The State of Football: Week 6
Former Colts coach Jim Mora would probably object, but we're entering Week 6 so it's time to start talking playoffs. Here's how things are shaping up in each division:
DIVISION I
Looks like they're in: Pinkerton, Exeter.
Still have work to do: Salem, Manchester Central, Nashua South.
Outlook: Looks like there are five teams battling for four playoff spots here. After Thursday night's Exeter-Pinkerton game it'll be four teams fighting for three spots, since the Exeter-Pinkerton winner will be in great shape.
DIVISION II
Looks like they're in: Bishop Guertin, Dover.
Still have work to do: Winnacunnet, Timberlane.
Outlook: Unless Keene can turn things around in a major way, these will be the four teams that receive postseason invitations.
DIVISION III
Looks like they're in: Hollis-Brookline, Goffstown, Portsmouth.
Still have work to do: Bedford, Milford, Souhegan.
Outlook: This race will likely go down to the final weekend. Still haven't thrown in the towel on Souhegan.
DIVISION IV
Looks like they're in: Trinity
Still have work to do: Plymouth, Laconia, Kennett, Monadnock.
Outlook: Still a lot to be determined in this division. Kennett is entering a three-week stretch that features games against Monadnock, Trinity and Laconia.
DIVISION V
Looks like they're in: St. Thomas
Still have work to do: Kearsarge, Somersworth, Windham, Bow, Campbell.
Outlook: St. Thomas is to Division V what Pinkerton is to Division I. It's anybody's guess who fills slots two through four.
DIVISION VI
Looks like they're in: Inter-Lakes, Epping-Newmarket, Franklin.
Still have work to do: Gilford, Newport.
Outlook: Lots of games remaining between playoff contenders. The final four weeks should be interesting.
At any rate, with the utmost confidence ... this week's selections:
Pinkerton 21
Exeter 7
If the Blue Hawks catch a few breaks they could make it interesting.
Nashua South 35
Nashua North 13
South is the best team in Nashua this season, and that includes a certain school that competes in Division II.
Manchester Memorial 28
Concord 14
Memorial's playoff run begins a week too late.
Manchester Central 35
Londonderry 6
Toss out that loss to Salem and Central has an impressive resume.
Salem 28
Timberlane 21
Non-league game in Week 6? Not good.
Keene 21
Merrimack 20
Considering what's happened to Keene the last two weeks, would you call a Merrimack victory a surprise?
Winnacunnet 28
Alvirne 7
It's usually feast or famine for the Winnacunnet offense.
Dover 21
Bishop Guertin 14
Stunned by BG's performance last Friday. Catholic Memorial isn't that good.
Spaulding 14
West 13
Both teams have taken steps forward this season.
Bedford 21
Milford 14
It only gets tougher for Bedford, which has to play Hollis-Brookline, Portsmouth and Souhegan after this.
Hollis-Brookine 35
Con-Val 7
Hollis-Brookline has been one of this season's best storylines.
Goffstown 28
Pelham 0
Contest against Portsmouth next week will be the first of three consecutive road games for the Grizzlies.
Souhegan 27
Pembroke 7
Souhegan is 0-4 in its last four outings, and hasn't scored a point in two weeks. Some of that frustration will go away this weekend.
Hanover 35
Kingswood 6
Marauders should be able to take advantage of a leaky Kingswood defense.
Trinity 35
John Stark 6
Most of the heavy lifting is over for the Pioneers.
Monadnock 14
Kennett 13
Best game on the Division IV menu.
Plymouth 21
Laconia 20
Scratch that. This is the best game on the Division IV menu.
Lebanon 20
Merrimack Valley 14
Lebanon makes it back-to-back victories.
Kearsarge 36
Bishop Brady 6
Kearsarge remains in the hunt for a home playoff game.
Campbell 21
Bow 13
Campbell picks up a much-needed victory.
Sanborn 21
Fall Mountain 6
Indians had no quarterbacks available for last weekend's game against St. Thomas. Things shouldn't be nearly as tough this weekend.
Somersworth 20
Windham 14
Best game on the Division V menu.
St. Thomas 35
Stevens 14
Saints are averaging more than 40 points per game.
Epping-Newmarket 20
Newport 13
Epping-Newmarket has never won more than four games in a season. A victory here would be No. 5.
Gilford 32
Farmington 6
Farmington has failed to score in three of its five games and won't be able to put up enough points to keep pace with Gilford.
Franklin 36
Mascoma 6
At least three teams appear capable of winning the Division VI championship, and Franklin is one of them.
Inter-Lakes 36
Raymond 0
Lakers are pretty singy. Opponents have scored 22 points in five games.
Winnisquam 20
Newfound 19
Game could be decided by a missed extra point, or a two-point conversion.
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Last week: 27-1
Record to date: 120-21
Roger Brown covers high school and college football in the Northeast for ESPN/Scouts Inc. His column, The State of Football, appears each Friday throughout the season.
