They were state champions in 2013. Undefeated and the top seed the next year. A semifinalist once again last year.
But that was all in Division III. Now it’s on to Division II for the Bow Falcons – and one of the area’s most productive football teams in recent seasons will, in essence, be starting from scratch.
“As I’ve said to my kids all along, this is not a situation whereby you can rest on your laurels because we know that so many teams are not going to be very strong, like we saw in the past few years,” Coach Paul Cohen said. “It’s not going to be that way at all. This is, you’re going to have to bring your ‘A’ game every single week.
“The last year and the past several years have been great. And they’re also history.”
It’s a new world for the Falcons. The opponents are unfamiliar. The quality of play that Bow will have to match is higher. Many of the teams that the Falcons play will have bigger numbers and deeper benches.
With so many question marks, Cohen stopped well short of providing the detailed forecast he’s given in the past.
“I would be foolish to try to project where they’re going to finish. I can’t. I can’t do that because I just don’t know enough about the teams we’re going to play,” he said. “It’s not like in the past, where I knew pretty much year to year, ‘Okay, this team does blank, they finished up here last year, etc., etc.,’ and I pretty much could project forward.”
When he turns his attention to the players on his roster, however, Cohen likes what he sees.
“I think as long as we are healthy, we will be competitive. I know that’s what a lot of coaches say, but I firmly believe it’s true,” he said. “I really think that what I have this year is a very interesting mix of kids. They’ve bonded well, they’ve worked hard. They should be ready.”
Graduation hit Bow hard, particularly on the lines, but the Falcons have some familiar names back at key places. Quarterback Matt Harkins is back after guiding Bow to the semis as a sophomore, he has a top-notch target in senior tight end Nate Alford, and senior Justin Mooney, junior Jack Corriveau and senior Mac Kimball lead a versatile group of running backs.
“We’ve been blessed the last several years of having the capacity where we can have five, six different running backs and there’s not a huge drop off, as it were, like there usually is at the high school level,” Cohen said. “These guys are all interchangeable. So that certainly helps us.”
On defense, co-captain Alex Berube and Nolan Filteau anchor the line (as they do on offense), with junior Justin Porath being elevated to a starting defensive end spot. Mooney and Corriveau are outside linebackers with Jack Tellifson and Duke Biehl on the inside, and Kimball, Matt Scanlon, Alex Gott and Mark Borak lead a defensive backfield that Cohen praised as being both athletic and smart.
It’s a good mix – and for Bow to continue the winning seasons that have become a fall tradition, it’ll need to remain that way.
“We have hammered home since the start of camp that we must, must, must be as close to perfect as we can on both sides of the ball,” Cohen said. “There are a lot of unknowns in this season, which in and of itself is not bad. I just look at it as another challenge on the field that we must prepare for. And I think the kids understand that.”
The situation was a new one. In his first season as MV’s head coach, Jim Coll had eventual UNH Wildcat Ivan Niyomugabo leading his up-tempo passing offense. In his second, it was the accurate and poised Ian Curtin guiding the attack.
This year, Coll is forced to hand the reins over to one of three players with no varsity reps between them. But the coach isn’t worried – not when he considers the players who will be catching the ball.
“We’re trying to compensate for lack of experience by putting the ball in the most dangerous players’ hands,” Coll said. “And that’s Ryan and Evan, for sure.”
Ryan Neylon and Evan Martin, specifically. The two seniors were vital cogs in MV’s spread offense last year, showcasing elusiveness and dazzling skills with the ball in their hands. They’ll be back in those roles again this year, Neylon as a playmaking receiver and Martin as both a shifty wideout and one of the team’s three potential quarterbacks, along with strong-armed junior Braedon Miller and freshman Chase Keyser.
“I think quarterback by committee with having a package built for each one of them, and having Ryan and Evan as part of those packages either passing or receiving, it’s not going to be a smooth transition, but it’s going to be as smooth as it possibly can be,” Coll said.
