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NHIAA Previews: Division III

DIVISION III 
2020 Preview

Teams in the division:

North: Laconia, Winnisquam, Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough and Stevens.
South: Pelham, Trinity, Monadnock and Campbell.

2019 champion: Trinity. The Pioneers won the title by beating Lebanon 28-21 in the Division III championship game.

Top storyline: How will Winnisquam fare in Division III? The Bears won the Division IV championship in each of the last two years, but moved up a division in the offseason. Winnisquam has a strong senior class.

Players to Watch: Peter Alisandro, QB/DB (Trinity), Sr.; Zion Carroll, SE/DB (Monadnock), Sr.; Hunter Caron, LB (Campbell), Sr.; Dylan Cashman, OL/DE (Monadnock), Sr.; Chaz Hibbert, OL/DL (Winnisquam), Sr.; Zach Jones, TE (Pelham), Sr.; Victor Lotito, TE (Monadnock), Sr.; Garret Mango, WR/DB (Winnisquam), Sr.; Brandon Marceau, OL/DL (Winnisquam), Sr.; Demarco McKissic, OL/DE (Laconia), Sr.; JT Mosuku, DE (Trinity), Sr.; Phil Nichols, QB/DB (Winnisquam), Sr.; James Thibault, RB/LB (Trinity), Sr.

Key game: Pelham at Trinity (Sept. 9). Trinity should have another strong team this season, and Pelham was among the best Division II had to offer last year, but has moved down a division and will compete in Division III for the next two-year cycle.

Noteworthy:  There were changes made to this division in the offseason. Lebanon, the runner-up in last year’s Division III championship game, is now in Divison II. Hillsboro-Deering/Hopkinton has also moved to Division II. Pelham and Winnisquam are the first-year Division III programs. Pelham was a playoff team in Division II last season, and Winnisquam moved up after winning back-to-back Division IV titles. In addition, Epping/Newmarket, Newport and Somersworth have dropped from Division III to Division IV. … Winnisquam enters the season having won 18 games in a row — the state’s longest winning streak. … ConVal and Kearsarge are two of the four NHIAA schools that elected to not play football this fall. Former ConVal coach Rob Clauss resigned because of the school’s decision. … Paul Lavigne has returned as the head coach at Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough. Lavigne also coached I-L/M from 2009 to 2011, and guided I-L/M to the Division VI championship in 2009 and 2011. Lavigne’s coaching resume includes stops at Stevens, Milford, Manchester Memorial and Manchester West. He has also coached at Plymouth State and Saint Anselm. His Milford teams won four straight Division II championships beginning in 1976. … Pelham tight end/defensive end Zach Jones made the New Hampshire Football Report TOP 50 and is one of the best players in this division.  … Division III will have an open tournament this sesaon. All eight teams will be invited to the playoffs. The North champion will face the South champion in the title game. … Trinity’s schedule includes games against two Division I opponents (Concord and Bishop Guertin). … Week 1 games: Winnisquam at Laconia (Friday), Stevens at Lebanon (Friday), Concord at Trinity (Friday) and Monadnock at Campbell (Saturday).

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Note: Here are links to the NHFR TOP 50 (top 50 players in the state) and the NHFR Preseason Top 10 (teams). These are available only to XTRA members.)

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