Fall Sports

Midseason report: Division I football

The fifth week of Division I football's nine-game season is set to begin Thursday night, when Merrimack travels to Stellos Stadium to face Nashua North.

Jack Hanaway and Pinkerton still look like the team to beat in Division I.

The fifth week of Division I football's nine-game season is set to begin Thursday night, when Merrimack travels to Stellos Stadium to face Nashua North.

Each team will be looking to turn around its season after consecutive losses, but where do both fit in with the rest of the division? Here's a look at how the 20 teams in Division I stack up with each other as the season reaches its midway point.

The rundown

Wait until next year

Keene (0-4; SOS: 9-7; PS: 28; PA: 157)

Dover (0-4; SOS: 9-7; PS: 49; PA: 197)

Timberlane (1-3; SOS: 8-8; PS: 62; PA: 105)

Manchester Central (0-4; SOS: 10-6; PS: 39; PA: 93)

All four teams would have to perform miracles for the rest of the season to find their way into their respective conference championship game, and that includes somehow passing several teams ahead of them. A note on each team: Keene lost a ton from last year's semifinal team and didn't score its first points of the season until Week 3. Dover is again thin at the varsity level, but with reportedly 40 freshmen in the program this year, there might be hope for the future. Timberlane has played teams tough, but its talent might still be a year away from lifting the Owls up in what has proven to be a tough South Conference this year. Central's demise has been nothing short of a shock.

Outside, looking in

Nashua North (1-3; SOS: 9-7; PS: 51; PA: 94)

Spaulding (1-3; SOS: 10-6; PS: 44; PA: 85)

Merrimack (2-2; SOS: 6-10; PS: 72; PA: 69)

Manchester Memorial (2-2; SOS: 7-9; PS: 104; PA: 83)

These four teams have been able to compete each week, and if they'd had a couple more breaks here and there, could have been in a better position to make their respective conference championship games. A note on each team: North was dealt a tough hand in the preseason when senior Demitri Jackson decided to go to prep school, leaving a hole in the Titans backfield. Spaulding has hung with teams, but just doesn't have the horses it did a year ago. Merrimack has the look of a team that will be competitive for a few years, thanks to its young talent, and could pull off an upset or two this season. Memorial seems to finally be living up to the potential it always seems to have, but could end up being the third or fourth team in a race for two spots in the North Conference championship.

Better than record

Bishop Guertin (1-3; SOS: 6-10; PS: 69; PA: 78)

Winnacunnet (1-3; SOS: 11-5; PS: 79; PA: 69)

Bishop Gueritn's season was derailed in Week 1, when Jackson Housman was lost for the season with a knee injury, and Kelvin Rivera suffered a hand injury that kept him out for two weeks. The Cardinals had to fill in with young players, and those players should get better as they get more experience. Winnacunnet opened with the toughest first four games, based on strength of schedule, playing Bedford and Exeter tough the last two weeks. The Warriors were dealt a big blow this week when quarterback Brian Auffant was lost for the season with a back injury.

In good shape

Exeter (3-1; SOS: 4-12; PS: 60; PA: 38)

Portsmouth (3-1; SOS: 9-7; PS: 91; PA: 96)

Nashua South (2-2; SOS: 10-6; PS: 82; PA: 92)

Alvirne (3-1; SOS: 7-9; PS: 114; PA: 91)

If the season ended before this week's games, these four teams would be playing in their conference championship games (East: Exeter vs. Portsmouth; West: South vs. Alvirne). But these teams are not without their flaws. While Exeter's defense has been superb this season, the Blue Hawks have struggled mightily to score points (average of 15 per game). Portsmouth has been a little of the opposite, giving up more points this year than its allowed. South has also struggled to score as its continued to adjust to life without Trevor Knight; the Panthers scored just 18 points against a North team that had allowed 27 and 49, respectively, the two weeks before. After getting blown out by Pinkerton to open the season, Alvirne has bounced back nicely by doing whatever it takes to win.

Reality of current division alignment: If the season ended now, two of these teams would end up playing in the semifinals.

Two teams, one spot

Londonderry (3-1; SOS: 7-9; PS: 133; PA: 74)

Salem (3-1; SOS: 7-9; PS: 106; PA: 49)

Concord (4-0; SOS: 3-13; PS: 135; PA: 77)

Goffstown (2-2; SOS: 10-6; PS: 124; PA: 83)

In the South Conference, Londonderry and Salem couldn't be much more identical, not only in where they rank in each category, but also in the fact each has lost just once, to Pinkerton. That means that if neither one slips up the rest of the way, the game between the two on Oct. 31 would be for the spot in the conference championship opposite Pinkerton. Meanwhile, in the North, Concord has what amounts to a three-game lead over Goffstown because of the head-to-head tiebreaker, but the Crimson Tide have to be one of the shakiest 4-0 teams in recent years. But Concord has played the easiest schedule so far (opponents are 3-13) and has had to rally late in three of them. Goffstown has opened with the third toughest schedule, meaning the Grizzlies slate gets a lot easier in the second half, while Concord's gets tougher. The return of quarterback Casey Gervais should help Goffstown down the stretch.

Favorites

Bedford (4-0; SOS: 7-9; PS: 134; PA: 23)

Pinkerton (4-0; SOS: 11-5; PS: 147; PA: 55)

Going into the season, Pinkerton looked like it might have an edge over the rest of the field. While that hasn't changed, and likely won't barring injuries to the Astros, Bedford has emerged as a legitimate title contender. The Bulldogs appeared to have smoothly integrated Mike Vailas into the quarterback position, and the defense had made up for any growing pains on offense. As for Pinkerton, the Astros got past their potentially toughest opponents in Salem and Londonderry, and got a boost from the return of TJ Urbanik, who suffered a shoulder injury against Salem.