The weapons don’t stop there. MV has a blend of speed and strength in senior Mike Smith, who’s jostling between being a running back, linebacker or lineman, while Keyser is also a talented receiver when not under center.
“(Smith is) very coachable, very, very strong and unbelievably fast. We’re still trying to find the right home for him on both offense and defense,” Coll said. “Chase is as smooth as anybody as far as running routes, downfield blocking. … You’ve got to look for the pearls, but we found one or two of them.”
MV’s defense will be anchored by JJ Johnson, Nick Bartlett and Smith on the line, while senior Josh Farmer, labeled a “coach on the field” by Coll, leads the linebacking corps along with Matt Jarvis. Martin, Neylon, Miller, Cam Tillman, Konnor Abbott and Ricky Hazeltine make up a talented, ballhawking secondary.
“I think we’re going to be pretty tough up front, as far as stopping the run,” Coll said. “We’re going to make people try to beat us with the pass. I’ve got some decent athletes in the secondary.”
Talent is an asset for the Pride. Depth is another story.
“Everybody always says we’re one hit away or one player away from being a bad team,” Coll said. “We literally are one player away from being a bad team as far as injury goes.”
Experience – at some spots – is another matter as well.
“We’re still searching for an identity here,” Coll said. “We’re still … trying to maximize what we’ve got for talent and put together the best team we can.”
It was impossible to overlook the progress the John Stark football team was making last season. But with 2015 over and done with and the fall of 2016 set to start, Coach Rod McQuarrie focuses instead on the one thing the Generals didn’t accomplish.
“The kids see what they have in front of them and what they can accomplish. They understand that we didn’t go to the playoffs,” he said. “Although it was a good season, we didn’t reach our goal of going to the playoffs and competing deep in the playoffs.”
The playoffs would have been far too lofty a goal for the Generals of seasons past, but after Stark lifted its record to 5-3 last fall, the expectations rose with it – and with most of the players responsible for the turnaround back, the Generals are ready to aim even higher.
“I can tell you we’re going to be a really competitive team,” McQuarrie said. “Our goal is to make it to the playoffs and be competitive there. That’s always been our goal. … Get in the playoffs, anything can happen.”
The biggest reason for the rising confidence in Weare is senior quarterback Drew McQuarrie, the coach’s son and a polished passer with a combination of physical and mental tools impressive enough to catch the attention of even Division I colleges.
With McQuarrie operating a more opened-up attack, the Generals flourished – but father said son has changed his game around a bit.
“(He’ll) spread the ball around a bit more this year,” Coach McQuarrie said. “You can already see it this year, there are so many more guys in the mix. That’s one of his goals, to give everybody touches.”
That’s the next reason opponents have started circling Stark on the calendar. The targets in the passing game are dangerous, and they’re everywhere. Cooper Gorski, Leif Mailloux and Jacob Fitts are back after impressive showings last year, as are Brian Baillargeon and Jack Baumann.
Still, the biggest threat might be Kyle Booker, the team’s top tailback who was limited all of last year while dealing with a knee injury.
“He can bounce it out wide as well, he’s got the speed. We send him out for passes, he’s got good hands,” Coach McQuarrie said. “He’s a great all-around athlete.”
Seniors Joe Lagasse, Gavin MacIver and Sean Lavigne return to anchor a strong offensive line, while nose tackle Zach Handy and end Aaron Bergeron lead the defensive line. Booker anchors the team at linebacker and Manny Biskaduros provides an energetic presence as a safety and linebacker hybrid.
“I think we’ll play very well against the run teams, we’ve got some good run-stoppers up front. It’s a good mix,” Coach McQuarrie said. “Our corners, they come up, they’re not afraid to hit. They stop the run very well.
“I think our defense could be the strength this year.”
Not a calming thought for the rest of the division.
The Spartans needed a winning atmosphere put in place, and fast. They certainly found the right man for the job – new Coach Larry McElreavy took Newport to the last two Division III title games, winning it all last year.
