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# Spartans, Cavaliers lead slate of big games in Division III
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/spartans-cavaliers-lead-slate-of-big-games-in-division-iii/
- Published: 2010-10-29T14:15:15.000Z
- Updated: 2010-10-29T14:15:15.000Z
- Description: The playoffs have come early to Division III football this season. For the second straight week, four potential postseason participants go head-to-head to further determine who will be playing beyond the first week of November.
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division II, Division III-IV, Fall Sports, Bedford, Brookline, Division III, football, Hollis, Milford, 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/2010/10/mshshsfball1015-m80-11.jpg "MSHSHSfball1015 M80-1")

The playoffs have come early to Division III football this season.

For the second straight week, four potential postseason participants go head-to-head to further determine who will be playing beyond the first week of November.

The Milford High School football team hopes it can stop an odd pattern this Friday when it hosts Hollis/Brookline at 7 p.m.

For the first eight weeks for the season, the Spartans (4-2 in division, 4-4 overall) have alternated losses and wins. Last week, Milford knocked off Goffstown 14-7 to not only bolster its own playoff hopes, but put a damper on the Grizzlies’ chances.

“It’s just the way it worked out,” Milford coach Keith Jones said, adding that he hadn’t noticed the pattern. “At the beginning of the year, we opened with Manchester Memorial, Pembroke and Tyngsborough. We wanted to play good teams and we’ve certainly accomplished that. It’s helped us down the road.”

This week, the road brings the Cavaliers (4-2, 4-3), who are coming off a 40-14 loss to Portsmouth that might be a little deceiving. H/B led 14-13 in the third quarter and was down just one score heading into the fourth before the Clippers’ offense exploded.

After a physical, grinding game against Goffstown, Jones expects more of the same against H/B.

“Goffstown was physical last week and Hollis will be the same,” he said. “They will come right at us and we have to buckle up. We know it’s a big game.

“I think we’re both similar. We both play a smash-mouth game. It’ll come down to who makes the least amount of mistakes.”

Milford could be without its leading rusher for the second straight week, as John Forte will be a game-time decision. Even if Forte doesn’t play, the Spartans still expect to run the ball.

“Everybody is getting reps,” Jones said of his running backs. “Everybody is interchangeable. We make sure everybody can play every position in the backfield in case we get into situations like this. Obviously Forte is a great player, but other guys can step in.”

While Milford and H/B are fighting for playoff position, Portsmouth (4-2) and Bedford (4-2) will be doing the same at Bedford.

The Clippers bounced back after a surprise loss to Goffstown two weeks ago to put themselves in the driver’s seat for the postseason. A win over the Bulldogs would give Portsmouth the tiebreaker with any team that might finish with an identical record, except Souhegan (6-0).

Meanwhile, Bedford is coming off a bye week that couldn’t have come at a better time. The Bulldogs have lost two straight after a 4-0 start in the division. With a trip to Souhegan on for the final week of the season, Bedford will be looking for a win to stay alive Friday.

As for the Sabers, they host a Pelham (0-6) team that has been playing better as of late, but is still looking for its first win of the season. They also kickoff at 7 p.m. on Friday.