Telegraph file photo by TOM KING Curtis Harris-Lopez, left, and Max Ackerman are two big reasons many see Nashua North as the Division I favorite this season.

It’s a short season. Not much room for error, but then again, whoever ends up winning division titles in New Hampshire high school football this season will remember them for a long, long, long time.

That’s because, as has been often said, getting to the title game in a pandemic season is a victory in itself.

For playoffs, the way it looks is there are open tournaments with play-in games for the final spots in conferences or conference playoff clusters in Divisions I and II,

But let’s take a brief look at each division and see what might happen:

DIVISION I

Some look at Nashua North as being the division favorite. Defending champion Londonderry graduated a whopping 27 seniors, so it will be interesting to see how the Lancers forge ahead. They do have some key linemen back.

Of course, Pinkerton, Bedford and Exeter are always schools that are looked at, the Blue Hawks being runners-up last year while the Astros and Bulldogs look to bounce back from 6-3 seasons that many always think could have been better. Exeter got a serious quarterback transfer in Jonathan Bunnell from St. John’s Prep, where he played on a Division I state title team in Massachusetts last year. He can also play linebacker.

But Goffstown, with new coach Nick Hammond, could be a serious contender after losing in the quarters last year. The Grizzlies have nine back on offense and 10 on defense.

Locally? Nashua North with the state’s best player in Curtis Harris-Lopez, South with several skill players back, and Merrimack with its constant ability to reload will all be factors.

And Bishop Guertin got some athletes transferring in and have some key returnees.

“That team across the river (Merrimack) was really good last year and has reloaded as well,” Laurendi said. “I think BG has benefited from some transfers, and now it’s not what it was.

I love our conference (West) because that’s what you want to play in, and you want to play the best.”

The playoff groupings are North/East confernces and South/West.

DIVISION II

You have to consider Souhegan one of the big favorites, because the Sabers return eight of 11 on both sides of the ball and can always score a ton. The team that eliminated them, Bow, only has six starters back.

But let’s not forget the defending champions, Hollis Brookline. Head coach Chris Lones said it’s the first time in a half dozen years he can remember going into a season not knowing who his QB is, but the Cavs still have a ton of returnees – more seniors, in fact, than last year.

There’s always Plymouth. The Bobcats return about a half dozen starters on both sides of the ball from the team the Cavaliers beat in the finals, including senior QB Cody Bannon. This is a group that has played in three straight state title games, tough to count them out.

There could be – though not official – play-in games between the eighth and ninth place teams in the two conferences before quarterfinals.

DIVISION III

While it will be a different Campbell team, it will be a competitive one. Trinity graduated 14 from its 11-1 title team, but on paper looked to have nearly a dozen seniors this season.

One has to figure Monadnock, after having a young team last year that still made the playoffs following two straight years in the finals (vs. Campbell) will make a big push. Runnerup Lebanon was bumped up to Divison II, but Winnisquam, the Divison IV champion, moved up to Division III and lost just three seniors from an unbeaten team. It also holds the state’s longest winning streak at 18. All eight teams will make the playoffs.

DIVISION IV

Welcome back to New Hampshire football, Tony Johnson. The architect of the Bishop Guertin dynasty of the first decade of the 2000s is now the grand poobah at Bishop Brady, as football coach and athletic director. Sound familiar?

But there’s plenty of schools – perhaps Raymond and newcomer Newport (down from III) who could contend. Fall Mountain lost a lot to graduation but is usually very strong. It will be interesting. But keep an eye on Brady. All eight teams will make the playoffs.

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