Division IV: Championship Preview

By Roger Brown
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Updated: November 12, 2026

NHIAA DIVISION IV CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Newfound vs. Newport/Mount Royal

When and where: Saturday (1 p.m.) at Laconia High School.
Team records: Second-seeded Newfound is 7-1. Top-seeded Newport/Mount Royal is 8-0.
Regular-season result: Newport/Mount Royal won 22-0 in Newfound.
Noteworthy: Newport/Mount Royal scored two defensive touchdowns when these teams met during the regular seaason. Brycen Flewelling scored on a fumble return, and Ayden Hodge returned a fumble 70 yards for a TD. The Tigers had an 8–0 lead at halftime and extended it to 14–0 in the third quarter on a touchdown run by Joe Gosselin. … Hodge, a senior running back, was named the Division IV Player of the Year. … Newfound outscored its opponents 211-105 this season, and scored at least 32 points in five games. Running back Colin Buskey is Newfound’s top offensive threat. “He runs hard,” Mascoma coach Josh Kershaw said. “(Ryan) Hennessy, their fullback, is a great player as well, but their strength is really up front with their offensive line. They’ll look to pound the ball until the defense creeps up.” … Newport will be seeking its first championship since 2020, when it beat Somersworth 42-0 in the Division IV title game. This is Newfound’s first appearance in a championship game. … Newfound’s James Hardy and Newport/Mount Royal’s Kevin Pollari shared the Division IV Coach of the Year award. … Newport outscored its opponents 252-55 this season. Both teams were credited with a 7-0 victory over Raymond, which discontinued its season after Week 1. … “I think it’s going to be very competitive,” Kershaw said. “I know the first time they played it was 22-0, but going through that film Newfound made a bunch of mistakes, turnovers, going offside – things like that. A lot of mental mistakes. They’re both older teams. They’re both physical. They both play fast. I think Newfound has the edge in the depth part of it because Newfound has more than 30 guys and Newport has 18, but the 18 guys Newport has are very good athletes. Newport relies a lot on their horses. They’re very physical up front and they overpower you. If the defense creeps up too close to the line, Jaxson Lord, their quarterback, can throw it. I’ve seen him do it. It’s nothing cute. It’s literally old-school, ironman football.” … Newport/Mount Royal advanced by beating fourth-seeded Hillsboro-Deering, last year’s Division IV champion, in the semifinals. Newfound moved on by beating Mascoma 44-28 in the semis. “I think the biggest difference is experience,” Kershaw said. “Newfound has never been in a championship game. Newport’s been in how many? So is the moment too bright for Newfound? We’re gonna find out.”

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