Nashua North's Joel Pacheco busts his way into the Winnacunnet backfield during Friday's game.

While the Nashua High School North football defense struggled at times with tackling Friday, there was one player who was consistently on the Winnacunnet side of the line  of scrimmage.

Anyone watching film of the game will see North’s Joel Pacheco getting through the line, either forcing plays in different directions or making a big stop himself. On one series, Pacheco had two tackles for a loss, including a sack of Winnacunnet quarterback Steve Cronan.

“We played pretty good up front,” North coach Jason Robie said of his defensive line’s play.

But there were too many breakdowns in other areas for the Titans in their 27-21 overtime loss to the Warriors, things that Robie was disappointed to see a veteran team do.

So what did we learn? With the 2009 title game contestants from Division II beating both their counterparts from Division I – Bishop Guertin also defeated Salem – the gap between the state’s top two classifications may not be as big as some would like to believe.

Nashua South 49, Portsmouth 14

With top running back Derek Paradis bottled up early, South coach Scott Knight knew he and his coaches needed to find another way to move the football against the Clippers on Saturday.

“They were pinching their tackles down and the linebackers were two yards off the ball,” Knight said. “I don’t care who you play, you can’t run inside. You can run a lot of other things and that’s what we did.”

Instead, the Panthers found ways to get Armand McRae the ball on the outside; answered the call with nearly 200 yards on offense. South also found early success in the passing game on a number of short throws from Keith Farkas, which his receivers were able to turn into big gains.

So what did we learn? South may not miss Nick Haskell and Nick Frederickson as much as it thought. Also, the Panthers and Clippers are a long way removed from the 1984 Division I championship game, which Nashua won 17-14 in overtime.

Manchester Memorial 38, Milford 17

The Spartans got a big game from John Forte, but struggle overall against the Crusaders. Forte had 124 of Milford’s 174 rushing yards and added two sacks on defense, but the rest of the Spartans gained a total of just 60 yards. Milford hosts Pembroke on Friday to open the Division III season.

So what did we learn? Not a lot, other than Memorial should be concerned about converting extra points. As for Milford, the Spartans should be fine as long as they have a consistent ground game and it looks they’ve found someone to carry the load for now.

Souhegan 34, Londonderry 19

Perhaps the most surprising game of opening week, especially since the Sabers trialed 13-0 at halftime and 19-0 early in the third quarter. Souhegan got help from everyone on offense, as five different players scored and the defense held up despite being put in some tough spots early. The Sabers face another challenge on Friday, when they head to Portsmouth for the Division III opener.

So what did we learn? The faces may be new, but the cupboard certainly isn’t bare at Souhegan. And as only one of two Division III teams to win this weekend – Bedford was the other – maybe its still the Sabers’ title to lose after all.

Manchester Central 21, Alvirne 10

The Broncos had an early 7-0 lead in this one, but Alvirne couldn’t find a way to stop Central’s KK Haliburton, who had 228 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Despite being outgained 380-70, Alvirne was down just 13-10 in the fourth quarter before the Little Green went on a long drive to put the game away. The Broncos open Division II play on Friday when they host Keene.

So what did we learn? Alrine may not be on the same level as teams from Division I, but the Broncos – who made the playoffs last year – should be able to compete for a postseason spot in Division II.

Merrimack 28, Hollis/Brookline 14

Merrimack avoided what was a big trap game to open the season thanks to three touchdowns from Brody Williams, who finished with 102 yards on the ground. His 59-yard touchdown run just seconds after the Cavaliers pulled within a score helped solidify the win for the Tomahawks. While his numbers weren’t eye-opening, H/B’s Kyle Gervais completed 10-of-19 passes for 65 yards in his first varsity start. Merrimack heads to Dover on Friday for its Division II opener, while H/B has a bye week.

So what does it mean? It means both teams got what they needed out of a non-division game. Merrimack gained the confidence that comes with a win, while H/B should gain confidence knowing it hung with a school that has nearly double its enrollment.

Bishop Guertin 48, Salem 21

The Cardinals manhandled the defending Division I champs thanks to Mike Kelly’s 312 yards of total offense. At the same time, BG’s young defense was holding Salem’s running back duo of Max Jacques and Jerikson Fedrick to just 97 rushing yards combined. The Cardinals head to Timberlane on Friday to start their Division II schedule.

