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 Souza plays hybrid spot >> Concord Monitor

College: Wildcats have plenty to fix >> Foster's Daily Democrat

College: 'Cats brace for Albany >> Manchester Union Leader

High School: High school football review >> Nashua Telegraph

Five topics on the New Hampshire football landscape:

1. Chuck Lenahan's 300th victory

Congratulations go out to the longtime Plymouth head coach, who collected career victory No. 300 when Plymouth beat Kingswood 41-7 Saturday. The win extended Plymouth's winning streak to 35 games and improved Lenahan's record to 300-63-1.

Lenahan, 65, has won 16 state titles at Plymouth, including nine of the last 11 Division III championships. He began coaching at Plymouth in 1971, when his first team finished 0-6-1.

Plymouth set the state record for consecutive victories when Lenahan guided the Bobcats to 46 consecutive wins from 2000 to 2004.

2. Mike Boyle

While doing some research on Lenahan, this item of interest was discovered in the National Federation of High Schools record book: Mike Boyle, a former standout at Plymouth Regional who is now in his senior season with the University of New Hampshire football team, holds the national record for punts returned for a touchdown (15). Boyle is second nationally in punts returned for a touchdown in a season (he returned six in 2003).

3. That other coach

Strange as it may sound, Lenahan is No. 2 in career victories among active New Hampshire head coaches.

St. Thomas coach Rod Wotton will enter Saturday's game against Kearsarge with a 325-69-3 career record. Wotton won most of those games while he was coaching at Marshwood High School in Eliot, Maine. He guided Marshwood to a 220-33-1 record and 17 state championships from 1966 to 1992. In 1987 Marshwood owned the longest winning streak in the nation (45 games).

Wotton's teams won at least one state title in each of Maine's four classes (A, B, C. D). Marshwood was in Class D, the division for schools with the lowest enrollment, when Wotton began his coaching career. The Hawks kept winning and moving up the classification ladder. In 1989 a Class A team petitioned to play in a lower division. To help solve the scheduling problems that created, Marshwood offered to play a Class A schedule that season. The Hawks went unbeaten and won the state title.

It'll be no surprise if Wotton guides the Saints to another state championship this season.

4. Timberlane's Derek Furey

Overshadowed by Lenahan's milestone victory was the performance turned in by Timberlane running back Derek Furey on Friday night.

Furey gained 340 yards on 40 carries in Timberlane's 34-13 triumph. He rushed for four TDs.

5. Big-game hunting

The most appetizing game on this weekend's menu? Friday night's non-league game between Souhegan and Laconia in Laconia. Souhegan (2-0) is the favorite to win this year's Division III title, and Laconia (2-0) may be the only team that can derail Plymouth in Division IV. 

High School: Cougars abide by season-long motto >> Keene Sentinel

High School: Lenahan reaches milestone >> Laconia Citizen

College: UNH wins "wild ride" >> Manchester Union Leader

College: CAA football recap >> Colonial Athletic Association

High School: Not just another Saturday for Lenahan >> Manchester Union Leader

High School: Cougars grind it out >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: Focused Cards rout Merrimack >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: Trick play sets tone for Milford >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: Tough home opener for Sanborn >> Lawrence Eagle-Tribune

High School: Kroll gets Spartans running >> Concord Monitor

High School: Laconia stumbles, but wins >> Laconia Citizen

College: UNH beats Rhode Island >> Portsmouth Herald

College: UNH improves to 2-0 >> UNH athletics

College: PSU stumbles at Mt. Ida >> PSU athletics

College: Confident Wildcats try to stay focused >> Nashua Telegraph

College: UNH starts league play today >> Manchester Union Leader

High School: North runs down West >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: Sabers runs away from Cavs >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: Nashua South powers past Concord >> Manchester Union Leader

High School: Lancers beat Salem >> Manchester Union Leader

High School: Owls' Furey runs wild >> Lawrence Eagle-Tribune

High School: Portsmouth improves to 2-0 >> Portsmouth Herald

High School: Blue Hawks soar past Red Raiders >> Portsmouth Herald

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.

Defense. It is often quoted that defense wins games. Defense wins championships. Not only is this a famous quote, but it is indeed a fact for the Souhegan Sabers in Division III this year.

