Campbell's Scott Hershberger will lead the way for the seemingly powerful East squad in tonight's CHaD All-Star Game at Saint Anselm College. (Telegraph file photo by TOM KING)

MANCHESTER – This year, the East is a Beast.

Indeed, Salem coach Steve Abraham has a powerful team to battle Team West with the hopes of stopping the East’s losing streak in the 13th annual CHaD East-West All-Star Football Game today at 6 p.m. at Saint Anselm College’s Grappone Stadium.

Team West has won the last four encounters, including last year’s 24-0 whitewash. And, two years ago, with the same head coach as this year, Merrimacks Kip Jackson, the West won 13-10 in a double-overtime thriller.

But this year, the East looks powerful. It has the Yukica Player of the Year (and Telegraph Player of the Year) Scott Hershberger, the running back bound for UNH in the fall as New Hampshire’s all-time leading rusher. He can count on one hand the number of games he’s lost in his Campbell High School football career.

Then there’s two othe Yukica finalists, Salem back Kevin Todisco and Exeter’s Dan Batstone. The East has size on both sides of the ball, and the other locals are Nick Hershberger, who will be done with football after tonight, plus Alvirne QB Charlie Crawford and fellow Bronco lineman Shayne Mackey. Oh, and there’s Campbell lineman Anthony St. Pierre. Yikes.

“There’s a lot of good kids on the West this year, similar to I think the last couple of years,” Jackson said. “The kids on the East got a lot of publicity, and I think well-deserved. They have a number of kids who are (Division) I scholarship athletes. Theyre freakin’ good.

“This is by far. … They’re loaded.”

Jackson is hoping the West has a player like unheralded Newport back Kyle Ashley who starred for the West in last years game. “If we do,” Jackson said, “then we won’t stink.”

Jackson said the focus was on picking players who were adaptable and able to play more than one position, since you may have more than one player who is good at a certain spot. “Depth,” he said. “We have that as well as kids who are athletically intelligent.”

Besides the four locals on Team East, there are a ton on Team West. From Nashua North there’s back/receiver Luke Peters; From South there’s defensive back/receiver Diego Cabrera, linebacker/back Kyle Emmons, lineman Kevin Ndubuisi; Bishop Guertin receiver Cole Reeves; Milford receiver Kadyn Tessier; Souhegan back Grant Harris and lineman Luis Toledo; and Merrimack linemen Colby Smith, Nick Franqui, and backs Nathan and JoJo Sadia.

Locals Brayden Hickman (Souhegan) and Josh Ozog (Merrimack) are injured and wont play.

The QBs look to be Bedford’s Jack Maye, Concord’s Colby Nhyan, plus John Stark’s Joe Dykstra and Goffstown’s Jayden Pares. The East will likely go with just two, Crawford and Timberlane’s Jeremy Mlocek.

“What the coaches and the kids have done well the last few years for West is really come together as a team and be able to overcome adversity once we got in the game,” Jackson said. “Play well and play together and play for each other, more than anything else.”

Jackson would love to be coaching another thriller like two years ago.

“That was an amazing experience for everybody who participated,” Jackson said. “East and West as well as all the fans. Hope we can have a game just as exciting as this year.”