So what does it mean? Maybe the Cardinals aren’t as far removed from the team that won back-to-back Division II titles as everyone thought. Or maybe Salem – which also lost to Goffstown in the Queen City Jamboree – is suffering a bit of a championship hangover to start the 2010 season.

Bedford 51, Manchester West 6

This game was all about Bedford’s Jordan Garron. The junior running back carried the ball just 17 times, but rushed for 219 yards – 166 in the first half – and five touchdowns. Garron also returned the opening kickoff of the second half 85 yards for a touchdown. The Bulldogs host Goffstown on Friday in the Division III opener for both teams.

So what does it mean? The Bulldogs might already have a good understand of the new spread offense the coaching staff installed in the preseason. And maybe Manchester West hasn’t dropped down far enough.

Technorati Tags: Alvirne, Bedford, Bishop Guertin, Brookline, football, Hollis, Merrimack, Milford, Nashua North, Nashua South, Souhegan

Bishop Guertin's Mike Kelly runs with the ball during a scrimmage.

The success of the Bishop Guertin High School football team this season could come down to how well the kids play on defense.

The Cardinals graduated 34 seniors from last year’s undefeated championship team, and many of those players were on a defense that allowed just 57 points on the season and pitched six shutouts, including the team’s final four games.

This year, the players stepping in are either young, inexperienced, or both.

“This is the youngest group that I’m ever going to have,” BG coach Tony Johnson said. “There are 10 new positions that I had to fill. (Mike) Kelly is the only guy in his old spot and he’s comfortable with it. We’re starting to establish a bit of an identity for ourselves, but this is a brand new team.”

Kelly and Kyle Karaska are the only two returning starters, and Karaska was moved from outside linebacker to defensive end to fill one of the empty positions. With so many new faces on the defense, Johnson is looking for his offense to shoulder some of the load at times.

“Sometimes a good defense is predicated on a great offense,” he said. “The offense is much more of a veteran unit, so I expect them to score. The defense is not going to be the defense we had last year, nor should I expect them to be the defense that I had last year. We’ve just got to make sure we get better every week and that we get stingy.”

Kelly and quarterback Steve Cuipa are the key returners at the skill positions for BG, while offensive linemen Danny Folger and Nick Cook return to anchor that unit. Sophomore Andrew Crane has stepped up at one of the tackle positions and Johnson said he has looked “phenomenal.” The only question mark are the guard and tackle positions on Cuipa’s blindside, where a handful of players have been competing for time.

“We’ve got three or four kids we’re looking at,” Johnson said. “The good news is, we’re creating a lot of depth. We’re still not sure who we’re going with.”

No matter who the Cardinals end up with on the offensive line, it will come down to the defense.

“We can’t give up the big play,” Johnson said. “We hope that if you’re going to score against us, you’re going to have to give us a 15-play drive.”

Although BG remains one of the favorites in Division II, last year’s runner-up, Winnacunnet, is expected to be just as good as a year ago. Johnson expects teams with plenty of returning players – Keene, Merrimack and Alvirne – to be there, along with teams that are traditionally strong – Timberlane, Dover.

The Cardinals start their season with a non-division game at Salem on Saturday before opening division play at Timberlane on Sept. 10.

Technorati Tags: Bishop Guertin, Division II, football

The Cardinals, who had been shutout for most of the preseason, were held off the board by the Owls for 75 minutes. Trailing 1-0, Selden, who was playing her first varsity game, converted a crossing pass from Suzy Struckman to tie the game.

Baines gave Bishop Guertin the lead just four minutes later when she crashed the net to score the game-winner.

Sarah Welch made five saves in goal before leaving with an injury, and freshman Allison Hoffer made four saves in relief. Freshman Kathryn Swallow also played well in her varsity debut, replacing an injured Molly McGaffigan.

Technorati Tags: Bishop Guertin, Division I, girls soccer

A total of 59 players came out for the team this year, and that includes what coach Paul Sullivan calls “an extraordinary class of freshmen.” Those younger players and the upperclassmen will try to improved on the 9-7-1 record Bishop Guertin recorded last season.