Now McElreavy faces the task of turning around a program that has won six games in three years. And while he doesn’t have a magical elixir, McElreavy is confident he knows how to build a winner.
“The biggest thing is, it really is a learning process,” he said. “You’ve got to take baby steps before you take the big ones. I told them as long as we play hard and everyone gives me an effort and tries to do their job, eventually good things are going to happen.”
The rebuilding process starts with four seniors, three of which have been with the program since they were underclassmen. Christian Hanna plays quarterback, running back Nick Hanna and fullback Corey Lavery join him in the backfield, and McElreavy is looking to all three to provide leadership on the field.
“All three have been good football players,” he said. “And I need them to contribute significantly.”
The three will play extensively on defense as well at free safety, cornerback and linebacker, respectively. Junior Alex Abbott will fill another safety spot and juniors Theo Trott and Sean Wood will man both the tight end and defensive end spots, while sophomore Brandon Jawidzik shows promise at wide receiver and linebacker.
After that, it’s a lot of players in new roles – as well as new players, period – but McElreavey said building the winning culture starts with the basics.
“The ones that are there, you know they want to be successful, otherwise they wouldn’t have stuck it out,” he said. “It’ll take them a while to believe in what I’m telling them, and that’s my job. To convince them that what I’m telling them is the right time.”
After two years as a JV program, the Red Hawks finally got bumped up to the NHIAA big time – at Division II, no less.
H-D/Hopkinton is new to the scene, with numbers dwarfed by many of their opponents, and Coach Jay Wood is mixing confidence with a dose of reality.
“Our goal is to be competitive,” he said. “Good, bad or indifferent.”
The Red Hawks have a bevy of talented players. Senior Henry Yianakopolos shifts from quarterback, where he played for two years, to receiver after an injury that compromises his ability to throw.
“He’s a playmaker,” Wood said. “As a quarterback, the ball’s in his hands all the time, but he might have more opportunity to make some plays playing those other positions.”
Seniors Prince Mansah (running back) and Liam Flanagan (tight end) are also fine options, and the team returnd fullback Sage Dubois, the team MVP as a sophomore who didn’t play last year.
At quarterback, the Red Hawks are still looking for a starter, with juniors Carter Quiet and Jake Tomlinson and sophomore Caleb Yianakopolos the candidates.
On defense, Will Christensen and Shelby Cornell will anchor the line, Dubois and Aidan Horne are the top linebackers and Henry Yianakopolos leads the defensive backfield from the safety spot.
“The seniors, they’re an experienced class,” Wood said. “They showed us talent back then and they produced on the field, and this is it. They know it’s their last year. It’s their team to take ownership of.”
Like the Red Hawks, Gilford-Belmont is in its first year as a co-op program in NHIAA competition. While both Hillsboro-Deering and Hopkinton are making their debuts, however, Belmont is the only new addition in this case as Gilford has been an established program.
Still, Coach Josh Marzahl said there’s a distinct new-team feeling with the season getting under way.
“I expect us to be competitive and grow, progress throughout the season,” he said. “See if we can make the playoffs and go from there.”
With running backs Dominick Troiano and Dylan Gansert leading the attack and tight ends Tanner Woods and Nate Cobis figuring to factor heavily into the rotation, G-B will lean toward the run – though Marzahl said the team won’t just be running into the line play after play.
“I think we’re more of a finesse team, with quick passes and runs to the outside,” he said. “Trying to keep the defense honest.”
Gansert also leads the team on defense from the outside linebacker position, and he’s joined by defensive lineman Ethan Ormes and safety and captain Nick Sasseville.
“We run a 3-5, which is nice because you can generate pressure from anywhere,” Marzahl said. “There are multiple linebackers on any play. The offense doesn’t know where the pressure is going to come from. … The versatility of the 3-5 defense is one of our strengths.”
(Drew Bonifant can be reached at 369-3340, abonifant@cmonitor.com or on Twitter at @dbonifant.)