Souhegan has long been known for offense, whether it be the running of Fletcher Ladd and Sean Jellison among others, or the spread formation of late, the offense has garnered most of the news clippings and attention. However, year after year the offense has been given good field position and a safety net to fall back on coming from the other side of the ball, the defense.

This year's defense is a great example of team defense, with no one star emerging and single-handedly shutting down offenses. Every defender plays his role as he was coached up, and the result is team D to its finest. This year's linemen include run stuffers Colin Cray, Sean Cultrera and Jameson Luks, with the linebackers headed by senior Ian Ginnard and junior Steven Jellison. The defensive backfield is held up by corners Nick Chacos and Matt Eusebio. These players, along with solid defensive signal calling from defensive coordinator Brandon Weinert, combine to form one imposing defense, with not a weak spot to be seen.

The "team defense" philosophy blended together perfectly with outstanding individual plays to hold Goffstown High School to 13 total yards in Week 1. Every player knew his clearly defined role and went out an executed to the best of his ability, and the excellent results soon followed.

On the outside looking in, most people would see this as a dominating defensive performance, a lock down. However, taking a closer look on film, there are still areas to improve upon -- areas to make the defense that much closer to perfection. Keeping the defense grounded and never getting ahead of itself is an overwhelmingly important key to success. Our coaching staff is always quick to point this out and quick to make adjustments.

After defensive play like we had in Week 1, many teams and players would tend to kick back, to relax. However, after dissecting film the next day with the coaches, the atmosphere in the film room was that we had been on the short end of the scoreboard. That's the mentality one must carry into the next game. No matter how well the defense plays there is always room to strive for perfection, and in the 2008 season the Souhegan Sabers will strive for perfection with the stifling defense clearing a path.

College: PSU looks to build on first win >> Laconia Citizen

College: UNH/URI capsule preview >> Concord Monitor

College: Wildcats open CAA slate >> Foster's Daily Democrat

College: UNH embraces change on defense >> Portsmouth Herald

College: Mailloux comes through >> Manchester Union Leader

High School: 300 ways to win >> Manchester Union Leader

High School: Hit 'n' Run >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: Spotlight on BG's Kell >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: Sachems visit MV >> Laconia Citizen

WSNI-FM in Swanzey (SUNNY 97.7) will broadcast two high school football games this weekend: Monadnock at Lebanon on Friday night (6:45 p.m pregame), and Winnacunnet at Keene on Saturday (1:15 p.m. pregame).

Veteran broadcaster Bob Lund will handle the play by play.

Roger Brown
nhfootballreport.com

One leftover thought from last weekend:

Give Exeter all the credit for digging deep in the fourth quarter Saturday afternoon, when it overcame a 13-point deficit to beat Nashua South 21-20, but perhaps no team looked better in defeat last weekend than the Panthers.

South made its share of first-game mistakes (to be expected), but it started a sophomore quarterback (Keith Farkas), played without several key players -- cramps limited running back David Zocco to one play in the second half -- and held Exeter's trademark running game to 4.18 yards per carry. That's a respectable number when you're playing the Blue Hawks.

"We lost because we made a lot of mental errors and you can't do that against a good team," Nashua South coach Scott Knight said. "They exploited all our mistakes, We even missed an extra point.

"We scrimmage these guys every year. We know they're good. They have more kids in their program than we do.

"We're very young and we're going to get better. No question."

Exeter's victory will do nothing to quiet those who believe all Class L schools should compete for one championship in football. Bishop Guertin, Dover and Alvirne are the other Division II/Class L schools that posted a victory over a Division I opponent during the season's opening weekend.

"We know that BG and Exeter are quality opponents," Knight said. "Years ago Dover was always a great Division I team. They're a good team. I'm not sure about all of those schools, but you know their top-tier teams can definitely hang with all of us."

THE PICKS ...

College: Solid effort for Granite Staters >> Concord Monitor

College: UNH vs. Rhode Island game notes >> UNH athletics

College: Plymouth State to visit Mount Ida >> 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 can be submitted to rbrown@nhfootballreport.com.

Question: Mr. Hall. Thanks for clarifying things for me last week. I have a follow-up question regarding kicks that enter the end zone. It's my understanding that if a kickoff is muffed by the receiving team outside the end zone, but the ball then travels into the end zone, it's a touchback. Correct? Is there any way the kicking team can recover the ball in the end zone for a touchdown? I'm assuming this would be the case if the receiving team fumbled the ball into the end zone.

