The State of Football: Week 8
Roger Brown
nhfootballreport.com
Bishop Guertin a No. 3 seed? Can't happen, right?
Yes it can -- and it might. Here's how:
If Exeter beats BG on Nov. 7 it's possible that BG, Exeter and Timberlane will each finish with a 7-1 record in Division II. In that scenario, all three teams would also have the same record in the following tiebreakers: head-to-head competiton (1-1), record against Division II playoff teams (2-1), record in road games against Division II opponents (3-1) and record in home games against Division II opponents (4-0).
According to the NHIAA handbook, the three-way tie would be broken by each team's overall road record. Exeter would be 4-1, Timberlane would be 4-1 and BG would be 3-2 (losses to Billerica, Mass., and Exeter). Timberlane would win its two-way tiebreaker against Exeter (head-to-head result) and receive the No. 1 seed. Exeter would be seeded No. 2 ,and BG would be the No. 3 seed. The Cardinals would be on the road for the Division II semifinals.
The regular season may end with a three-way tie at the top of the Division V standings as well. That scenario will likely unfold if St. Thomas (5-0) defeats Pelham (6-0) on Saturday and then loses to Trinity (4-1) on Nov. 1. St. Thomas, Pelham and Trinity could all finish 7-1 in Division V games.
In that scenario, all three teams would have a 1-1 record in head-to-head competition (Pelham beat Trinity), and all three would be 2-1 against Division V playoff teams. This tie would be broken by each team's road record against Division V opponents.
St. Thomas would be 4-0 in road games against Division V competition. Pelham and Trinity would each be 4-1. St. Thomas would be awarded the top seed, Pelham would be seeded No. 2 and Trinity would be No. 3.
THE PICKS ...
Salem 14
Concord 6
The Blue Devils begin their late push for a Divison I playoff berth.
Londonderry 20
Nashua North 14
The Lancers would extinguish Salem's playoff hopes with a victory.
Manchester Central 38
Manchester Memorial 12
Central still has its sights set on a No. 1 seed.
Manchester West 7
Spaulding 6
West has scored 51 points this season. Spaulding has scored 41.
Nashua South 21
Pinkerton 20
Beating Pinkerton in Derry during the regular season doesn't mean you're also going to beat the Astros in the Division I championship game.
Merrimack 14
Alvirne 13
There will be no playoff berth for either of these teams, but both programs appear to be headed in a positive direction.
Bishop Guertin 21
Keene 14
The key question entering this game: Who plays quarterback for BG?
Exeter 21
Dover 14
It'll come down to Exeter's pass defense.
Timberlane 28
Winnacunnet 13
It had been a long time since any team held Exeter to seven points.
Hollis-Brookline 20
Bedford 6
Lots of good juniors on the Hollis-Brookine roster. The Cavaliers could be a team to keep an eye on next season.
Souhegan 28
Con-Val 14
Con-Val will get another shot at Souhegan in the Division III semifinals.
Goffstown 20
Pembroke 14
Team that likes to run beats a team that likes to pass.
Milford 28
John Stark 6
Milford won't get caught looking ahead to next weekend's game against Portsmouth.
Portsmouth 34
Kingswood 14
Portsmouth won't get caught looking ahead to next weekend's game against Milford.
Hanover 26
Sanborn 6
Hanover vs. Merrimack Valley is shaping up as a playoff game.
Laconia 14
Kennett 7
Kennett's shutout streak ends.
Plymouth 35
Lebanon 6
No NHIAA team has scored more points that Plymouth this season (262).
Merrimack Valley 20
Monadnock 7
Win or lose here, Merrimack Valley has to come up big next weekend.
Kearsarge 20
Bishop Brady 13
The winner of this game will likely join St. Thomas, Pelham and Trinity in the Division V playoffs.
Somersworth 13
Bow 7
Slight edge to the home team.
Trinity 28
Epping-Newmarket 6
The Pioneers can still earn themselves a home playoff game.
St. Thomas 21
Pelham 20
An unbeaten falls.
Campbell 21
Winnisquam 13
Will Campbell finish third and Winnisquam fourth, or will it be the other way around?
Fall Mountain 13
Farmington 6
How 'bout them Wildcats.
Franklin 34
Gilford 6
Will Franklin and Newport both be unbeaten entering their Nov. 8 contest?
Newport 34
Inter-Lakes 6
Newport keeps pace with Franklin.
Mascoma 12
Newfound 6
This one should be anybody's game entering the fourth quarter.
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Last week: 20-7
Record to date: 137-30
Roger Brown is a member of the Football Writers Association of America. His column, The State of Football, will appear each Friday throughout the season.
