Playoff Preview: Division II

By rbrown
- Tweet
- Pin It
Updated: November 5, 2020

DIVISION II QUARTERFINALS
CAPSULE PREVIEWS

Kennett vs. Plymouth

When and where: Saturday (1 p.m.) in Plymouth.
Team records: Top-seeded Plymouth is 5-0. Second-seeded Kennett is 5-1.
Regular-season result: Plymouth won 21-20 in Conway.
Noteworthy: Plymouth is attempting to reach the Division II championship game for the fifth consecituve season. The Bobcats won the title in 2016, 2017 and 2018, and lost to Hollis-Brookline in last year’s Division II championship game. … Kennett hasn’t advanced to a championship game since 2001, when it lost to Plymouth (29-8) in the Division III final. … The Eagles had the Bobcats on the ropes when these teams met during the regular season. Kennett led 20-7 in the fourth quarter, but Plymouth scored twice in the final 11 minutes. Cole Johnston caught a 68-yard touchdown pass with 10:54 left, and then one play after recovering a fumble with 2:33 to play, Trevan Sanborn’s TD catch tied the game. … Kennett quarterback Parker Coleman tossed three TD passes to Cole Salyards in the loss. Salyards played for Hopkinton (Mass.) High School last season. … Plymouth won the turnover battle, 3-0. … The winner wil play Lebanon or Bow in next weekend’s Division II semifinals.

Lebanon vs. Bow

When and where: Saturday (10 a.m.) in Bow.
Team records: Top-seeded Bow is 4-0. Second-seeded Lebanon is 5-0.
Regular-season result: The teams did not meet.
Noteworthy: This is the only playoff game in the state this weekend that features two unbeaten teams. … Lebanon advanced by beating Hanover 37-0 in the quarterfinals. It was the third straight shutout victory for the Raiders. … Bow moved on by beating Hillsboro-Deering/Hopkinton, 20-6. … Lebanon lost to Trinity in last year’s Division III championship game, and then moved to Division II in the offseason. … Bow’s last trip to the Division II championship game came in 2017, when it lost to Plymouth (27-8). The Falcons’ offense relies heavily on fullback Andrew Robbins, who had two rushing touchdowns during last weekend’s victory over H-D/H. … Lebanon coach Chris Childs said playing solid run defense will be paramount for his team. Linebackers CJ Childs, Cole Shambo, Nyeoti Punni and Justin DeCarlo are the strength of the Lebanon defense. “I think their main objective is to run the football with the big fullback (Robbins) — that’s what they do,” he said. “We have to make sure we’re disciplined and do our job.” … Lebanon has outscored its opponents 164-20 this season, and Bow has outscored its opponents 149-33. … The winner of this matchup will face either Plymouth or Kennett in the semifinals.

St. Thomas vs. Timberlane

UPDATE: St. Thomas has forfeited this game for COVID-related reasons.

When and where: Friday (6:30 p.m.) in Plaistow.
Team records: Second-seeded Timberlane is 3-3. Fourth-seeded St. Thomas is 1-5.
Regular-season result: Timberlane won 37-7 in Dover.
Noteworthy: Despite going winless during the regular season, St. Thomas upset top-seeded Pembroke Academy 22-0 in the Division II quarterfinals. Timberlane advanced wth a 42-6 triumph over fourth-seeded Sanborn. Junior running back Dominic Pallaria ran for 147 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries in that victory. The Owls also received 146 yards rushing and two TDs from sophomore running back Dan Post. … Pallaria ran for 108 yards and three touchowns when these teams met during the regular season. Timberlane quarterback Ethan Stewart ran for 104 yards and tossed a TD pass to Robert Olson in that victory. … St. Thomas allowed at least 32 points in four of its five losses, but turned in an exceptional defensive effort in last weekend’s victory over Pembroke. … Timberlane was a Division I program until this year, when it dropped to Division II for the current two-year cycle. … The Timberlane/St. Thomas winner will face either Hollis-Brookline or Souhegan in the Division II semifinals.

Hollis-Brookline vs. Souhegan

When and where: Friday (6:30 p.m.) in Amherst.
Team records: Second-seeded Hollis-Brookline is 3-2. Top-seeded Souhegan is 7-2.
Regular-season result: Souhegan won 20-0 in Amherst.
Noteworthy: Hollis-Brookline won last year’s Division II championship. The Cavaliers were unsettled at the quarterback position early in the season, but have won three in a row since then. … Souhegan is one of four unbeaten teams in Division II. Plymouth, Lebanon and Bow are the others. … Hollis-Brookline advanced by beating Milford 33-14 in the semifinals. Running back Marc-Andre Thermitus rushed for TDs of 5, 52 and 55 yards in that contest. … Souhegan had a bye in the quarterfinals after Manchester West opted out of the playoffs. … Senior running back Riley Lawhorn ran for 236 yards for Souhegan when these teams met during the regular season. Quarterback Austin Jain completed 11 of 17 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown in that victory. He also ran for a TD. Souhegan outgained Hollis-Brookline 390-58 and held Thermitus to 42 yards on the ground. … The winner of this matchup will meet either Timberlane or St. Thomas in the semifinals.