-- Peter Siers, Rutland, Vt.

Answer: You are correct. A muffed kick entering the receiving team's end zone is a touchback. You clearly have a good understanding of the definitions and rules.  For those readers who need some explanation, a muff is the touching of a loose ball by a player in an unsuccessful attempt to secure possession.  A kick doesn't end until a player secures possession of the ball, so if a kick is muffed then travels into the end zone, it's a touchback. The only way the kicking team can recover the ball in the end zone is if the receiving team fumbled the ball or threw a backward pass after a receiving team player had secured possession in the field of play. Once possession is secured, the kick ends.  If the receiving team then fumbled the ball or threw a backward pass and the ball travelled into the end zone, the ball would remain live and the kicking team could recover in the end zone and score a touchdown.
 

High School: Nashua South feels ready >> Nashua Telegraph

College: LaSalle's Sicko helps UNH win >> Albany Times-Union

CFL: Ball to sign with Alouettes >> Rutland Herald

CFL: Ball bound for Montreal >> Burlington Free Press

College: Dartmouth could surprise Ivy foes >> Columbia Spector

Roger Brown
nhfootballreport.com

A defensive touchdown and another on special teams propelled the University of New Hampshire to a 28-10 upset at Army on Saturday. It was UNH's fourth victory over a Football Bowl Subdivision (I-AA) team in the last five years. UNH beat Rutgers in 2004, Northwestern in 2006 and Marshall in 2007.

UNH's last loss against a FBS team came in 2003, when it dropped a 40-33 decision to Central Michigan.

"One thing I was pretty pleased with is how hard we played." UNH coach Sean McDonnell. "I thought the guys went up there, and, like every team at our level does, tried to prove that they can play against I-A players."

UNH received a 23-yard touchdown run from Chad Kackert and a 5-yard TD run from Plymouth's Mike Boyle. Former Souhegan running back Sean Jellison gained a game-high 84 yards on 10 carries.

UNH had a 184-169 edge in rushing yardage. 

"We ran the ball pretty effectively," McDonnell said. "I thought all three running backs did a nice job for us. I thought Kackert, (Robert) Simpson and Jellison gave us something different, and I thought our offensive line handled the situation pretty well."

UNH's other TDs came on an 87-yard kickoff return by John Clements, and Hugo Souza's 22-yard fumble return.

The Wildcats led 14-10 at halftime and 28-10 after three quarters.

RAM TOUGH

UNH's next game will be Saturday against the University of Rhode Island. The game, which will be played at URI's Meade Stadium, can be seen on CN8 (noon).

URI opened the season with a 27-24 victory over Monmouth, but was held to 174 yards of total offense in last weekend's 16-0 loss at Fordham. URI senior quarterback Derek Cassidy attempted a career-high 41 passes (25 completions) in that game, which was moved from Saturday to Sunday because of Tropical Storm Hanna.

"I watched both games, and this team is a much-improved football team." McDonnell said. "I think it all starts with Derek Cassidy. He's very, very good."

URI coach Darren Rizzi said his team took a step backward offensively against Fordham.

"We just didn't execute," Rizzi said. "They gave us some things we didn't take advantage of. We dropped three balls in critical situations that really, really hurt us. I thought we executed a lot better in game one than we did in game two."

WORD PLAY

RIZZI: "We have a great team in New Hampshire this week and we have one less day to prepare. We have a young team and quite frankly we could use every last minute we can (get) to prepare. If you let it (the short week) can affect you. It's certainly a different schedule for the coaches and the players. It's something we haven't been through, so that's always a concern."                                                               

NOTEWORTHY

UNH has an 8-2 record in season-opening games under McDonnell. ... Saturday's game was the first time Army has loss to a FCS team since 2002. ... UNH quarterback R.J. Toman completed 12 of 17 pass attempts for 138 yards against Army, He was interceped once. ... Boyle led the UNH receivers with four catches for 57 yards. ... Rizzi, a URI graduate and a former assistant coach at Rutgers, is in his first season as URI's head coach. ... Rizzi said he recuited both Clements and UNH defensive back Terrence Klein while he was at Rutgers. ... URI has not turned the ball over in either of its first two games.

