> ## 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. # On the Gridiron: Windham football winning in a different way - URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/on-the-gridiron-windham-football-winning-in-a-different-way/ - Published: 2015-10-05T16:07:46.000Z - Updated: 2015-10-05T16:07:46.000Z - Description: The only constant in high school sports is change. One year, you're a high-flying, senior-heavy team that's rolling its way to an undefeated championship season. The next, you're reinventing the wheel. For Windham High School football coach Bill Raycraft, it's meant a return to a style of play that - Author: Joe Marchilena - Tags: Fall Sports, Division I, Division II, Division III, football, On the Gridiron, slider, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44 The only constant in high school sports is change. One year, you're a high-flying, senior-heavy team that's rolling its way to an undefeated championship season. The next, you're reinventing the wheel. For Windham High School football coach Bill Raycraft, it's meant a return to a style of play that maybe the Jaguars hadn't needed for a couple of seasons. "We're a little different than we were last year," he said after Saturday's 21-7 win over Souhegan. "We can pound it with the best of them and I think these guys know it's going to take that moving forward." Against the Sabers, Windham had a couple of big plays - there were touchdown passes of 75 and 20 yards - but for the Jaguars threw the ball just seven times. Two drives stand out. In the second quarter, already up 7-0, Windham took over at its own 44-yard line, and needed 11 plays and 5:46 to go down the field for a 3-yard touchdown run by Ben Emrick. Then, in the second half, after Souhegan scored to make it 14-7, Windham took over at its own 25 and kept the ball for the next 9:42\. That 18-play drive included the last nine-plus minutes of the third quarter and ended at the Souhegan 1-yard line, eventually setting up the Jaguars' final touchdown of the day. Those two drives had a total of 29 plays taking up 15:28 of game time, and Windham threw the ball just twice. "This group, I don't think they knew their identity when they showed up in August, or all summer, but certainly, they're figuring it out now," Raycraft said. "It is fun because it's different personalities, different style of kids, but what hasn't changed is our standard. From Day 1, we talked about the alumni that were here (Saturday) set that standard pretty high. "As long as they keep reaching for that, we're going to try to keep putting them in the right spot to succeed. It's not fun running that power play play after play after play, knowing that you're taking on that punishment, but they do it because they trust that that's what it's going to take to get the job done." Windham heads into its bye week at 5-0 with the top rating in Division II. Hard to argue with what works. ### Rock solid As good as Goffstown's offense has been this season, the Grizzlies players and coaches might say that the defense has been even better. Although they're allowing 11 points per game, the Grizzlies first-team defense has been scored on just once this season and has given up points in the first half one time. And that solid play has allowed the offense to do it's thing, which it did Friday in a 61-14 win over Nashua South. "We’ve got some explosive kids who are making some plays, so that’s a nice thing," Goffstown coach Justin Hufft said after Friday's win. "It looked like we blocked well up front and when you can do that, that helps." Goffstown got the win by running the ball, as Grizzlies quarterbacks threw just four times, all in the first half. "It's function of what we're seeing from the defense," Hufft said. "Hopefully, if we cover our bases, we can take advantage of what's there, the best matchups. I thought our offensive line played well, so the thing to do was run the ball." Up next is Division I Game of the Year, Part I, as Goffstown hosts Bedford at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. Part II won't take place until Oct. 30, when Pinkerton heads to Exeter. ### Eye-opener If Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough wasn't already considered a championship contender in Division III, it is now after the last two weeks. First, despite losing to Newport 34-21, Lakers scored more points on the Tigers in one game than four other teams have all season. Then, on Friday, ILM traveled to Stevens and beat the previously undefeated Cardinals 42-0. Nick Brothers has led the way on the ground, rushing for 586 yards and seven touchdowns on the season. The remaining three games on the Lakers' schedule are all winnable, which means ILM will likely be hosting a playoff game come the first Saturday of November. ### Ups ... - **Nashua North:** The Titans have put themselves in position for a potential playoff spot with two straight wins over Nashua South and Manchester Central. A win over Concord this Friday would go a long way toward making the postseason a reality. - **Monadnock:** Since losing the season opener to Souhegan by one point, the Huskies have won four in a row and have allowed less than eight points per game doing so. - **Winnisquam:** The Bears have back-to-back wins over Campbell and Somersworth to remain undefeated. After a bye this week, Winnisquam finishes with a tough schedule: vs. Epping-Newmarket, at Bow, and home to Bishop Brady. ### ... And Downs - **Nashua South:** The Panthers have lost four games in a row for the first time in since 2005 and have allowed an average of 54.8 points during that stretch. - **Plymouth:** After a huge win over Kennett, the Bobcats have been blown out by St. Thomas and dropped a heartbreak to Trinity to fall to 1-3 in Division II. - **Campbell:** A team many expected to make the playoffs, the Cougars need to win their final three games just to have a chance at the postseason. **Madden Stat of the Week:** In it's first 10 plays against Nashua South on Friday, Goffstown gained 182 yards and scored four touchdowns and needed just 2:22 to do it.