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# Pinkerton holds off Bishop Guertin for top spot in preseason New Hampshire Orthopaedic Center/NHHSSports Football Coaches Poll
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/pinkerton-holds-off-bishop-guertin-for-top-spot-in-preseason-new-hampshire-orthopaedic-center-nhhssports-football-coaches-poll/
- Published: 2026-09-04T17:30:17.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-04T17:30:16.000Z
- Description: The Pinkerton Academy football team is no stranger to being at or near the top of the New Hampshire Orthopaedic Center/NHHSSports Coaches Poll.
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: football, Coaches Poll, New Hampshire Orthopaedic Center, NHHSSports, Division I, Division II, Division III

The Pinkerton Academy football team is no stranger to being at or near the top of the New Hampshire Orthopaedic Center/NHHSSports Coaches Poll. 

The team the Astros held off for the top spot in the preseason is a little less so. 

Pinkerton, the runner-up in Division I last year, picked up 10 first-place votes to claim the No. 1 spot to open the season, holding off Bishop Guertin, which took seven first-places to come in at No. 2\. 

Winnacunnet, which grabbed one first-place vote, comes in at No. 3 to open the season while Londonderry is at No. 4\. Manchester Memorial came in just a point behind the Lancers and rounds out the top five. 

Salem, which was a semifinalist in D1 a year ago, comes in at No. 6 with Bedford, last year's D1 champion, taking the No. 7 spot. Windham opens the year at No. 8, and Concord, the Jaguars' season-opening opponent, is right behind at No. 9\. 

Exeter comes in at No. 10 to finish out the top 10, with Nashua South, Portsmouth-Oyster River, Plymouth, Souhegan, Gilford and Alvirne also receiving votes. 

Here is the preseason New Hampshire Orthopaedic Center/NHHSSports Football Coaches Poll for the 2026 season. These are the top 10 football teams in the state, with last year's record, first-place votes/points (T=tie) and last year's final ranking.

1. Pinkerton (8-4), 10/171, 2nd
2. Bishop Guertin (8-3), 7/164, 6th
3. Winnacunnet (7-4), 1/138, 7th
4. Londonderry (3-6), 105, NR
5. Manchester Memorial (10-2), 104, 5th
6. Salem (8-4), 75, 4th
7. Bedford (12-0), 59, 1st
8. Windham (7-4), 44, 8th
9. Concord (4-6), 39, NR
10. Exeter (6-4), 38, NR

**Also receiving votes:** Nashua South (9-3), 16, 3rd; Portsmouth-Oyster River (4-5), 12; Plymouth (9-2), 12; Souhegan (11-1), 9, 10th; Gilford (9-2), 1; Alvirne (4-5), 1.

The coaches poll is voted on by football coaches from around the state and members of the media. The next poll will be out on Sept. 8 and will be updated every Monday throughout the regular season.

*This fall, the coaches poll is sponsored by the New Hampshire Orthopaedic Center.* [*Learn more about them by going here.*](https://nhoc.com/?ref=nh-highschoolsports.com)