BY RYAN O'CONNOR The playoffs started a week early for the Manchester West and Salem high school football teams. The Blue Devils rolled into the contest on Friday, Nov. 2, with a four-game winning streak against state foes and a 5-2 record. The Blue Knights, on the other hand, clawed to 4-3 after consecutive mid-season setbacks to Nashua ...

BY RYAN O'CONNOR The Grizzlies had the Division II playoffs in sight, but on one rain-soaked Saturday afternoon they allowed the postseason to evade their grasp.  Though many local football and soccer games were postponed Nov. 3 due to inclement weather, Howard Sobolov, Goffstown High School athletics director, and Rob Cathcart, GHS ...

BY MATT SCHOOLEY With two undefeated teams going head to head, there was plenty of electricity in the crowd Friday, Nov. 2, as Gilford and Pelham squared off at Pelham High School to close out the regular season. Strangely, in the first quarter, the only thing missing from the game was electricity. The Pythons worked around a 19-minute power ...

BY MATT SCHOOLEY The Central High School football team couldn’t stop Salem High School’s running game, and, in turn, the Little Green’s Division I postseason hopes faded on the Gill Stadium turf Friday, Oct. 26, in a 27-14 setback. Central trailed 14-0 before putting forth one final attempt to salvage its playoff chances. ...

BY RYAN O'CONNOR The Blue Knights entered the contest having been in control of their own destiny all season, while cross-town rival Central was still in the process of climbing out of an early-season hole created by an 0-2 start. When Central quarterback Scott McCurdy took a knee on the final snap of a 28-16 victory, it was the 4-3 Little ...

BY RYAN O'CONNOR Receiving second life and a fresh set of downs at the opponent’s 7-yard line, John Stark looked poised to move ahead 9-0 in the Oct. 13 fooball contest and put the visiting foes in an early hole. But the ensuing events mirrored the season; the Generals ran toward success, then fumbled the chance. Stark, after ...

A stunning running game and crippling defense led Goffstown football to another victory, 34-7 over host Merrimack on Saturday, Oct. 14. The win improves Goffstown’s record to 5-2 overall, 4-2 in Division II. The Grizzlies are in sole possession of fourth place, the final playoff spot, with three difficult games remaining. “We had ...

BY RYAN O'CONNOR Two big plays were enough to extend Pembroke Academy football’s improbable run toward the Division III postseason. Taking advantage of the hosts’ many mistakes, PA won its first road game, 14-10, at John Stark Regional High School on Saturday, Oct. 13. PA improved to 4-3, good for fifth place in D-III. The top ...

BY JERRY LIPTAK Two drives into their Division-III football contest on Friday, Oct. 5, against host Kingswood, the John Stark Generals had more than set the game’s tone. They’d set the inevitable outcome in stone. Stark marched efficiently downfield behind its offensive line, the backs ripping large chunks of yardage running left, ...

BY JERRY LIPTAK The Spartans shoved. The Eagles pushed back. But when the hosts shoved harder still, the visitors teetered and were ultimately toppled in a 34-18 Pembroke Academy victory over Kennett on Saturday, Oct. 6. A pair of first-half touchdowns – a short run from Douglas Merrill and a 42-yard trek by Christopher Allen, who ...