Nashua South's Josh Tripp has been catching the ball ahead of defenders efforts like he did in one of his two TD receptions in last Saturday night's win over Bishop Guertin. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – Joshua Tripp was enjoying his Nashua Biddy Basketball days when his friend’s father, Josh Levesque, was in the stands and after every game tried to coax the tall, lanky Tripp to play football.

“He was pretty persistent,” Tripp said. “So that’s how that happened, and I’m thankful for it.”

That’s because he has thrived in the sport, opening eyes as a freshman as the team’s leading receiver two years ago for Nashua South. Injuries limited him to just a couple of games last year, but last weekend the Panther wideout/safety opened those same eyes again, and certainly a few new ones, with two TD catches and the game-endng pass breakup in the end zone in overtime vs. Bishop Guertin.

Tripp began playing youth ball with the Nashua Elks Crusaders in the sixth grade – his parents promised him he could play the sport but not until the sixth grade – and then when the Elks went some time during the pandemic he played with the program in Goffstown. At that level he was still a receiver, but on defense he was a defensive end.

“It’s a lot different than safety,” he said with a smile. “You get to hit people more.”

He misses that as a safety, but he reaps the benefits of the perks, learning coverages, etc. He enjoys defense “because you can make your own plays and it doesn’t depend on other variables, but offense is really fun.” But the two positions complement each other; as a receiver, he can see coverage tendencies because of his safety play; as a safety he knows what the receivers are up to.

Remember, he’s been doing all this since he was a freshman.

“Early on it was tough, learning the plays, they kind of threw me into the ring but I adapted pretty quickly,” Tripp said. “A couple of my teammates who also came up were with me and we kind of learned together.

“It was fun, obviously nervous because everyone was older than me. But I had fun playing under the lights.”

Was it necessity or just spotting can’t-miss talent that the Panthers had him play such a big role on varsity so early?

“A little of both,” Knight said. “We didn’t have a lot of depth that year as a receiver, and he was over six feet tall (about 6-2, 6-3) fast with great hands, great ball skills, goes up and gets it.

“And he’s really smart, too, he runs great routs, so he’s hard to cover. When a kid knows how to find a window and run a great rout with that size and speed, he’s dangerous. And that garners a lot of attention from opponents, and helps the other guys around him. (such as Colvin Levesque and Diego Cabrera).”

In fact, Tripp admitted that himself when it comes to the extra attention. He’s literally unselfish. He knows he’s on everyone’s radar, but he knows there’s more than one way to beat that. “If they do that, we’ve got plenty of guys in the school who can kill ’em up also,” he said. “We’ve got a bunch of weapons. As long as we win it doensn’t matter to me.”

“That’s why he’s unselfish,” Knight said of Tripp’s attitude. He’s a really, really smart kid; we’re lucky we have him.”

As a safety, Knight says the same principles apply, as he has good ball skills, good instincts, “and he has a real good handle on what we’re doing back there. He knows where his eyes need to be and he’s a great communicator.

“He has all the qualities of a real good football player on both sides of the ball.”

Tripp has been playing basketball longer than football – he played on the South varsity last year – but he feels he’s better at football. He wants to play either in college, and as he says it, “Whatever has the opportunity.”

What is it about receiver that we don’t know?

“A lot of practice goes into it,each rep, getting better every time,” Tripp said. “I’m kind of a ‘jump ball guy’.”

And he grinned.

“It’s good,” he said, “to be tall at my position.”

“He’s got some size and lenghth,” Knight said, “but he’s also a good size kid, pretty thick. And he can run and jump with the best of them. … You see him in here, he’s a best in the weight room. He’s stronger than some of our linemen. … It makes him run fast and jump high (chuckling).”

In fact, Tripp ran what Knight said was “a 4.5 and change” in a two-point stance. “Laser timed, so that’s legit.”

Tripp says the plays are just second nature, as this is his third year. He had to deal with not only the injury pain (knee) but also the pain of losing the last couple of years. “Obviously, it was tough losing, I hate losing, it’s my least favorite thing ever,” he said. “Last year I was injured a lot. Me and my friends, we’ve been playing together my whole life, and we were always dominating. So it was obviously tough to go through that. Hopefully this year, we turn things around.”

Once basketball season ended, Tripp hit the weight room and also went for runs after those sessions with his teammates.

And on the flip side, after football, it’s on to basketball. “I’m confident,” ” Tripp said about the Panthers chances at success. “We’ve got Josh Caruso, he’s like the best in the state. We’ve got a bunch of good guys, and I’m confident in us.”

Nashua South’s Josh Tripp celebrates a TD last Saturday with Justin Fish (1) and Colvin Levesque (5). (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

Nashua South’s Josh Tripp celebrates a TD last Saturday with Justin Fish (1) and Colvin Levesque (5). (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

Playing the two sports has its challenges, because that certainly filled up the summer with 7 on 7s (football), captains practices, but then basketball summer league. And there’s not much down time between the end of football and the beginning of basketball, although a bit more now that there’s no Thanksgiving game. However, the Division I playoffs go until the title game Thanksgiving weekend.

“It’s hard balancing them,” Tripp said. “I try and spread my time equally.”

College is still a couple of years away but Tripp is interested in sports medicine. As football player in college, Knight says it’s still uncertain giving the fact he may grow where he projects, but outside linebacker is possible.”You get a kid out there like that, that’s just dangerous,” Knight said. “We’re just getting going (in the process). Keep in mind he only played about a game-and-a-half last year. We’d be much further along. He’s got just freshmen film.”

So Knight has told him to get his tape ready and in order so some of the early interest he’s gotten from schools will develop into something more.

“If he can stay healthy, and stay the course, he’ll have some opportunities,” Knight said. “We’re not sure what they’re going to be but he has a lot of doors open because he’s a really good student. So that always helps. We’ll see where that takes us; I don’t like anybody to get ahead – but he gets it.”

That’s why first, Tripp wants to be more physical as a football player, improve his skills, “and bring it to people more.” He feels he can put a little more weight on, but the improvement will come with more games. And he’d love more games like last Saturday night.

“It was awesome, I loved every second of it,” he said. “The student section was amazing. It was emotional, going into overtime, that missed field goal (by BG at the end of regulation), I was praying. It was awesome, I wouldn’t have traded it for anything.”

When it comes to Josh Tripp, the Panthers feel the same way.

“He’s a really, really good kid,” Knight said. “I expect him to do some big things for us the next two years.”