The chase is on as teams pursue defending Division I champs Londonderry and QB Drew Heenan beginning tonight. (File photo courtesy of Joe Marchilena/NH-HighSchoolSports.com)

The polls are out, the conferences and format in one division are different, but the talk is now just about over.

Let the games begin.

That’s what happens now as the high school football season opens up tonight and Saturday with a full slate of games, and last year’s champions take different directions.

In Division I, 2021 champion Londonderry is considered a favorite, although some feel Bishop Guertin should gain some consideration, with its offensive and defensive lines (Rocco Geraci-led) plus key skill position players (Matt Santosuoso, Charlie Bellavance) back.

“I think a lot of these coaches around the state, they’re looking at teams’ rosters, and even last year, guys that play well, and all their juniors, I think that’s where that’s coming from,” Guertin coach John Trisciani said. “There are a lot of guys (for BG) coming back, that’s where that’s from.

“But if you had told me five years ago, based on the state of the program, that anybody would be looking at BG football as any type of contender, I probably would’ve thought you were crazy. But I would’ve thought we’d get there. … We see where it’s come, but now we kind of see where it can be.”

Londonderry has grown into a power under former Manchester West coach Jimmy Lauzon, now in his ninth year at the Lancer helm. Lauzon has his quarterback, Drew Heenan, back, and that should make a big difference. He has five other starters back on offense and five more on defense, 11 of them seniors. That’s why they’re considered the favorites. Exeter is also considered to be strong, and the favorite to win the East conference – remember, there’s the East, Central (where Londonderry is and West. The Blue Hawks have 11 starters back (same as Londonderry, six offense, five defense), led by QB Evan Pafford but the key for the Hawks will be their running game and play up front, and they’ve got some size.

It will be free for all after the three conference champions are determined, because there will be 10 other playoff spots (best overall records via point system, regardless of conference). Those 10 teams will make up five first round games, and then the five winners plus the three conference winners make up the quarterfinal field, and so on. Nashua North will contemd for the conference, it seems, and we’ll see how the Titans match up with another contender, Bedford, tonight at Stellos. Pinkerton should also be a playoff team, and the Astros of course will battle Londonderry for that conference title.

Division II champion Timberlane is now up in Divsion I in the East, return some starters who now have championship pedigree, so they could be in the playoff mix. Last year’s runnerup, Winnacunnet, has that same feeling. Locally, Nashua South is a team to watch as well. Again, once the games begin, we’ll know more.

In Division II, it looks like a nice West Conference battle between local entries Milford and Souhegan, plus former Division III power Pelham and we may throw Hanover in there as well. The Sabers (2020 champs) with a young team made the playoffs last year, took their lumps in a quarterfinal but are ready to make contending noise again.

Pelham pummeled Division III, so with 15 starters back (eight offense, seven defense) the Pythons should be strong despite the move up, led by senior QB Jake Travis. The Spartans have Charlie Urda at QB, will have to replace some key losses but still should be playoff contenders. Beware of Plymouth in the East despite just three back on each side of the ball but also Bow and Gilford-Belmont. The Falcons have 15 combined starters back (potentially eight offense, seven defense).

In Division III, it’s fairly simple now that Pelham has left: Campbell and Trinity, and then there’s the rest. The Cougars have a ton of returnees and are looking to be a very physical team (the sophomore Hershberger brothers will help with that), while Trinity has always been more of a skill team. If these two aren’t in the Division III finals, it will be a surprise.

And now, it’s time to see it all play out.