Former Alvirne lineman Cam Porter is one of about a half-dozen locals set to play in today's annual Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl at Castleton, Vt. (Photo courtesy of Shrine Bowl)

It’s time for football, breakfast style, with a cause.

The 71st annual New Hampshire-Vermont Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl is set for this morning at 11:30 at Castleton (Vermont) University’s Dave Wolk Stadium.

Vermont won last year’s game 28-6, snapping a three-game New Hampshire winning streak. The Granite State leads the series 50-17-2. The game was not played in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic.

Locals slated to play for New Hampshire include Nashua North lineman Gavin Adkinson, Souhegan defensive lineman Zack Wyborney and receiver/returner/defensive back Connor Cassidy, Alvirne lineman Cam Porter, Bishop Guertin two-way lineman/defensive end Joe Neal and two-way lineman Diego Mendez.

New Hampshire is coached by Sanborn Regional head man Josh White. White guided Sanborn to the playoffs with a 6-3 mark last fall, his fifth season as head man and 10th in the program.

Former Nashua South assistant Lauren Gaudette is on the staff. Currently an assistant coach at Windham High School, this is a special game for her as she was once a patient at the Shriners Hospital. Former BG assistant and current Pelham High School head coach John Trisciani is also on the staff.

The New Hampshire players are thrilled to be part of the game.

“I knew that my hard work over the past four years had paid off,” Cassidy said. “I was honored and ecstatic to have the ability to not only represent the state of New Hampshire but my family and school district as well.”

“Thanks to Coach White and the Shriners organization I will be able to play one last football game and support an amazing organization like the Shriners,” Mendes said.

“I knew about the Shrine Game through friends,” BG’s Neal said, “and to not only get the chance to play another game but also fundraise and support an excellent cause is a blessing.”

This is probably Alvirne’s Porter’s last game – as it may be for many of the others on the NH squad.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to take the field and play the game I love one last time for a great cause,” he said.

(Material from shrinemaplesugarbowl.com was used in this report.)