Telegraph photo by TOM KING Bishop Guertin's Brendan Callahan, right, and Daniel Fleming have a Division I play-in date with Keene this weekend, instead of the previously regular season game vs. Nashua South. South will instead be at Bedford on Friday night.

NASHUA – Monday was not just another day at the office for the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association.

The NHIAA announced a timeline for winters sports, as well as its soccer and volleyball tournament pairings.

Also, there has been another local football game change for this weekend as some teams are scrapping their final regular season games to compete in playoff play-in games. As a result, Nashua High School South will visit Bedford Friday, as the team the Panthers were supposed to play this weekend, Bishop Guertin, is playing Keene in a play-in.

Here’s a look at all the day’s developments and tourney updates:

FOOTBALL

The Panthers will be at Bedford Friday night at 7, as Bedford had an opening due to the fact Pinkerton has cancelled the rest of its fall sports season.

Guertin-Keene will be a play-in with BG designated as the home team, but it’s not known where the game will be played, although it’s likely Saturdy afternoon. The Blackbirds are not allowed by school rule during the pandemic to travel as far as Nashua. A location – presumably Concord is possible – will be likely announced today. BG is 1-3. Keene has played just two games (0-2), having lost to Lebanon 21-0 last weekend and Monadnock 20-6.

Other Division I play-ins include Exeter vs. Portsmouth, and Concord-Central. Those were convenient as they were scheduled to play this weekend, anyway.

What about after the play-ins? The remaining 13 teams, plus the three play-in winners, will be in four team conference pods, according to a statement from Exeter coach and NHIAA Football Committee chairman Bill Ball to @seacoastonline. So locally, the BG-Keene winner would join North, South, and Merrimack in one conference pod, with seedings likely according to record. Football is the only sport using records for tourney pairings.

Alvirne would likely be with South teams Salem, Londonderry and Windham; no play-in was needed for the South Conference as Pinkerton cancelled the rest of fall sports.

WINTER DATES

The NHIAA announced that teams can begin limited “skills and drills” workouts as per the NH Amateur and Youth Sports Guidelines on Nov. 30, basically Phases 1 and 2 of the NHIAA re-opening guidance that began in the summer/early fall.

Full team practices can begin for all sports on Dec. 14, with the first day games will be allowed set for Monday, Jan. 11. There will be open tournaments, minimum game requirements waived and no season ending dates have been set as of yet.

But don’t fully count on those dates locally yet, especially in Division I. First, most school districts will need to approve winter sports competition like they did in the fall.

“We met this morning,” Nashua athletic director Lisa Gingras said of the Divison I Ads, “and it is being discussed. No final decisions as of yet.

“Honestly, we’re not sure we’re all going to get approvals from our school boards and health departments and things like that. This is going to be more difficult because of the fact everything’s inside. And in winter, we have so many off-site facilities (like hockey rinks) that we’re not in charge of.”

“I’m just hoping we have a season,” Nashua South girls basketball coach John Bourgeois said. “There is so much that can happen between now and that time. I’m thankful if we even have on.”

“Let us play as long as it’s healthy, under all the guidelines and we follow everything we’re supposed to,” Panthers boys basketball coach Nate Mazerolle said. “But yes, we certainly want the kids to have the opportunity.”

LOCAL TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS

The NHIAA announced pairings for boys and girls soccer and girls volleyball, so here’s a look locally by division. Keep in mind this is all different from what has been done in the past, as things in each division are divided into regions. Plus, all the rankings were basically blind draws (out of a hat, so to speak).

BOYS SOCCER

DIVISION I – How about a second straight year of a Nashua North-South playoff game? The two teams will play a Region Four play-in game next Monday, the winner to face Bishop Guertin on Wednesday, Oct. 28 in the prelims. Merrimack will host Alvirne next Wednesday in the other prelim. The quarterfinals (or regional finals) are Saturday, Oct. 31.

DIVISION II – The locals are in Region Two, with Milford hosting Manchester West in a play-in next Monday, the winner facing Hollis Brookline Oct. 28. In the other prelim, Souhegan hosts Pelham. Quarters are Oct. 31, semis

DIVISION III – Campbell visits Trinity next Monday (play-in), and if the Cougars win that, they visit Mascenic next Wednesday. Quarters on Oct. 31.

DIVISION IV – Wilton-Lyndeborough hosts Hinsdale next Monday (play-in), with the winner going to Sunapee Oct. 28, quarters on Oct. 31.

GIRLS SOCCER

These are Tuesday-Thursday-Sunday deals through the regions:

DIVISION I – In Region Four, Merrimack will host Bishop Guertin in a play-in on Tuesday, Oct. 27, with the winner facing Nashua North in the prelims on Thursday, Oct. 29. Alvirne hosts Nashua South in the other prelim that day, and the regional finals (quarters) are Sunday, Nov. 1.

DIVISION II – Souhegan is at Manchester West next Tuesday (play-in), the winner to visit Hollis Brookline on Thursday, Oct. 29. On that day, Milford visits Pelaham. The prelim winners meet in the Region Two finals (division quarters) Sunday, Nov. 1.

DIVISION III – Campbell hosts Trinity next Tuesday (play-in), the winner going to Conant on Oct. 29. Region Four finals on Nov. 1.

DIVISION IV – Wilton-Lyndeborough hosts Newport next Tuesday, winner to Sunapee on Oct. 29, and the Region Four Finals on Nov. 1.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

DIVISION I – In the all-local Region One, Nashua South is at Bishop Guertin on Tuesday, Oct. 27 and Merrimack hosts Hollis Brookline. The South-BG winner visits Alvirne on Oct. 29 and Merrimack-HB winner goes to Nashua North. The two survivors meet on Saturday, Oct. 31.

DIVISION II – These are Mon-Wed-Fri, with Milford at Pelham next Monday (play-in), the winner going to Souhegan on Wednesday, Oct. 28. Campbell, in Division II for location purposes this year, will visit Manchester West on that Wednesday. The prelim winners meet in the Regional Finals on Friday, Oct. 30.

ALL SEMIS-FINALS

BOYS SOCCER — In all divisions for boys soccer, the Region 4 winner is at Region 1 and Region 2 champ at Region 3 in the semis, with the finals on Saturday, Nov. 7 at the Region 1-4 semis winner.

GIRLS SOCCER – In all divisions for girls soccer, it’s the same as above except the semis are on Thursday, Nov. 5 and the finals on Sunday, Nov. 8.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL – The Division I semis are on Wednesday, Nov. 4, with the host team by draw; Division II on Thursday, Nov. 5. The finals for both, again, host by draw, on Saturday, Nov. 7.

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