Pinkerton holds off Bishop Guertin for top spot in preseason New Hampshire Orthopaedic Center/NHHSSports Football Coaches Poll
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 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.
- Pinkerton (8-4), 10/171, 2nd
- Bishop Guertin (8-3), 7/164, 6th
- Winnacunnet (7-4), 1/138, 7th
- Londonderry (3-6), 105, NR
- Manchester Memorial (10-2), 104, 5th
- Salem (8-4), 75, 4th
- Bedford (12-0), 59, 1st
- Windham (7-4), 44, 8th
- Concord (4-6), 39, NR
- 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.
