NHIAA Preview: Division IV

By rbrown
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Updated: September 2, 2024

DIVISION IV
2024 Preview

Teams in the Division: Bishop Brady, Farmington/Nute, Franklin, Hillsboro-Deering, Mascoma Valley, Newfound, Raymond and Winnisquam.

2023 champion: Somersworth. The Hilltoppers beat Newport 21-7 to win their third consecutive Division IV title.

Top storyline: Who’s the favorite this season? Now that Newport and Somersworth have moved up to Division III expect this division to be much more competitive.

Players to Watch: Gareth Brown (RB/DB) Mascoma; Mike Defosse (OL/DL) Winnisquam; Jason Doyle (OL/DL) Bishop Brady; Drezell Duffaut (WR) Raymond; Luke Jackson (OL/LB) Bishop Brady; Robert King (RB/DB) Hillsboro-Deering; Cameron Labrecque (TE) Franklin; Ethan Lewis (TE) Mascoma; Gabe Merrill (TE) Raymond; Colin Myers (WR) Mascoma; Jaiden St. Jean (WR/DB) Raymond.

Key game: Raymond at Hillsboro-Deering (Nov. 2). These figure to be two of the best teams in this division. Hillsboro-Deering moved down from Division II, and Raymond has been a notch below Newport and Somersworth in recent years. This matchup comes on the regular season’s final weekend, and it will come as a surprise if something significant isn’t at stake.

Noteworthy: Four teams will make the playoffs in this division. Although the teams will play a balanced seven-game schedule, the football point-rating system will be used to select the four playoff teams. The head-to-head result will be the tiebreaker for a two-team tie. It should be noted that a tie occurs when teams have the same rating, NOT the same record. Two teams that are each 5-2 are not “tied” in the eyes of the NHIAA if their rating is different. … The Division IV championship game will be played Nov. 16 — one week earlier than the Division II and Division III championship games, and two weeks before the Division I title game. … Although Newport and Somersworth have departed, this remains an eight-team division. Hillsbor0-Deering dropped from Division II after ending its co-op program with Hopkinton, and Farmington/Nute will field a varsity team for the first time since 2019. The Hilltoppers and Tigers dominated Division IV competition in recent years. Somersworth won the last three Division IV championships, and beat Newport in the 2021 and 2022 championship games. Newport defeated Somersworth in the 2020 Division IV championship game. “I think the changes have added more parity to the league for sure,” Bishop Brady coach Rob Clauss said. “I think Somersworth is where they belong. Great coaching staff and a great program, but they belong in D3. I think it makes the rest of us more competitive. When it comes to Newport, another program I have great respect for, with their (enrollment) they could stay in D4, but I admire them for saying, ‘Hey, we want to step up and take a bigger bite.’ I agree with both changes. I just think it makes for better games.” … Farmington/Nute is seeking its first winning season in the program’s 15-year history. … Each Division IV team has two bye weeks, but Hillsboro-Deering and Bishop Brady have each scheduled and out-of-state opponent for Week 1. Hillsboro-Deering will play at York, Maine, and Bishop Brady will go on the road to face Martha’s Vineyard Regional.

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