The State of Football: Week 1
Roger Brown
nhfootballreport.com
The regular season has arrived. Although there are many more questions than answers at this time of year, here are two things guaranteed to happen during the 2010 season:
1)Exeter will run the ball more than it passes it.
2) The New Hampshire high school football community will realize how foolish the New Hampshire Index Plan is as it relates to football.
For those unaware, playoff teams will not be determined by a team's record within its division this season. Instead, points will be awarded for each victory. At the end of the season a team's point total will be divided by the number of games played (excluding non-league games). The four teams with the highest rating in each division will qualify for the playoffs.
That's the New Hampshire Index Plan.
Here's the problem: More points are awarded for a victory on the road (five) than for a victory at home (four). Simply put, it's more helpful to beat the worst team in your league on the road than it is to beat the best team at home.
"I don't like it," Salem coach Jack Gati said. "You kind of get penalized for winning at home. If you win a game you win a game. You could be playing a strong opponent at home, and someone else could be playing a weak opponent away and they get more points for winning."
Picture this scenario: Manchester Central and Pinkerton each finish the regular season with a 7-1 record. Pinkerton hands Central its only regular-season loss. Central earns the No. 1 seed for the playoffs.
That situation could unfold this year because Pinkerton is scheduled to play Central in Manchester. A similar situation could occur between two teams battling for fourth place. The teams could finish with identical records, but the team that lost the regular-season matchup could be the one that makes the playoffs.
The New Hampshire Index Plan may stir extra debate in Divisions IV, V and VI, where teams play a nine-game regular-season schedule and don't have an equal number of home games.
"I don't know why they changed it − what the reason was," Gati said. "We all played each other. I liked it the way it was."
At any rate, with the utmost confidence ... this week's selections:
Goffstown 21
Concord 13
There was a time when a Division III team wasn't allowed to play a team from Division I. That time was last year.
Exeter 21
Dover 7
The Blue Hawks better win some games before it gets cold. Here's the second half of Exeter's schedule: at Pinkerton, at Salem, Manchester Central, Nashua South at Nashua North.
Souhegan 21
Londonderry 20
Chalk up another win for Division III.
Manchester Central 27
Alvirne 7
Central is going to be better than a lot of people expect. Much better.
Memorial 14
Milford 13
Division III can't win them all.
Winnacunnet 28
Nashua North 27
Salem-BG will get the most attention, but this might be the best matchup on the Week 1 menu.
Nashua South 17
Portsmouth 14
South wins on a field goal in overtime.
Pinkerton 35
Timberlane 6
This is not last year's Pinkerton team.
Salem 21
Bishop Guertin 14
The mud will help Salem more than it will help BG. (Note: This game has been moved to Saturday at 2 p.m.).
Keene 21
Con-Val 20
This wouldn't be a bad Thanksgiving Day matchup.
Bedford 20
Manchester West 14
Imagine if these two schools fielded one team.
Merrimack 28
Hollis-Brookline 14
Exeter's departure from Division II should open up a playoff spot for Merrimack.
Spaulding 14
Pembroke Academy 13
Red Raiders win one for their new coach.
Hanover 20
Laconia 13
Have to go with the team that has the best player on the field. That player is Sam Carney.
John Stark 13
Kingswood 12
Generals win one for their new coach.
Lebanon 21
Kennett 12
Expect Lebanon to take a step forward in Division IV.
Trinity 28
Merrimack Valley 13
Have to admit that adding Trinity has made this division a lot more interesting.
Plymouth 14
Monadnock 13
Bobcats could get a scare this weekend.
Bishop Brady 36
Fall Mountain 12
Just so we're all clear, Brady is at home and will earn four points for a victory.
Somersworth 20
Bow 18
Tough call, so we'll go with the home team.
St. Thomas 26
Campbell 13
Looking for a bounce-back year from the Saints.
Kearsarge 19
Stevens 14
Plenty of experience in the Kearsarge offensive backfield.
Windham 14
Sanborn 8
Windham picks up its first victory right away.
Newport 30
Epping-Newmarket 16
Newport will play six of its next eight games at home.
Gilford 36
Farmington 6
Defense wins in Division VI, and Gilford can play defense.
Franklin 14
Mascoma Valley 12
Never underestimate the importance of a two-point conversion.
Inter-Lakes 20
Raymond 14
The Lakers won't sneak up on anyone this season.
Newfound 13
Winnisquam 6
This is clearly the most intriguing game in Division VI this weekend.
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Last year: 226-57
Roger Brown covers college and high school football in the Northeast for ESPN/Scouts Inc. His column, The State of Football, appears each Friday throughout the season.