Senior tailback Jeff Mack and sophomore defensive end Matt MacLean were Plymouth State University's representatives on this week's New England Football Conference honor roll. Both made significant contributions in PSU's 36-28 season-opening victory over Saint Anselm College last Saturday at Currier Field.

Mack, who played at Milford High School, carried the ball 27 times for 204 yards and two touchdowns in the victory. He finished the game 3 yards short of his career high. Mack scored on a 38-yard run on PSU's third offensive play, and added a 3-yard TD run with 30 seconds left in the third quarter.

MacLean made the most of his first career start, finishing with a team-high nine tackles. He made six unassisted stops, including a fourth-quarter sack for a loss of 8 yards with Saint Anselm driving in PSU territory. MacLean made eight tackles and recorded one-half sack in nine games as a freshman last season.

The Panthers, who have won eight straight road games and 12 of their last 13 overall, hit the road for their next two contests.  PSU visits Mount Ida College on Saturday (1 p.m.) for a non-conference contest, and travels to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in two weeks for an NEFC crossover game.

Roger Brown
nhfootballreport.com

University of New Hampshire linebacker Hugo Souza was named the Colonial Athletic Association's Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts in UNH's 28-10 triumph at Army on Saturday.

Souza, a sophomore strong safety, made a team-high 10 tackles, eight of which were unassisted. He made two tackles behind the line of scrimmage, one of which was a sack that resulted in a 5-yard loss. Souza sealed the win when he scooped up a fumble and returned it 22 yards for a touchdown that helped the Wildcats build a 28-10 lead late in the third quarter.

"Hugo is a pretty productive kid," UNH coach Sean McDonnell said. "I thought defensively we ran to the ball very well."

UNH's John Clements, a senior defensive back, was named the CAA Special Teams Player of the Week. Clements returned a kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown for UNH's first score against Army.

"The kickoff was huge," McDonnell said. "They had just scored to go up 7-0. We needed some type of spark."

 It was the fourth time in five seasons that UNH has defeated a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent. The victory moved UNH from 15th to 10th in The Sports Network's Top 25 poll.

College: UNH defense didn't rest >> Portsmouth Herald

College: Army win started on the line >> Manchester Union Leader

High School: BG coach lauds players' commitment >> Manchester Union Leader

College: UNH defense didn't rest >> Portsmouth Herald

College: Army win started on the line >> Manchester Union Leader

High School: BG coach lauds players' commitment >> Manchester Union Leader

Five topics on the New Hampshire football landscape:

1. Portsmouth High School

The feeling here in preseason was that Portsmouth was going to be much better than most people expected this season, and Friday night's 35-6 victory over a rebuilding John Stark team did nothing but reinforce that opinion. This Portsmouth team appears to be more balanced on offense than any in recent memory (the 2006 team that reached the Division III championship game relied heavily on tailback Rod Walker). Starting quarterback Mike Fransoso, who was third on the depth chart last fall, completed nine passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns before being removed early in the third quarter. Fransoso will attend the University of Maine on a baseball scholarship.

2. UNH

It appears the Wildcats are going to survive the loss of Ricky Santos.

3. Division II's opening statement

Division II teams were 4-5 against Division I competition last weekend, but won both heavyweight battles as Exeter beat Nashua South 21-20, and Bishop Guertin topped Pinkerton Academy 10-3. Division II's other victories came from Dover, which blanked Manchester West 29-0,; and Alvirne, which beat Manchester Memorial 22-14.

It would be nice to see Division I and Division II teams grouped in one league (Division I A and B). The Division I state champion should be the state's best team, and that's not always the case under the current setup.

If you visit New Hampshire Football Report on a regular basis you probably know we'd also advocate combining Division III with Division IV, and grouping Division V with Division VI. Three divisions are plenty.

4. The empty feeling in Division VI

Division VI teams opened the season 0-9 and scored a total of 56 points in those nine contests, all of which came against Division V opponents. Mascoma, which dropped a 32-20 decision to Epping-Newmarket, was the only Division VI team that scored more than one touchdown. Two of Mascoma's three touchdowns were set up by Epping-Newmarket fumbles.

5. Strange scores

The most suprising results last weekend? Kearsarge 46, Gilford 0; and Souhegan 41, Goffstown 0. No surprise that Kearsarger and Souhegan prevailed, but the margin of victory in each contest probably raised some eyebrows.