Leading the way this year will be senior midfielder Molly McGaffigan, who was the Cardinals’ top scorer a year ago with 17 goals and nine assists. Other returning starters include seniors Lindsay Spirito, Tori Richardson and Alyssa Breda along with  junior Suzy Struckmann.

Bishop Guertin also has a handful of players back who saw varsity time last year, including seniors Danielle Burke, Jaclyn Parolin and Sarah Ryan; juniors Allison Borland and Alanna Fitzgerald; and sophomores Callie Santos and Sarah Welch, who should see the majority of time in goal. Newcomers joining them include sophomores Lindsay Selden and Jackie Geisler and freshmen Jane Edwards and Sarah Swallow.

“Keys will be how quickly the younger talent can assimilate to the high school game,” Sullivan said. “Can the team diversify its attack? Can the team continue its efforts at developing a competitive attitude?”

The Cardinals will open the Division I season Tuesday at Timberlane. Bishop Guertin will also host Exeter, last year’s Class L winner, on Sept. 16 and Manchester Central, last year’s runner-up and the 2008 champ, on Sept. 24.

Technorati Tags: Bishop Guertin, Division I, girls soccer

Bishop Guertin's Bob Fahey tries to bring down Nashua North's Andre Williams during Saturday's scrimmage.

NASHUA – The preseason isn’t about winning.

It’s about finding out how to win when it finally counts.

That’s how Bishop Guertin High School football coach Tony Johnson summed up Saturday’s scrimmage against Nashua North at Stellos Stadium. Although plenty of fans would love to see the teams play in a competitive game, both Johnson and North coach Jason Robie were more interested in what their own players were doing right.

On each team’s first two sets with the ball – 10 plays followed by a standard possession – it was offense that ruled. The second time around, it was the defenses stepping up to make stops.

“I think the offenses had a little bit of an edge,” Robie said. “We moved the ball pretty well. Of course, they’re working on some things defensively. They didn’t game plan for us just as we didn’t game plan for them.”

Nashua North's Jahmar Gathright stiff arms a Bishop Guertin defender.

According to Robie, the Titans are further along on the offensive side of the ball and that was evident on their first drive. Running backs Andre Williams and Jahmar Gathright turned a handful of big plays apiece, and quarterback Brandon Karkhanis looked sharp with his passes, including a touchdown pass to Eric Muite.

“This North team is one of the best in the state,” Johnson said. “Andre is the real deal. (Gathright) is as quick as a cat, too.

They’ve got tremendous speed. We responded better as far as our speed, our intensity and our ability to hit.”

The Cardinals used a successful ground attack on their first offensive set, with running back Mike Kelly and quarterback Steve Cuipa each getting into the end zone. Bishop Guertin didn’t even attempt a pass until backup quarterback Bob Fahey came into the game.

Bishop Guertin's Mike Kelly runs with the ball during Saturday's scrimmage.

“The intensity was at a much higher level,” Johnson said. “(In the first scrimmage against Manchester Memorial), we were just passive. We couldn’t be passive against this team.

“We do our own thing and try to figure out what we’ve got. We’re still light with our linemen. We tried some young kids in the linebacking corps and that worked. Bottom line is, we’re making progress.”

Robie felt the same way about North, based how his team looked against the defending Division II champions.

“Bishop Guertin is a good football team, and if that’s an indication of where we are, if we stay together, we can be OK, too,” Robie said. “I was more looking for what kids were running to the football, what kids were hustling. I saw a lot of good things today.”

Both teams have on scrimmage remaining before the start of the regular season. North will take on South Burlington, Vt., on Tuesday at noon at Stellos Stadium. Bishop Guertin will play in the Queen City Jamboree at Gill Stadium on Friday at 8 p.m. against Pinkerton.

Technorati Tags: Bishop Guertin, Division I, Division II, football, Nashua North

Bishop Guertin's Bob Fahey throws a pass during Tuesday's scrimmage against Manchester Memorial.

MANCHESTER – The Bishop Guertin High School football team took the field Tuesday against another squad for the first time this season, traveling to face Manchester Memorial.

