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# Souhegan hosts title-game rematch with Portsmouth
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/souhegan-hosts-title-game-rematch-with-portsmouth/
- Published: 2011-09-09T04:53:50.000Z
- Updated: 2011-09-09T04:53:50.000Z
- Description: To some, it's the biggest Division III game of the regular season. To the Souhegan High School football team, it's the first game that will count this season, when the Sabers host Portsmouth Friday at 7 p.m. in Amherst.
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division III-IV, Fall Sports, Division III, football, Portsmouth, Souhegan, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/bc/58/bc5866d0-9fd9-4113-b959-670d6f16471d/content/images/www-nh-highschoolsports-com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/shsfball0812-mccormick1.jpg "SHSfball0812 McCormick1")

To some, it's the biggest Division III game of the regular season.

To the Souhegan High School football team, it's the first game that will count this season, when the Sabers host Portsmouth Friday at 7 p.m. in Amherst.

Yes, the two teams have met in the last three division championship games. And yes, Souhegan has won all three. But that doesn't mean anything toward this year's game, according to Sabers coach Mike Beliveau.

"It's cliche, but it's another year," he said. "Same tradition, but different players. It's two teams that tend to both put points on the board when things go well."

Things went almost as well as could be expected for both teams in the first week of the season. Souhegan pulled off a [come-from-behind win](http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sportshighschoolsports/931498-221/sabers-rally-for-win-over-concord.html?ref=nh-highschoolsports.com) against Concord, while Portsmouth [came up just short](http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110903/GJSPORTS%5F01/709039904/-1/FOSSPORTS&ref=nh-highschoolsports.com) of doing the same to Manchester Central. That was part of an opening week that saw Division III go 3-1 against Division I teams.

But nothing that happened in the past matters going into this week, and that's what Beliveau has been trying to express to his team.

"They seem to have more size up front on both sides than a year ago," he said. "They have some main players that are outstanding."

Among those is running back/cornerback Billy Lane, lineman Rick Holt and quarterback Billy Hartmann, who takes over the starting job this year after getting some playing time a season ago.

"Lane had four touchdowns against Central," Beliveau said. "Hartmann has a huge arm and he's very accurate."

Souhegan has just two returning starters on offense, but Beliveau was pleased with how the Sabers rallied against a Division I opponent in the season's opening week.

"For having a lot of new players, I was pleased with the performance and effort," he said. "They heard me say a bunch of times that we lacked starters returning. They responded by playing their hearts out and not giving up. I don't know if I could have scripted it any better."

The Sabers will be as healthy as can be when they take the field against Portsmouth on Friday. Souhegan will once again be without two-way starter Tyler Hansis, who is recovering from a non-football related injury and should be ready for action soon.

Souhegan and Portsmouth kickoff at 7 p.m. Friday in Amherst.