times per game, the Sabers also have a strong running game led by 245-pound junior fullback Steve Jellison. Tailback Nick Chacos gained 160 yards and scored three touchdowns on four carries last weekend. Jellison enters Friday's contest averaging 7.5 yards per carry.

"Jellison gets the bulk of our carries," Souhegan coach Mike Beliveau said. "He's a different back because he's built like a tight end or a defensive end."

Beliveau said Harvard, Dartmouth and Princeton have shown a strong interest in Jellison, who has also received letters from Stanford, Notre Dame and Duke.

Beliveau said senior tackle/linebacker Ian Ginnard and senior center/defensive tackle Jameson Luks have also drawn Division I interest.

"They're a very good football team," Kozens said. "They have very athletic linemen up front. (Ben) Stallman is a deep threat. They have a big, pounding back with Jellison. Lots of weapons on offense."

Laconia's offense hasn't struggled to score points either. The Sachems, who won last year's Division IV title, opened with a 49-14 triumph over Hanover, and beat Merrimack Valley 34-14 last weekend.

Christian Birt, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound senior running back/defensive back, is likely the player Souhegan will be chasing the most Friday.Boston College came to take a look at Birt last weekend. He has already received offers from Ohio, Central Michigan, Massachusetts and William and Mary. Kozens said Colorado is in the mix as well.

"Honestly, they have the best back (Birt) we'll see all year," Beliveau said.

The Sachems have weapons to complement Birt as well. Running back Brian Bozek led the team in rushing (11 carries, 160 yards) against Merrimack Valley, and quarterback Nick Converse is a dual threat. Converse missed most of last season because of a broken leg.

"Our biggest concern is their backfield," Beliveau said. "They're a team that can run inside or outside. All three of those guys can get to the corner. They have a great atmosphere up there and I really do expect a good football game."

THE PICKS ... 

Editor's Note: Ben Stallman is a senior at Souhegan High School and a wide receiver/defensive back on the SHS football team. He entered the 2008 season with 60 career receptions, which is a school record. He also set the school record for receptions in a season when he caught 35 passes last year. Ben was named to the Division III All-State First Team following the 2007 season. His Varsity Insider column will appear each week throughout the season.

In the 2008 New Hampshire high school football season every team received at least one game against an opponent not in its own division, whether that division be higher or lower. Most, if not all of these matchups, are intriguing, and none more so than Friday night's game between the Souhegan Sabers and the Laconia Sachems in Laconia.

Both teams have started quick out of the gates, muscling through the first two games of the season without many struggles. Each will enter Friday's game undefeated. However, one team will go home from Friday's game with that familiar empty feeling that comes naturally from the impact of losing, especially with expectations from two teams as solid as these two.

The most interesting thing about this out-of-division matchup is this is not the first meeting between Souhegan and Laconia. These teams were formerly in the same division before division shifts after the 2003 season moved Laconia to Division IV. While in Division III, Souhegan and Laconia played fierce rivalries, some matching the intensity and passion displayed on a regular basis between Souhegan and Plymouth. The once-impressive rivalry reached a climax during the 2002 playoffs between these two teams, in which Souhegan won decisively but had some controversy between the two head coaches. This only caused to fuel the fire for this revisited rivalry.  

When Friday night rolls around, the lights in Laconia are turned on and the fans file in, the rivalry will be renewed.  Though there are no playoff implications coming from this game, the atmosphere during this week of practice felt like we were preparing for the state championship in September, and the atmosphere on the game field will match that. With fresh players on both teams and fresh mindsets, every player involved will have their very own chance to write a chapter in this historic and once-forgotten rivalry.     

College: McDonnell has Saratoga roots >> Albany Times Union

College: UNH poised for fast start >> Portsmouth Herald

College: The evolution of a running back >> Concord Monitor

College: UNH vs. Albany game notes >> UNH athletics

College: PSU preparing for Coast Guard >> Plymouth State athletics

Editor's Note: Officially Speaking with Steve Hall is a feature that allows readers to ask questions about high school football rules, and runs weekly throughout the season. Hall has been a New Hampshire high school official since 1989 and has officiated nearly 300 NHIAA regular-season varsity games. He has also officiated more than 25 playoff games, and worked his 11th championship game last year (Pinkerton at Nashua South). Hall, who is a member of the New Hampshire Football Officials' Association Board of Directors, has been the NHFOA rules interpreter since 2001, and is also the New Hampshire representative on the National Federation of High Schools rules committee. Questions can be submitted to rbrown@nhfootballreport.com.

Question: A ruling in an NFL game Sunday prompted me to write this question: What is called if the whistle blows before the play has ended? This may be a far-fetched example, but let's assume the quarterback fakes the ball to the fullback and then the quarterback runs it into the end zone. While the quarterback was running, an official blew his whistle because he thought the fullback (who had been tackled) had the ball. Play is dead?

 Craig Hersom, Rochester

Answer: This question seeks an explanation of the dreaded inadvertent-whistle rule. I saw the game you are referring to (San Diego at Denver) and I feel sorry for the referee, Ed Hochuli, who is being unfairly pilloried by the press. Fortunately, inadvertent whistles are relatively rare, but since officials are human and make mistakes like everyone else, there is rules coverage describing what to do if they occur. As is the case with many rules, the National Federation inadvertent whistle rule differs from the rule in the NFL.

Under Federation rules, if an inadvertent whistle sounds while the ball is in flight during a legal forward pass or legal kick, the down is replayed. If an inadvertent whistle sounds while the ball is in possession of a player, the team may choose to accept the play at that spot or replay the down. If an inadvertent whistle sounds while the ball is loose following a fumble, backward pass, illegal forward pass or illegal kick, the team last in possession may accept the results of the play at the spot where possession was lost or replay the down. The only caveat to the above is that if a foul occurs prior to the inadvertent whistle, penalty enforcement always takes precedence over the inadvertent whistle. If the penalty for the foul is declined, then the inadvertent whistle rule is applied and the
team in possession is given its appropriate options.

University of New Hampshire quarterback R.J. Toman won this week's Boston Globe Gold Helmet Award, which is presented weekly to the top college football player in New England.

Toman, a sophomore, threw a career-high five touchdown passes in UNH's 51-43 victory at Rhode Island last Saturday. Ricky Santos holds the school record for TD passes in one game with six.

Toman completed 29 of 40 passes for 309 yards against URI. He connected on touchdown passes of 8, 20, 4, 39 and 20 yards in the contest. Toman ranks 12th in the Football Championship Subdivision in total offense with an average of 236.0 yards per game

The 10th-ranked Wildcats return to action on Saturday, when they entertain Albany in UNH's home-opener at Cowell Stadium. The opening kickoff is set for noon. 

College: Dartmouth expectations run high >> Manchester Union Leader

College: CAA loaded with offensive firepower >> The Daily Collegian

College: Shifting sands for Ivy League >> The Sports Network

College: UNH's Sou