High School: Exeter keeps Zocco, South in check >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: Pelham cruises to victory over Campbell >> Lawrence Eagle Tribune

College: Plymouth holds off St. Anselm >> Laconia Citizen

College: 'Cats march past Army >> Foster's Daily Democrat

College: For Hawks, hope emerges from loss >> Manchester Union Leader

College: UNH grounds Army >> Manchester Union Leader

College: Dartmouth's Jenny is living boyhood dream >> The Boston Globe

College: UNH matches Army's fight >> Portsmouth Herald

College: UNH routs Army in opener >> Portsmouth Herald

College: Mack leads Plymouth State >> Plymouth State athletics

College: UNH tops Army >> Associated Press

College: Hawks drop high-scoring affair >> St. Anselm athletics

College: Panthers set to open against St. Anselm >> Laconia Citizen

College: UNH must conquer Army, elements in opener >> Portsmouth Herald

High School: Titans storm out of the gate >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: Portsmouth cruises to 35-6 win in opener >> Portsmouth Herald

College: UNH-Army more than a football game >> Foster's Daily Democrat

High School: Guertin cashes in for win >> Nashua Telegraph

High School: Big opener for Sachems >> Laconia Citizen

High School: Tide enjoys fresh start >> Concord Monitor

High School: Plenty of openings in opener >> Concord Monitor

High School: Lancers too sharp for Warriors >> Portsmouth Herald

High School: Dover opens with a bang >> Foster's Daily Democrat

High School: Somersworth ambushes Farmington >> Foster's Daily Democrat

High School: Milford Christens field in style >> Nashua Telegraph

WGAM-AM 1250 (Manchester) and WGHM-AM 900 (Nashua) will have a "Kickoff Edition" of Friday Night Lights tonight from 6-7:25 p.m. There will also be a one-hour show devoted to high school football following tonight's Red Sox game.

Those stations will also broadcast New Hampshire High School Football Saturday on Saturday from 8-10 a.m. Fans can also listen to the Friday and Saturday shows online.

In addition, WSNI-FM in Swanzey (SUNNY 97.7)  will carry Saturday's Keene-Salem game, which has been moved to an 11 a.m. start. The coverage will begin with a pregame show at 10:45 a.m. SUNNY 97.7 will also carry tonight's Plymouth-Monadnock game starting with a 6:45 pregame show.

College: UNH defense will be tested on Army trip >> Nashua Telegraph

College: Army out to break 7-game slide >> Staten Island Advance

College: 'Cats hungry for more >> Manchester Union Leader

High School: Crossovers get a game-changing twist >> Manchester Union Leader

College: Wildcats embrace challenge at Army >> Foster's Daily Democrat

High School: Astros to prove they are kings of the gridiron >> Lawrence Eagle Tribune

College: Cornwall grad will make debut vs. Army >> Times Herald-Record

College: UNH torch has been passed >> The Boston Globe

High School: Mules hope to make impact with Blue Devils >> Foster's Daily Democrat

High School: Tigers aim to turn corner >> Foster's Daily Democrat

High School: Saints feel change is good >> Foster's Daily Democrat

High School: Hilltoppers up to challenge >> Foster's Daily Democrat

High School: Knights looking to turn it around >> Foster's Daily Democrat

Roger Brown

nhfootballreport.com

We enter a new season with a large number of intriguing questions. Among them: How will Division II teams fare against Division I competition this fall?

Division I and Division II teams will battle in nine non-league games this weekend. The menu features Concord at Spaulding, Londonderry at Winnacunnet, Manchester Central at Timberlane, Manchester Memorial at Alvirne, Manchester West at Dover, Nashua North at Merrimack, Nashua South at Exeter, Pinkerton at Bishop Guertin and Salem at Keene.

Note: The Exeter-Nashua South game has been moved from Friday night to Saturday (12:30 p.m.).

Later this season Alvirne will play at Manchester Central (Sept. 12), Merrimack will travel to Manchester Memorial (Sept. 26), Timberlane will play at Salem (Oct. 11), Winnacunnet will play at Concord (Oct. 3) and Spaulding will play at Manchester West (Oct. 24).

