Jim Corkum’s fourth year as Concord football’s head coach will officially begin on Friday as the team travels to Grizzlies Field in Goffstown.

The Tide had an underwhelming 2023 season, not making the playoffs with a 1-7 NHIAA Division I record (3-7 overall) and suffering a lot of injuries to their starters, including Eli Bahuma, the league’s top rusher in 2022. But Concord beat Goffstown last November and hopes to start this season in the win column.

“This preseason a big thing is trying to keep everybody healthy,” said Corkum. “Trying to do our best to make sure we’re gonna have everybody on board when it’s time to kick off.”

Over the summer, Concord installed some different schematics to change the look of its game to turn its record around. Corkum expects the skill positions to step up this year, particularly returning quarterback, senior Colby Nyhan, who put in a lot of work in the offseason.

“He’s a really hard-working kid. He’s very smart kid,” said Corkum. “He got better every single week, last season. So you know, with that progression that he’s had, I’m looking for him to really keep making a lot of those gains.”

Last year, Concord had only one player make the All-Conference first team, Oscar Humelsine-Perez. He graduated and Corkum has two wide receivers in mind to fill the gap in terms of offensive production.

“(Senior) Trevor (Craigue) was somebody who got injured in our preseason last year and was out for the entire year, so I think he’s really anxious to get on the field and get going,” he said. “(Senior Brett) Tuttle is a kid who’s been playing a lot for us since his sophomore year. It’s on both sides of the ball, so looking forward, looking for him to really step up in that, that senior leadership role.”

Craigue and Tuttle, plus senior newcomer Angelino Rodriguez, give Nyhan two excellent receiving options, while junior Travis Dunbar, and seniors Nate Galbraith and Sawyer McCready have experience in the running game, and will be bolstered by junior Tim Fahnbulleh and sophomore Colin Savard joining the varsity ranks.

The team had over 75 student show up for tryouts, and although the official roster is senior-heavy, it has a good mix of underclassmen and even some freshmen dressed on the sidelines for depth. The team struggled with lineman depth on both sides of the ball last season due to injury, and that might come into play again this season.

Seniors Van MacIver and Kenny Mercado, and junior Wayne Gutierrez-Sakakeeny give Concord varsity experience on the offensive line.

Defensively, Craigue, Nyhan, Tuttle, Fahnbulleh, Rodriguez and Savard lead the secondary. Dunbar, MacIver, Galbraith and McCready will form the linebacker corps, while Mercado and Gutierrez-Sakakeeny will lead the D-line.

Once again, the Division I Central conference is stacked, with playoff regulars Pinkerton, Londonderry and Salem among the toughest teams on the Tide’s schedule.

“Our goal for this season is to stay healthy and make a push to return to the playoffs,” said Corkum.

BOW

Division: II East

Coach: Paul Cohen (24th year).

Last year: 5-4, reached quarterfinals.

Returning starters: Adam Auclair, sr., TE/LB; Dale Berg, so., OT/DT; Harrison Denise, sr., TE/DB; Chase Flagg, jr., TE/LB; Jon Gancarz, sr., RB/DB; Jackson Hall, sr., G/DE; Sam Hammond, sr., G/LB; Hunter Hutchinson, jr., OT/DT; Brady Lover, sr., QB/DB; Miles Miller, jr., RB/DB; Thomas Schlegel, sr., RB/LB; Caleb Schumacher, jr., RB/LB; Jack Wheeler, jr., QB/DB.

Outlook: The Falcons return 12 starters on offense and 11 on defense from last year’s team that made the playoffs. Bow will host two-time defending D-II champions Pelham on Saturday.

“The 2024 D-II football season will, as always, be competitive and strong,” Cohen said. “I am pleased at the number of athletes desirous to represent Bow on the gridiron, up from last year, which bodes well at this time. Still, I know we have much to prepare for, including our first game against Pelham. We do return a lot of experience from last year’s team, and there have been some rookies showing considerable skill. Our scrimmages (were the) testing ground for this group, hopefully serving as a catalyst for success this autumn.”

JOHN STARK

Division: II West

Coach: Ray Kershaw (fourth year).

Last year: 5-4, reached quarterfinals.

Returning starters: Cole Biagiotti, sr., OL/DL; Alex Descoteau, sr., OL/DL; Joey Dykstra, sr., QB/RB/LB; Weston Haartz, sr., RB/LB; Timmy Lacharite, sr., RB/DB; Matt Antognoni, sr., WR/RB/DB; Noah Redman, sr., WR/DB.

Top newcomers: Jacob Wynn, sr., OL/DL; Brayden Porth, jr., TE/DE; JJ Tucker, jr., TE/LB; AJ Bellan, so., RB/DB/K; Cooper Twombly, so., RB/DB; Parker Hamel, so., OL/DL; Phineas Twomey, so., OL/DL.

Outlook: After a very successful 2023 campaign where the Generals reached the playoffs for the first time since 2018, Stark is looking to build on that momentum this season.

“Depth will be our issue as we graduated a lot from last year’s playoff team,” Kershaw said. “Looking forward to competing every week.”

Teams to beat: Pelham, Souhegan, Plymouth, Bow.

MERRIMACK VALLEY

Division: II East

Coach: Matt Shaw (second year).

Last year: 4-5, did not make tournament.

Returning starters: Jed Duquette, sr., OL; Travis Garcia, sr., OL; Ryan Monoghan, sr., OL; Michael Heine, sr., TE/DE; Reece Clermont, sr., RB; Colby Sheffer, sr., RB/LB; Chris Babonis, jr., DB; Aiden Paquette, sr., DE.

Top newcomers: Tyler Carter, sr., FS; Jacob Demers, sr., CB; Matt Lauren, sr., OLB.

Outlook: The Pride were one win shy of making the playoffs last year and aim to keep improving after finishing 4-5 in both of the last two seasons, and 1-8 in 2021.

“We are very heavy with (17) seniors who are excited to start the season off,” Shaw said. “With some really great leadership in the locker room and on the field we are looking to shake things up this year.”

Teams to beat: Plymouth, Pelham, Souhegan, Bow.

PEMBROKE

Division: II East

Coach: Will Moher (seventh year)

Last year: 1-8, did not make tournament

Returning starters: Treyvon Cannon, sr., WR/DB; Luke Hanson, sr., RB/LB; Sam Harrington, sr., OL/DL; Wyatt Royce, jr., OL/DL; Jackson Olisky, jr., QB.

Outlook: The Spartans return some talented players to the skill positions – especially All-State receiver Cannon and All-State running back Hanson – and have more size and support on the line than they did last year. Olisky moves into a new position this season, taking over as the Pembroke signal caller under center.

“We got a lot better since last year and we are looking forward to improving our record this year,” Moher said.

KEARSARGE

Division: III West.

Coach: Michael Jensen (first year)

Last year: 0-9, did not make tournament.

Returning starters: Brodie Malynowski, Jack Cicoria, Wyatt Brothers, Justin St. Onge, Cole Giberson

Top newcomers: Will Spanos, Will Bennett, Kaleb Naughton

Outlook: “We have introduced and implemented a brand new offense and defense this year,” Jensen said. “We will be looking to re-establish Kearsarge as a relevant Division III high school football program. Our coaching staff has been prioritizing fundamentals, and focusing on developing and strengthening team culture. We have had a successful preseason, and we are looking forward to getting the 2024 season rolling.”

Teams to beat: Inter-Lakes, Monadnock, Campbell, Somersworth.