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: Souhegan beat Portsmouth, 28-14, in the championship game.

Top Story Line: Can anyone knock off Souhegan? The Sabers enter the season with a 13-game winning streak and have many key players returning from a team that went unbeaten last season. 

Player to Watch: Souhegan running back/linebacker Steve Jellison may be the best all-around player in the state. He rushed for 1,355 yards and scored 28 touchdowns last fall. Dartmouth, Harvard and the University of New Hampshire are among the colleges that have shown interest.

Game to Watch: Portsmouth at Con-Val (Sept. 18). This matchup could determine which team earns the No. 2 seed for the playoffs.

Noteworthy: Souhegan is the clear favorite in this division. In addition to Jellison, the Sabers return quarterback D.J. Petropulos and linebacker Stephen Daigneau. Petropulos threw for 1,667 yards and 18 touchdowns last season. The Sabres spent the offseason participating in every 7-on-7 tournament they could find, including stops at St. Anselm College, Middlebury College and the University of New Hampshire. ... Souhegan coach Mike Beliveau said he expects his stiffest challenge to come from Con-Val and Portsmouth. "Portsmouth has good skill kids," he said. "Con-Val is really big with backs who run hard. Plus, we don't like seeing option teams." ... Portsmouth will be back in the spread offense. Expect senior Nate Jones, who has accepted a baseball scholarship from Wake Forest, to play both quarterback and split end. Mike Montville, who will play Division I baseball at Maryland, will also line up as a receiver. "Having those kids out there certainly helps," Portsmouth coach Bill Murphy said. "We have depth at the skill positions, so we have some options with what we can do." ... Con-Val's roster includes 22 seniors. The Cougars may have the best defensive player in the division in senior noseguard Barry Powers. ... Milford won't start the season with much experience on offense, but the Spartans started seven sophomores on defense last season. ... Expect Hollis-Brookline to make a strong run at a playoff berth this season. 

Coming Wednesday: Division II preview.

                                                                                                               -- Roger Brown