The opening-weekend pairings were determined by where a team finished in the 2007 regular-season standings. The first-place team from Division I (Nashua South) was matched against the first-place team from Division II (Exeter), and so on down the ladder.

The Nashua South/Exeter and Pinkerton/BG games carry the most interest, because each of those four teams reached the championship game in their division last season. These games will give us some indication of how Exeter and BG would do if they competed in Division I.

The guess here is that Division I teams will end up with an edge, but it won't be a sizable one.

The Picks ...

Because of the EEE virus threat, the Exeter-Nashua South football game has been moved from Friday night to Saturday at 12:30 p.m. The game will be played at Exeter's Eustis Field.

This is a non-league contest that will not count in the Division I or Division II standings. Nashua South (Division I) and Exeter (Division II) both finished at the top of their respective divisions last season. Exeter beat Bishop Guertin in the Division II championship game, and Nashua South lost to Pinkerton Academy in the Division I title game.

-- Roger Brown

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.

As another year of Souhegan High School football in New Hampshire approaches, it appears to be another normal season filled with highs, lows, defeats and triumphs for the Sabers as every team encounters. However, as the games get underway, a valuable piece of Souhegan history will be missing from the 2008 season.

Since Souhegan joined Division III football years ago, it annually battled Plymouth Regional High School. However, this year Plymouth dropped down to Division IV, leaving an empty slot on Souhegan's schedule. Each year, no matter whether the score was a blowout or a tight contest, the rivalry embodied everything one could expect from a great rivalry as blood, sweat, and tears poured out of each and every body that stepped on the playing field that night. Even if they played only one play, that player left the contest with the understanding of what a rivalry was meant to be, and how it was meant to be played, with pride for yourself and your teammates and respect for your opponent. You honored everything the Souhegan-Plymouth rivalry meant to each town, and every player tried their hardest to carry on the tradition each year.

Though in recent memory Souhegan has not had the best track record against Plymouth, every game feels like a battle till the last seconds tick off the scoreboard, and the buzz of the stadium lights are no longer heard. Even with such losses as a devastating one to Plymouth in the state finals last year, or the 11-9 last-second free-kick defeat, the game is always boiling with competitive blood. Even as I stared blankly at the scoreboard following that close defeat, seeing my teammates laying face down on the field in disbelief of what had happened, I still appreciated that I had been a part in one of the greatest chapters of the Souhegan-Plymouth rivalry.

Souhegan has triumphed in the past though, with a stunning defeat of Plymouth in the 2004 regular season, paving the way for an eventual state championship that year. Every year this rivalry surpasses the previous in greatness, and every year the rivalry games are never alike, bringing something unique to the table each time, and in my opinion there is nothing like it. There is nothing like the rush I get from stepping on to the "Land of Lenahan" field, knowing each time I did it brought about the hope of victory against the toughest of opponents. I do not know if I will ever experience another rivalry like Souhegan-Plymouth, but I hope last year's state championship game is not the last chapter in this storied rivalry. 

College: PSU enjoying glory days >> Manchester Union Leader

College: Key matchups -- Army vs. UNH >> Scout.com

College: 'Cats hope to continue IA prowess >> Concord Monitor

College: UNH capsule preview >> Foster's Daily Democrat

College: CAA will again be tough nut to crack >> Foster's Daily Democrat

College: UNH's Toman ready to escape Santos' shadow >> Portsmouth Herald

College: Scouting UNH's opponents >> Portsmouth Herald

High School: Pinkerton aims for four-peat >> Derry News

High School: Young Eagles building on last year's run >> Laconia Citizen

High School: Newfound eager to take next step >> Laconia Citizen

High School: Tigers looking to turn the Tide >> Foster's Daily Democrat

High School: Golden Tornadoes seek return to postseason >> Laconia Citizen

High School: Newfound eager to take next step >> Laconia Citizen

High School: Building process resumes at Winnisquam >> Laconia Citizen

High School: Inter-Lakes set to kick off first varsity season >> Laconia Citizen

College: Boyle primed for big finish >> Laconia Citizen

High School: Red Raiders' fortunes rest with seniors >> Foster's Daily Democrat

High School: Dover can't hide, but it can run >> Foster's Daily Democrat

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

NHIAA DIVISION V PREVIEW

The League: Epping-Newmarket (736 enrollment), St. Thomas (721), Pelham (700), Bow (669), Stevens (667), Kearsarge (665), Somersworth (605), Trinity (470) and Bishop Brady (443).

