NHIAA DIVISION III PREVIEW

The League: Goffstown, Bedford, Portsmouth, Con-Val, Milford, Pembroke Academy, Hollis-Brookline, Souhegan, Pelham.

Defending Champion: Souhegan beat Portsmouth, 24-21, in the championship game.

Top Story Line: Can any team supplant Souhegan? The Sabers have been the dominant team in Division III the last three years and are seeking their fourth state title in as many seasons.

Player to Watch: Rob McCormick replaces Mike Luks as the triggerman at Souhegan, which has had one of the most explosive offenses in the state during the past three seasons. 

Game to Watch: Portsmouth at Souhegan (Sept. 9). These teams have met in each of the last three Division II title games. Both are expected to field strong teams again this fall, so the outcome of this contest could determine the site for this year's Division III championship game.

Noteworthy: Portsmouth and Souhegan have formed the upper tier in this division for the last three seasons, and that may be the case again this fall. ... Billy Hartmann, the shortstop on Portsmouth's baseball team, takes over as the Clippers' starting QB. He'll have plenty of offensive weapons surrounding him, inlcluding running backs Billy Lane and Matt Feeney. ... Souhegan returns two starters on offense and four on defense. Chris Chininis gives the Sabers a big-play threat at receiver and in the return game, and junior Jake Kennedy will anchor the offensive line. "The league has a lot of parity and that's what people want in this state," Souhegan coach Mike Beliveau said. "Defensively we're not big at all, but we run to the ball pretty good." ... Former St. Anselm assistant Justin Hufft has replaced Rob Cathcart as the head coach at Goffstown, which has scrapped the Straight-T in favor of a spread offense. Expect Goffstown junior Connor Benjamin to be one of the best quarterbacks in the division. ... Bedford returned 12 starters from a team that won five games last season. The Bulldogs have a talented offensive backfield that includes senior running back Jordan Garron and junior quarterback James Caparell. ... Hollis-Brookline and Milford were the other playoff teams last season, and could return to the postseason this year. The Spartans may be the biggest team in the division. Hollis-Brookline brings back 15 starters, including quarterback Kyle Gervais and running back Collin Pellerin. ... Pelham, which moved from Division V to Division III last year, will likely drop out of Division III following this season. ... Con-Val is coming off a one-win season last fall and will build around quarterback Jeremy Doubleday and 6-foot-4 receiver Jake Bacon. ... Brian Gridley has moved from offensive coordinator to head coach at Pembroke Academy, which is looking to improve on last year's 2-7 record. The Spartans have no seniors on their varsity roster.

Coming Thurssday: Division II preview.

                                                                                                               -- Roger Brown