Cavs host Clippers in key D3 football matchup

The Hollis/Brookline High School football team needed a game like last week's 14-7 loss to Bedford.

Well, not necessarily the loss, but the Cavaliers needed to be in a game that wasn't over before the fourth quarter. Outside of an eight-point win against Manchester Memorial to open the season, H/B had beaten its other four opponents by an average of 36 points.

Through six games, the Cavs are 5-1 (4-1 in Division III), already matching their season high set in each of the last two years. Not only is H/B approaching uncharted territory, it had been winning games in a different way.

"The thing is, we’re not a team that’s used to blowing teams out," H/B coach Milt Robinson said. "It may have been a thing where they expected it to happen the next week because they’re not as used to success. This program hasn’t been overall. It’s a wake-up call that we still have stuff we’ve got to work on. That will help us the rest of the season. We can’t take anything lightly, we can’t take anything for granted."

The Cavs certainly won't be taking this week's opponent lightly, as Portsmouth (5-0, 5-1) comes to Hollis for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff Saturday.

"We’re excited," H/B running back Nate Ferenczhalmy said. "We’re ready to come back and hopefully prove ourselves as one of the top teams in the division. We were able to beat teams at the bottom of the division. We have a lot to prove now."

One thing that will play in the Cavs favor is the location of the game. Playing the game at H/B may not give the Cavs an advantage, but it helps to not see the Clippers on their turf field.

" They were so fast on that turf," H/B quarterback Kyle Gervais said. "We always feel like we have an advantage playing on our field. A lot of other teams are based on speed and making cuts and they’re completely different teams on turf."

Other area games

• Con-Val at Souhegan, Friday, 7 p.m. The Sabers (2-3 in Division III) will try to keep their playoff hopes alive against a Cougars team that has lost five straight, including last week's loss to Pembroke. Souhegan has won back-to-back games after losing four in a row (including a crossover game to Manchester Central) and if the Sabers are to make the playoffs for the 15th straight season, they'll need to win their final three games against Con-Val, Pelham and Bedford.
• Goffstown at Milford, Friday, 7 p.m. The Spartans (2-3 in Division III, 3-4 overall) have lost three in a row after winning three of their first four games. Goffstown (4-1, 5-1) enters having lost its first game of the season last week, a 49-7 defeat at Portsmouth. A loss might end any hope at the playoffs for Milford, as the Spartans would have losses to four of the other five teams in the playoff hunt. Milford has not missed the playoffs since moving up to Division III in 2004.
• Spaulding at Alvirne, Friday, 7 p.m. No one could have predicted that this game could be for a playoff spot at the beginning of the season, but the winner between the Red Raiders (3-3 in Division II) and the Broncos (2-3) would have a very good chance at making the postseason. Alvirne has won three of its last four, including last week's 62-22 win over Pelham in a crossover game. Spaulding has been just as good, winning three in a row after opening the season with four straight losses.
• Merrimack at Manchester West, Friday, 7 p.m. Tomahawks coach Joe Battista has his team looking to play the role of "spoiler" the rest of the season after Merrimack (1-5 in Division II) was eliminated from playoff contention last week. West (1-4) still hasn't been eliminated from postseason play, but the Blue Knights would have a long hill to climb.
• Winnacunnet at Bishop Guertin, Saturday, 7 p.m. A rematch of the last two Division II championship games, but in name only. The Cardinals (5-0 in division) are well on their way to earning the No. 1 seed in the playoffs and hadn't allowed more than eight points to a division opponent until last week against West. Meanwhile, the Warriors (2-3) are reeling a bit after back-to-back losses to Alvirne and Timberlane. Winnacunnet needs a win to keep pace in the playoff hunt.
• Nashua South at Salem, Friday, 7 p.m. Since losing to Pinkerton in Week 2, the Panthers (4-1 in Division I, 6-1 overall) have run off five wins in a row, and done so by scoring over 30 points a game. Salem (3-2) is coming off a surprising 32-6 loss to Exeter and could find itself in trouble with a loss to South.
• Manchester Memorial at Nashua North, Friday, 7 p.m. The Titans (2-4 in Division I) snapped a four-game losing streak last week by getting past Concord 41-32. The Crusaders (2-3) are coming of a big win of their own, surprising Central 28-24 to keep any hope of making the playoffs alive.