Defending Champion: Pelham beat Gilford, 21-7, in last year's Division V championship game.

Top Story Line: Who's No. 1? This appears to be a balanced league that has at least four teams capable of winning the state title.

Player to Watch: Senior halfback Bruce Vieira rushed for 1,289 yards and led Pelham to the Division V championship last season. He'll be the most dangerous offensive player in the division.

Game to Watch: It's tough to pick just one, but we'll go with Pelham at St. Thomas (Oct. 25). Both teams figure to contend for the top spot in the division. This contest will definitely have playoff implications, and the outcome could determine the No. 1 seed for the playoffs.

Noteworthy: Pelham returns seven All-State players. but its attempt to repeat was made more difficult by offseason realignment. Kearsarge, Somersworth, St. Thomas, Stevens and Trinity are the new teams in the division. ... Epping-Newmarket formed a cooperative team in the offseason. The team has 22 players from Epping, and 13 from Newmarket. The Newmarket players include one senior and two juniors. ... St. Thomas will be as balanced on offense as any team in the league. St. Thomas coach Rod Wotton said quarterback Jack MacNevin's strength is his arm, and Zach Merrigan's return from a concussion last season will give the Saints a go-to player in the running game. ... After years of competing in Division I and Division II, Trinity elected to play an independent schedule last season. The Pioneers have nearly 60 players on their roster this year. ... Trinity and Bishop Brady were both placed in Division VI, but petitioned to play in Division V. ... Gilford, Newport, Campbell, Franklin, Winnisquam, Newfound and Farmington are teams that played in Division V last season, but are now competing in Division VI.

-- Roger Brown

NHIAA DIVISION IV PREVIEW

The League: Kingswood (947 enrollment), Kennett (945), Merrimack Valley (884), Laconia (822), Plymouth (817), Monadnock (787), Lebanon (761), Hanover (746) and Sanborn (743).

Defending Champion: Laconia beat Hanover, 35-14, in last year's Division IV championship game.

Top Story Line: Can anyone derail Plymouth? The Bobcats own a 33-game winning streak and won seven of the last eight Division III championships, but dropped to Division IV after the 2007 season.

Player to Watch: Laconia running back Christian Birt rushed for nearly 1,300 yards and scored 19 touchdowns last season, when the Sachems went 11-0 and won the Division IV title. Birt was a First Team All-State selection last season, and has drawn some Division I interest.

Game to Watch: Plymouth at Laconia (Oct. 10). Neither team lost a game last season, and if they didn't have to play each other it's unlikely either would lose this season. Both teams return plenty from last fall and are clearly the favorites in this division. This will likely be the first of two meetings between the schools this year.

Noteworthy: Birt helped Laconia score a school-record 394 points last season. ... Plymouth, Kennett, Kingswood and Merrimack Valley all competed in Division III last fall. ... Sanborn is a first-year varsity program. ... Plymouth could start 11 seniors on offense, including quarterback Rich Manzi, fullback Nick Barnes, halfback Tim Farina and wingback Cord Barnes. ... Ken Sciacca, who has served as the head coach at Trinity, Manchester Memorial and Salem, became Kennett's head coach in June. He replaced Drew Inzer, who spent two seasons as Kennett's head coach. Sciacca was an assistant on Inzer's staff last season. ... Kennett will dedicate its new field to former coach Gary Millen on Sept. 19. Millen, who guided Kennett to 19 playoff appearances and 11 championship games, passed away in 2006. ...Kearsarge and St. Thomas both made the Division IV playoffs last season, but each school dropped to Division V. 

-- Roger Brown

NHIAA DIVISION III PREVIEW

The League: Goffstown (1,289 enrollment), Bedford (1,172), Con-Val (1.087), Portsmouth (1,067), Pembroke Academy (1,045), Souhegan (970), Hollis-Brookline (952), John Stark (890) and Milford (872).

Defending Champion: Plymouth, which is now competing in Division IV, beat Souhegan 34-0 in the Division III championship game.

Top Story Line: Who will replace Plymouth and become the team to beat in this division? The Bobcats won seven of the last eight Division III championships and finished 11-0 in each of the last three seasons.

