Bedford a unanimous No. 1 in Union Leader/ESPN NH football power poll

Here is the Union Leader/ESPN New Hampshire football power poll for Week 5 of the 2016 season.

These are the top 10 high school football teams in New Hampshire, with record, first-place votes/points in parentheses, plus last week’s ranking:

1. Bedford, 5-0 (7/70), 1st
2. Merrimack, 4-1 (63), 2nd
3. Windham, 5-0 (46), 6th
4. Goffstown, 4-1 (45), 5th
5. Salem, 4-1 (43), 4th
6. Exeter, 4-1 (31), 3rd
7. Portsmouth, 4-1 (28), NR
8. Nashua North, 4-1 (23), NR
9. John Stark, 5-0 (13), 7th
10. tie Plymouth, 5-0 (10), 10th
11. tie Bishop Guertin, 4-1 (10), NR

Also receiving votes: Monadnock, 5-0 (3), NR.

Voters are:

• Roger Brown, Union Leader
• Alex Hall, Union Leader
• Chris Duffy, Union Leader
• Nick Anastos, ESPN New Hampshire
• Pete Tarrier, ESPN New Hampshire
• Dave Haley, New Hampshire Sports Page
• Joe Marchilena, NH-HighSchoolSports.com

And here is how I voted in the poll:

1. Bedford, beat Pinkerton 37-14
2. Merrimack, beat Salem 39-20
3. Windham, beat St. Thomas 28-6
4. Goffstown, beat Manchester Memorial 17-7
5. Salem, lost to Merrimack 39-20
6. Exeter, lost to Portsmouth 21-14
7. John Stark, beat Laconia 28-14
8. Nashua North, beat Winnacunnet 55-35
9. Bishop Guertin, beat Dover 37-15
10. Monadnock, beat Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough 27-12

As the last undefeated team in Division I, Bedford sits at the top of my ballot this week - and everyone else's - and it seems like the Bulldogs could be there at least until the last week of the regular season, when they face Salem.

Merrimack moved up to No. 2 after a very convincing win over Salem, as the Tomahawks at one point led by 32 points. And with other Division I teams struggling or losing, I moved Windham, which won its rematch with St. Thomas, up to No. 3.

Goffstown, Salem and Exeter could have gone in any spot here, but with the Grizzlies winning, I put them fourth, with Salem and Exeter behind them.

At No. 7, I have John Stark, which had its closest game of the year last week against Laconia, and play at Pembroke this week before a huge game against Plymouth a week later. North and Bishop Guertin continue their battles against Seacoast teams this week leading up to their showdown in the final week of the regular season.

Monadnock won a matchup of Division III undefeateds last week, and after the bye this week, face three tough tests to end the season.