While BG coach Tony Johnson felt there were positive things to take away from the first scrimmage of the season, he had hoped the Cardinals would come out more aggressive against the Marauders.

“We didn’t do a bad job offensively,” Johnson said. “We just made some mistakes. I think we’ve just got a young offensive line that needs a little help. I think Memorial played defensively very, very well against us. Fact of the matter is, we didn’t get aggressive enough today. I was very disappointed in the fact that we weren’t aggressive.”

Quarterbacks Steve Cuipa and Bob Fahey both performed well running the offense, while running backs Mike Kelly and Brian Bottari had a handful of nice runs. But overall, there were more miscues than Johnson was hoping to see.

“I saw some really good things on offense, with our offensive line,” Johnson said. “But collectively, as a group, I didn’t see what I wanted. Our running backs need better timing.”

Defensively, the Cardinals were done in by the big play, including a number of third- and fourth-and-long situations.

“We just gave up big plays,” Johnson said. “I just don’t think we were that aggressive as a unit. I saw some good things from some players.”

How the Cardinals performed should serve as a wake-up call, not only as to what to expect from another team, but also what is expected from the coach.

“We’ve got eight new guys on offense and nine new guys on defense,” Johnson said. “Some of those guys who think they’re starters, that’s a wake-up call, because I’ve got to find some guys who will run and play.”

BG will scrimmage again on Saturday against Nashua North at Stellos Stadium.

Technorati Tags: Bishop Guertin, Division II, football

The Cardinals coach had that and more when it came to seniors on the 2009 team, which won its second-straight Division II title. Of the 34 graduated players, 16 were starters on either side of the ball.

While there are plenty of pieces to fill the puzzle, the challenge is figuring out where each one goes.

“I’ve got to put some new pieces to the puzzle in and it’s going to be interesting in that perspective,” Johnson said. “The kids have done a really, really good job. Our testing went very well. Better than I expected, so I was very happy with that. It’s still very, very early.”

The Cardinals have around 110 kids out for the opening week of double sessions, and 68 of them are players expected to be on the varsity and junior varsity.

After having such a large group of seniors, which gave the team unparalleled leadership, Johnson believes that this year’s returning players experienced enough to carry on the program’s success.

“I’ve got some good pieces back,” the coach said. “I knew last year’s team was going to be that good because there were a lot of two or three year starters. I just needed to make sure we managed those kids properly and motivated them. This year, we’ve got to go back and do a little bit more coaching.”

Johnson also hopes that this year’s group is able to find a spot for itself within the program’s history.

“It’s tough to maintain what we’ve done,” he said. “With a lot of new kids, we’ve got to coach them up. I don’t want this team feeling the pressure of ‘we’ve got to.’ That’s pressure they don’t need. This is going to be a good team. What they have to do is find their own identity within our own program.”

The Cardinals have time to figure that out, starting with Tuesday’s scrimmage at Manchester Memorial. Bishop Guertin opens the regular season on Sept. 3 at Salem, the defending Division I champion.

Technorati Tags: Bishop Guertin, Division II, football

BG's Matt Bayne Ward was named the Division I Offensive Player of the Year.

Bishop Guertin high school lacrosse players Matt Bayne Ward and Adam Hall helped lead the Cardinals to their third Division I championship this spring.

Both players were recognized for their individual seasons, as Bayne Ward was named the DI Offensive Player of the Year and Hall earned the division’s Defensive Player of the Year award. The Cards also placed eight players on the division’s first-team, as a total of 14 BG players received recognition.

Joining Bayne Ward and Hall on the first team are Jack Kryston, Matt Thistle, Tom Labadini, Erik Kelly, Al Eaton and Nick Carluccio. BG’s Nick Astarita, Beau Brooks, Luke Solms, Bob Fahey and Chris Keating were named to the second-team.

Also making the second team were Souhegan’s Steve Jellison and Brendan Laine, and Nashua North’s Mark Lavine. Honorable mention went to Colin Delea (BG), Jon Ritter (North), Will Naber (Nashua South) and Adam Stokes (Souhegan).

In Division II, Bedford coach Matt Guerard was named Coach of the Year while the Bulldogs’ Trevor Morrissette was named to the first-team. Nate Larave and Mike Marinelli of Bedford, along

Merrimack's Mike Currie received Division II second-team honors.

with Mike Currie of Merrimack, were named to the second-team.