Player to Watch: Senior Jeff Agnew is in his third season as Milford's starting quarterback. He also anchors the team's secondary. Another player to keep an eye on is 250-pound junior running back/linebacker Steven Jellison (Sean's younger brother), who rushed for more than 900 yards and scored 12 touchdowns during an injury-plagued sophomore season.

Game to Watch: Milford at Souhegan (Oct. 10). It's tough to pick just one because of the offseason shakeup in this division, but this contest figures to have significant playoff implications for both teams.

Noteworthy: Kennett, Kingswood and Merrimack Valley also dropped from Division III to Division IV in the offseason. ... Portsmouth returned 17 starters, but it appears senior Mike Fransoso will open the season as the team's starting quarterback. Fransoso, who was No. 3 on the depth chart last season, played shortstop for the Portsmouth High baseball team that won last year's Class I title. He recently accepted a schlolarship to play baseball for the University of Maine. ... Goffstown, which nearly qualified for the Division II playoffs last season, Hollis-Brookline and Bedford are the new teams in the division this year. Hollis-Brookline was 1-8 in Division IV a year ago, and Bedford is entering its first season of varsity competition. ... Con-Val senior Justin Morgan will be among the top running backs in the division. Morgan rushed for more than 1,000 yards and scored 12 touchdowns last fall. ... John Stark's Bob Clarke is the only new coach in Division III. He replaced Bill Raycraft, who left to become the athletic director and football coach at Windham. ...  Other than Plymouth, Souhegan (2004) is the last team to win a Division III state championship.

-- Roger Brown

College: UNH punter kicks out nerves >> Portsmouth Herald

College: Wildcats plotting path to playoffs >> Nashua Telegraph

NHIAA DIVISION II PREVIEW

The League: Spaulding (1,768 enrollment), Keene (1,762), Dover (1,671), Exeter (1,654), Merrimack (1,593), Timberlane (1,590), Alvirne (1,518), Winnacunnet (1,324) and Bishop Guertin (885).

Defending Champion: Exeter beat BG, 14-13, in the Division II championship game.

Top Story Line: Will BG and Exeter meet in the Division II championship game for the fourth consecutive season? BG prevailed in 2005 and 2006, but Exeter won last season. On paper, those teams enter the season as the favorites again.

Player to Watch: Andrew Kukesh is in his second season as Exeter's starting quarterback. He completed 37 of 63 pass attempts for 615 yards and 10 touchdowns (one interception) last season. He also averaged 6.75 yards per rushing attempt on 56 carries. He is drawing interest from Ivy League schools.

Game to Watch: BG at Exeter (Nov. 7). Exeter has won three of the last four meetings between the schools. This year's game will be played on the regular season's final weekend and will likely determine the No. 1 seed for the playoffs. That means it will likely determine which team will be at home for the Division II championship game.

Noteworthy: If there's a sleeper team in Division II this season it could be Dover, which returns senior quarterback Matt Kimball and senior running back/defensive back Tyler Long. Kimball threw 13 TD passes last season. ... Goffstown, which nearly qualified for the playoffs as the No. 4 seed last season, has dropped to Division III. ... Merrimack's Joe Battista and Timberlane's Kevin Fitzgerald are the first-year coaches in the division. ... Sophomore Steve Cronan will take over for his brother, Ryan, as Winnacunnet's starting quarterback. Ryan is now playing at Marist College. ... Exeter's toughest tests may come in its non-league games. The Blue Hawks will open the season against Nashua South, the top seed for the 2007 Division I playoffs, and will also face Plymouth (Mass.) North. ... Winnacunnet's Brett Sanchez is among the top linebackers in the state. ... Tanner Luopa will be the starting quarterback for Keene. John Luopa, Tanner's father, is Keene's head coach. ... BG coach Tony Johnson will serve a one-game suspension when BG opens the season against Pinkerton Academy on Friday. Johnson was suspended for comments he made to the press following the loss to Exeter in last year's championship game. 

 -- Roger Brown 

College: Plymouth State to face St. Anselm >> PSU athletics

High School: Laconia, Plymouth to battle for top spot >> Laconia Citizen

High School: Same challenges ahead for talented 'Cats >> Laconia Citizen

College: Army offers a stern test >> Manchester Union Leader