In the game of football, there is no bigger adversary than pressure. Pressure to succeed. Pressure to live up to expectations. Pressure to win when you are the favorite. This force can either drive a team on to victory or can be the downfall of a team unprepared to take the pressure. How a team handles and copes with it is a huge key to having a successful season and a championship run. 

There has been no team under more pressure than Souhegan High School of Amherst in their respective division this year, and Saturday the Sabers will again face pressure. Souhegan will face Portsmouth at home in the Division III championship game, and with this game the Sabers will put an undefeated season on the line. Souhegan has never gone undefeated since the school's opening in 1991, and they hope to alter that this time around. However the pressure and expectation to win a state championship will be Souhegan's primary focus, and this year's team looks to re-write Souhegan's championship past, having gone 1-6 in previous championship games. The Sabers have been in the big game seven out of the last 11 years. They will face a familiar opponent that will no doubt put the pressure on in Portsmouth, and stopping the Clippers is no easy task.

since midway through the year, Portsmouth has turned to its passing game to put points on the board, primarily from the spread offense, though mixing in the run to keep teams honest. With talented receivers and a quick-release quarterback, Portsmouth looks to hit quick routes and make sustained drives as it did against Souhegan in the regular season, making a comeback at the end that fell short, 28-21, in favor of Souhegan.

Portsmouth does have the ability to run. The Clippers possess two or three running backs who can either pound the ball or speed through the hole. They relied much more on this early on in the season, but can still run successfully when called upon. With a mobile quarterback under center, its run game can be tricky to figure out.

Souhegan, however, can also put up points in a hurry, having scored under 30 points in a game only twice this season. The main reason for Souhegan's success is maintaining balance in the offense, which is backed by a very strong defense. With a two-headed monster in the backfield and a dangerous quarterback and skill players on the edge, many teams struggle to cover all the bases when facing the Sabers, and this hole is found in the defense whether it be through the air or on the ground sooner or later.

Balance will be the key to the Sabers success Saturday, and all eyes around the state will be watching to see if Souhegan can once again fend off pressure and grasp the ever-elusive state championship.