The State of Football: Week 7
Roger Brown
nhfootballreport.com
Rivalry weekend between Massachusetts and New Hampshire has arrived.
In addition to the University of New Hampshire football program putting its No. 4 ranking on the line in Saturday's game at the University of Massachusetts, two of the best high school teams from each state will clash in non-league games over the weekend.
Things will kick off Friday night (7) at Stellos Stadium in Nashua, where Bishop Guertin will meet Catholic Memorial. BG, which has won four state championships in the last five years, is 6-0 overall (5-0 in Division II) and hasn't allowed more than seven points in a game this season.The Cardinals have outscored their opponents 259-25.
CM enters the contest with a 4-0 record. The Knights have beaten Lynn Classical (17-0), Haverhill (27-6), Hartford (Vt.) (42-12) and Longmeadow (35-33). CM is ranked No. 14 in the latest Boston Globe Top 20 poll.
This may be BG's toughest test of the season.
The other matchup features Brockton, which will travel to Derry for a Saturday (2 p.m.) contest against Pinkerton Academy. The Astros are 4-2 overall (3-1 in Division I). Pinkerton's losses came against BG (35-7) and unbeaten Salem (24-7).
Brockton, currently No. 2 in the Globe's Top 20, is 4-1. The Boxers have beaten BC High (27-3), Taunton (22-20), St. John's Prep (17-14) and Fitchburg (27-12). The team's only loss came against top-ranked Xavarian (14-7).
Quareterback Sam Previte and defensive back Albert Louis-Jean are among the Brockton players to keep an eye on. Louis-Jean is drawing interest from Division I schools and has already received a scholarship offer from Boston College.
The Picks ...
Manchester Central 35
Concord 6
Central usually follows a loss with a victory the following weekend.
Nashua South 42
Manchester West 14
South has to take care of business here to remain in the Division I playoff mix.
Londonderry 28
Manchester Memorial 14
Like Nashua South, Londonderry can't afford to lose this weekend.
Salem 21
Nashua North 20
An unbeaten falls.
Brockton 20
Pinkerton 14
BG and Salem each held Pinkerton to seven points. Not sure how well the Astros will be able to move the ball against a stingy Brockton defense.
Winnacunnet 20
Alvirne 14
If the Warriors get a victory this weekend, the playoffs become a very real possibility.
Dover 21
Merrimack 20
This week Dover goes for two and gets the win.
Keene 27
Spaulding 7
The Blackbirds should end their three-game losing streak Friday night.
Bishop Guertin 21
Catholic Memorial 20
BG remains unbeaten.
Exeter 20
Timberlane 13
Have a feeling the Blue Hawks are going to have their hands full Saturday.
Con-Val 20
Bedford 13
Con-Val will need to win this game and then win on the road against Souhegan or Goffstown to make the Division III playoffs.That game against Goffstown could be a big one.
Milford 26
Goffstown 20
Goffstown offense has produced 131 points in the last three games, but the Milford defense held mighty Souhegan to eight points last Friday.
Kennett 27
John Stark 13
Once again proving that Division IV is every bit as good as Division III.
Souhegan 36
Pembroke 14
Sabers start a new winning streak.
Portsmouth 36
Hollis-Brookline 13
A Portsmouth victory means the Clippers can finish no lower than second in the Division III standings.
Hanover 20
Monadnock 14
Sam Carney or no Sam Carney, Hanover has to find more offense.
Laconia 28
Kingswood 14
Next weekend's game between Laconia and Kennett looks like it will determine the No. 2 seed in Division IV.
Lebanon 35
Sanborn 6
Sanborn has been held to 26 points in six games.
Plymouth 30
Merrimack Valley 12
Here's a scary thought: The Plymouth defense seems to be getting better by the week.
Kearsarge 20
Bishop Brady 16
The Cougars need it more.
Trinity 38
Epping-Newmarket 6
This game features a team at the top of the Division V standings against a team at the bottom of the Division V standings.
Pelham 27
St. Thomas 14
These teams have won three state championships in the last three years.
Bow 28
Somersworth 12
Bow keeps pace with Trinity.
Newport 26
Stevens 20
Division V has a 4-2 record against Division VI opponents this season.
Campbell 38
Raymond 13
Campbell followed up an 0-3 start with three straight victories. That winning streak should grow Friday night.
Fall Mountain 40
Farmington 32
Score represents the number of points each team has scored this season.
Gilford 40
Mascoma 6
Gilford's schedule gets real tough after this weekend. Mascoma's first victory could come next Saturday against Farmington.
Franklin 14
Newfound 13
Three of Newfound's four victories came against winless Mascoma, winless Farmington and a one-win Fall Mountain team.
Winnisquam 13
Inter-Lakes 6
Teams could meet again in late November.
-----
Last week: 20-8
Record to date: 133-35
Roger Brown is a member of the Football Writers Association of America. His column, The State of Football, appears every Friday throughout the season.
