When the going gets tough, I disappear.

It was the story during this man’s mediocre athletic career, and it has followed through my adult life, in this case attempting to prognosticate on high school football.

Simply put, all the acorns stored up by the big fella in a rock-solid, 57-12, regular season were washed away in Saturday’s playoff maelstrom, a 2-4 debacle that leaves this corner was a sub-Mendoza line record of 59-16.

With two weeks of Granite State football action remaining there is simply no room for error.

And with that, we hit Week 2 of the postseason, begging to be better, craving victories and clear judgment.

Merrimack at Exeter: Of all the factors that present themselves in this one, Exeter’s power-run game, Merrimack without a gritty competitor like James Dowling, etc., it’s the fact that the Blue Hawks have not committed a penalty or turned the ball over all month that seals the selection here.

Exeter will not beat itself. And I’m not sure the Tomahawks have the firepower to KO the home team.

B’Hawks 35, T’Hawks 21

Hollis Brookline at Bow: The Falcons got a lot of frustration out last week in stomping Souhegan.

They left no doubt. But did they leave enough in the tank? Bow is unbeaten and might just be that good.

In the end, if there is some justice in this gridiron world, the Wimmer Twins’ final game together is on the turf at UNH, playing for a title.

The Cavaliers do the unthinkable.

Air Wimmer 39, Falcons 30

Alvirne at Plymouth: Plymouth should have the wind-chill machines in high gear for this one. Alvirne High coach Tarek Rothe has been one to say a time or two that it’s the playoffs. We’ll play in the parking lot if we have to.

Well here you go.

Honestly, after seeing the wall dedicated to these sage selections in the coach’s room on Route 102, there’s no way I’m picking against this crew.

Broncos 21, Bobcats, 14

Elsewhere

In case you were wondering, we are most certainly paying attention to the rest of the NHIAA playoff action.

We like Londonderry over Salem by a comfy margin in D-I. Lebanon over Hillsborough-Deering/Hopkinton and Trinity over Stevens in Division III, despite the fact that the Cardinals own the best uniforms – that aren’t purple – in the state.

And in the Division IV championship game, it will be Winnisquam over Fall Mountain.

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