Roger Brown
nhfootballreport.com

The NHIAA football committee took the first step toward realigning the state's six divisions at a committee meeting in Concord on Wednesday, and it appears there will be significant movement at the top.

Based on enrollment, Manchester West will drop from Division I to Division II for the two-year cycle that will begin next season. Exeter, which has appeared in 11 of the last 13 Division II championship games, will replace West in Division I.

Exeter is 2-0 against Division I oppenents over the past two seasons. Exeter beat Nashua South in 2008, and beat Manchester Central this year. South went on to win the Division I state championship last year.

"There was considerable momentum to have (Bishop Guertin) move up to Division I, but (Exeter coach and athletic director) Bill Ball said he would play wherever his team is placed," one committee member said. "This is all before petitions, so it's still unclear if BG will follow Exeter to Division I. The feeling in the room was that BG would get upset if anyone tried to force their hand."

BG and Exeter have appeared in each of the last four Division II championship games. BG has won three of those four games.

BG is a Division III school by enrollment, but in past years has petitioned the NHIAA to compete in Division II. The Cardinals are also 2-0 against Division I competition over the last two seasons. BG beat Pinkerton in 2008 and 2009.

If it moved to Division I, BG, a private school located in Nashua, would get to play Nashua North and Nashua South each season. BG and Nashua used to play every Thanksgiving until Nashua built a second public high school. The Thanksgiving Day game in Nashua now features Nashua North and Nashua South every year.

Goffstown, which is currently a Division III program, would be placed in Division II by enrollment, but would drop back to Division III if BG petitions to play in Division I or Division II for the next two-year cycle.

The other major change could involve Pelham, which has won the last two Division V championships. Pelham's enrollment places the program in Division IV.

"The word is that Pelham may not like the travel involved in Division IV, so it may move up to Division III," the committee member said.

The NHIAA football committee will meet again Wednesday.