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# A way-too-early look at the 2017 football season
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/way-early-look-2017-football-season/
- Published: 2016-11-28T13:00:24.000Z
- Updated: 2016-11-28T13:00:24.000Z
- Description: All the plaques have been handed out and the football equipment has been turned in, so what better time to start thinking about the 2017 high school football season.
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Fall Sports, Division I, Division II, Division III, football, playoffs, prediction, slider, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

All the plaques have been handed out and the football equipment has been turned in, so what better time to start thinking about the 2017 high school football season.

While the teams from Bedford, Plymouth and Stevens are cherishing a season that ended at the top of their respective divisions, 55 other football programs have already begun the drive to knock them off the mountain. So let's take a look at who those challengers might.

But first a disclaimer: All predictions are based on players and coaches assumed to return for the 2017 season, and that the major changes won't be made to the NHIAA's three-division format. I'll try to make updates if anything is changed.

### Division I

The 2017 season will feature crossover matchups between the East and the North, and the South and the West. That means that for playoff purposes, the East (Exeter, Dover, Portsmouth, Winnacunnet and Spaulding) will be in a cluster with the North (Bedford, Goffstown, Concord, Manchester Central and Manchester Memorial).

On the other side, the West (Nashua North, Nashua South, Bishop Guertin, Alvirne and Keene) will be in a cluster with (Merrimack, Salem, Pinkerton, Londonderry and Timberlane).

There will be a lot of experienced quarterbacks returning at the D1 level, including Bedford's Connor Robert, South's Sean Holland, Bishop Guertin's Sam Raitt and Salem's Matt Soldano, who all led their teams to the playoffs.

Also returning will likely be Dover's Carson Webb, Portsmouth's Cody Graham, Manchester Central's Alex Hawkom, Winnacunnet's Patrick McDougall and Pinkerton's Aiden Goujon. And that doesn't include Cody Morissette, who is expected to take over at Exeter with the graduation of Kyle Ball.

With so much experience back at such an important position, the factor that will separate the top teams will be the talent around each quarterback. Salem, Bedford, South and Bishop Guertin are among the teams with many of their top athletes returning for another season.

Here's a way-too-early prediction of what next year's playoffs might look like.

**East/North Cluster:** Bedford, Exeter, Manchester Central, Portsmouth.

**West/South Cluster:** Salem, Nashua South, Bishop Guertin, Pinkerton.

### Division II

As long as Garrett Macomber is suiting up for Plymouth, don't count out the Bobcats.

Plymouth overcame a lot of injuries to key players throughout the 2016 season, but Macomber just added to the load and did a pretty good job of getting the Bobcats to a title three or four yards at a time.

And because of those injuries, Plymouth will have some depth returning next year, which means the Bobcats should be an early favorite to win another D2 title.

After a somewhat surprising first season in D2, Bow could also be back in the postseason with quarterback Matt Harkins and running back Jack Corriveau leading the way. Windham will likely reload and St. Thomas will also have some key players returning in Tim Bouchard and Shawn Dekorne.

And like in D1, some experienced quarterbacks will be back in the mix, including ConVal's Dan Spezzaferri, Hollis Brookline's Joey Delaney and John Stark's Parker McQuarrie, who stepped in for older brother Drew at the end of the season.

Here's a way-too-early look at what the playoffs might look like, in no particular order.

**Playoff teams:** Plymouth, Windham, St. Thomas, ConVal, Bow, Milford, John Stark, Hollis Brookline.

### Division III

All the teams that made the postseason this year will be hit hard by graduation, but there will be some big names returning, including two players who helped lead their teams to the title game - Stevens quarterback Henri Bourque and Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough running back Andrew Brothers.

Campbell looks like it will returning several players with varsity experience, which included a quarterfinal game against the champion Cardinals this postseason. And despite losing 13 seniors, Monadnock should come back strong in its second year in D3.

Here's a way-too-early look at what the playoffs could look like in 2017:

**North:** Stevens, Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough, Monadnock, Kearsarge.

**South:** Campbell, Somersworth, Bishop Brady, Epping-Newmarket.

Only 36 weeks until the start of the 2017 preseason.