Hollis/Brookline’s Kyle Moynihan and Justin Shutt were both named to the Division III first-team, while the Cavaliers’ Pat Clark and Zach Dunn received second-team honors. H/B’s Brandon Rocha was named honorable mention.

Technorati Tags: all state, Bedford, Bishop Guertin, boys lacrosse, Brookline, Hollis, Merrimack, Nashua North, Nashua South, Souhegan

Souhegan, Nashua South, Bishop Guertin, Merrimack and Hollis/Brookline each had six girls receive all-state honors.

In Division I, Souhegan’s Rachel Dobbs and South’s Stephanie Haftel were both named to the first-team, while Alexa Katsiginais and Chelsea Larivee of Souhegan reveived second-team honors.

Nashua North’s Erin Duffy, Ellie Shuman and Maddie Cody and South’s Mikayla Feehan were named to the third team. Morgan King (Souhegan), Meggie Whitney (Souhegan), Ashley Philips (Souhegan), Caitlin Ackerman (South), Vanessa Viola (South), Kelly McIntyre (South), Kristie Cox (South) and Kaylee Murray (North) recevied honorable mention.

Bishop Guertin’s Kristianna Purington and Julia Wright were both named to the Division II first-team, as was Merrimack’s Sarah Rothhaus.

Nicole Pettiglio of BG, Emily Pollard of Merrimack and Demi Bennett of Bedford all made the second-team, while BG’s Callie Santos and Merrimack’s Joslyn Schwalbe received third-team honors.

Receiving honorable mention were Meghan Maguire (BG), Tiffany Stanton (BG), Caitlin Heaps (Bedford), Taylor Hogan (Merrimack) and Erin Maclean (Merrimack).

H/B had three players named to the Division III first-team: Kati Sousa, Lorin Field and Alicia Papineau.

The Cavaliers also had three players receive second-team honors: Emily Dutile, Leigh Kowalski and Julie Worthern.

Technorati Tags: all state, Bedford, Bishop Guertin, Brookline, Division I, Division II, Division III, girls lacrosse, Hollis, Merrimack, Nashua North, Nashua South, Souhegan

Bishop Guertin's Brad Holler tries to pass the ball.

Getting nine high school basketball players to show up for what amounts to an exhibition game during the heart of the summer is just short of a miracle.

Getting 18 of them to show very well could be one.

The later has been the case for Bishop Guertin boys coach Jim Migneault for most of the team’s summer games in the BST Southern Division. In the Cardinals’ most recent game, only nine players could make that week’s matchup against Milford at Rivier College, but that wasn’t a surprise to Migneault.

“We had some football players who are at a camp,” he said. “That’s seven kids right there. I had one kid who had a root canal. What did we have, nine? That’s the lowest total we’ve had. We get our kids here, we get participation, we’re working.”

While most of the other teams are getting a couple of their key returning players, allowing younger players to play with guys they might not have an opportunity to play with, BG is getting ready to improve on a season where it reached the Class L semifinals.

“I think we’re getting ready for the season,” Migneault said. “That’s what we’re here for. We’re working on things.”

Like a zone defense, which Migneault wanted to put in against Milford just to see how his players would react.

“I liked it,” Migneault said. “We’re going to be pretty good. Now we’ve got 18 kids trying out for 15 spots. I don’t say you have to come out. But if you don’t, and those other kids are, you may fall behind them. There can’t be any arguments over it because they’re here working.”

Could they compete?

A matchup of the defending Class I champion, Milford, and a semifinalist from Class L, BG, would pack the house at either gym. During the summer, it’s fun to see.

“But it’s still fun,” Milford’s Jamie Holder said of being the only returning Spartans starter in attendance. That’s what I want to do (play during season). We’re familiar with some of them.”

“They could compete in Class L,” Migneault said. “The difference between L and I, when I’ve gone to watch, L is a little more physical. Class I is a little more finesse. They’re very talented kids, so they’d definitely compete. They work hard, so they’re going to be good.”

Technorati Tags: Bishop Guertin, Milford, summer basketball