> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Football only one piece of the puzzle for Nashua South's Tejeda
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/football-only-one-piece-of-the-puzzle-for-nashua-souths-tejeda/
- Published: 2018-09-28T15:00:51.000Z
- Updated: 2018-09-28T15:00:51.000Z
- Description: Nathanael Tejeda isn't sure what causes him to smile so much. He just does it. All the time. To the point that not many of his Nashua High School South football teammates and coaches call him by his name. Instead, they refer to the senior as the nickname given to him when he first started playing th
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division I, football, Nashua South, NH High School Sports Insider, slider, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

Nathanael Tejeda isn't sure what causes him to smile so much.

He just does it. All the time.

To the point that not many of his Nashua High School South football teammates and coaches call him by his name. Instead, they refer to the senior as the nickname given to him when he first started playing the sport.

Smiley.

If it bothers Tejeda, he doesn't show it ... because he's always smiling.

"It’s my persona I guess," he said. "Sometimes, you’ve just got to stay happy and be positive. It’s just my natural state, to be happy."

Even when he's getting run over by a teammate during drills. That's when the nickname first came about, when he was in fifth grade, playing football for the first time, and a bigger teammate used to get the best of him during hitting drills.

"Jaylan (Pacheco) was on the team, too, and he was the biggest kid," Tejeda said. "He was always plowing (over) kids. We’d do one-on-one drills and get creamed back in the day, and I’d come up with a smile on my face. It just stuck with me."

For the last three seasons, Tejeda has been stuck in the middle of the Panthers' defense, starting at nose tackle since he was a sophomore. But one look at him shows, Tejeda is not the prototypical high school nose tackle, especially not one who earns a starting job at such a young age.

"The way he plays low is unbelievable," South coach Scott Knight said. "He can get off the ball, and some of the drills he can do, it’s amazing. When we do tire flips, the way he gets down, he has such unbelievable flexibility.

"He’s got long arms. He’s made for playing defense. He’s got a super strong lower half. He’s not an overweight kid, he’s a thick, strong kid and he’s quick off the ball. He’s got good technique."

That technique is a big factor for Tejeda, and it's something he realizes gives him an advantage, despite his size, whether it's playing on defense or offense, where he's also starts at guard.

"Staying low and doing my job to the best of my ability," he said are the keys to his success. "If you have the right technique, but weigh 50 pounds less than someone else, if your technique is better, they’re not going to be able to move you. Just get low."

While he prefers to play on defense, Tejeda has been seeing more time on offense this season, to help South keep some continuity on its offensive line and to keep him fresh for later in games.

"To play hard, to do it right, you do need to get some rest here and there," Knight said. "He’d give it all he has, but we’re better with him fresh, and we’re going to spell him on defense. You want your line to have that continuity."

Although Tejeda hopes to continue playing football at the next level, he has his an interest in a handful of other things.

As a freshman, he decided to join the wrestling team, and last year, as a junior, he placed at the Meet of Champions. He also is a member of the South baseball team, and has become dedicated to the weight room.

"He’s a workout maniac," Knight said. "I think he’d like to get into that stuff when he gets out of school. There’s so much more to him. We do fundraisers, and he’s usually the top seller in everything. He’s very good socially, he’s great talking to people. He’s a real special kid."

Knight was reminded of that Saturday morning, after South had lost a game to Merrimack the night before. When the players started showing up at the school for their postgame workout, he noticed Tejeda looked a little tired.

After inquiring, Knight found out his senior lineman spent the night sleeping in a box.

For the last couple of years, Tejeda and his father, Franklin, have participated in United We Sleep, an event organized by the United Way to bring awareness to hunger and homelessness. The Tejedas spent last Friday night, sleeping in a box on the lawn outside of Nashua Community College.

"We raised (money) for this cause," Tejeda said. "We do this fundraising and gather as a community. We sleep in a box to get a sense of what these people are going through. It’s really enlightening to hear what even other kids my age are going through. I’m just grateful to be where I am."

Tejeda and his father have participated in other community services events over the years, and Franklin was even recognized by the United Way for his efforts. It's something that Knight has seen Smiley do himself.

"He’s always doing things like that," Knight said. "He’s always helping people do stuff. He’s a special kid."