Here are a few tids and bits along the preseason high school football camp trail to get you wanting more for as our special 2025 High School Football Preview Tab will be in print in next weekend’s Sunday Telegraph:

First, here’s a little behind the scenes look at what can happen in high school football, as the talented players have options. Nashua North was all set to welcome back Jordan Toribio, who played as a freshman but then transferred to St. John’s Prep of Danvers, Mass.

He was set after two years to return to the Titans; his family still lives here in Nashua. He dazzled opponents in 7 on 7s during the summer, and many felt he was in the same category of Titan great Curtis Harris-Lopez – a player who could score from anywhere on the field. Trust us, Divison I coaches here were petrified.

Well, now they can sleep easy. The night before practice was to begin (it started on Aug. 15), Toribio reversed course and let it be known he was returning to St. John’s Prep. Bummer.

— It’s not always easy finding that non-league game to play to give teams nine in total in Division I. Bishop Guertin was all set thinking it had last year’s out-of-state foe, North Middlesex, set for an opener here. But there was a problem with NM’s numbers, etc., and it got scrapped as they were co-oping with Groton-Dunstable. The Cards thought they had some options but they all fell through until they ended up going with Pathfinder Tech in Palmer, Mass. “I’m just happy our seniors get to dress for (a ninth) game,” Nalen said, hoping for a closer opponent next year.

— Speaking of the out-of state games, you want a tough start to the season? How about Nashua South? The Panthers, certainly a title contender, open up at Malden (Mass.) Catholic, no pushover, but at least it doesn’t count in the standings. And then….Bedford at home. Yikes.

“We are testing ourselves early on,” new head coach Josh Porter said.

The idea was, said Porter, at least with Malden Catholic is to make it tough early. The team rolled through seven or eight weeks last year and that put it almost at a disadvantag when it lost to Bedford.

— New Alvirne coach Justin Hufft was at a disadvantage when he was hired, because as the Pelham AD about to become the Alvirne AD, he couldn’t come into the building duirng the school year to recruit, etc., as he was still under contract to the Pythons. And now he sees that his new program needs more numbers.

“We have to look to get the numbers up at the youth level,” he said. “Get the numbers up at the youth level. The kids (currently) in the program, those are the kids we’re focusing on. I want them to have a good experience. The more kids that have a good experience, it can gain momentum from there and they start getting more friends to come out. That’s the way to do it.”

—- There’s also a numbers issue at Milford, which makes one wonder if after this current cycle is over at the end of the school year that the Spartans may not be long for Division II. We’ll see.

— Feeling sluggish, a little down? We’ve got the solution for you – go to a Souhegan football practice. It’s a concert wrapped around a football practice. The music – hip hop, rock, old school, whatever they’ve got playing – plus the intensity on the football field will wake you right up. Hey, plus it’s free.

“That’s been our culture the last couple of years,” Sabers coach Robin Bowkett said. “We play music at practice, the energy better be high, we’re working really hard and competing while having fun at the same time. Football’s way to hard to not have fun. … This should be the best time of their (his players’) life. There’s nothing better than being a football player at Souhegan.”

Did we say it’s free?

— North head coach Chad Ziboli has a view of patience for high school players, noting that some may not get regular varsity time until senior year. He uses the example of former Titan Steven Rosario, a former Titan who is playing college ball at the University of New England.

“A true program like an Exeter or a Londonderry, that’s when those guys start,” he said. “You’ve got to completely develop. … That’s why you’re good. It’s going to be OK if you’re a junior playing JV football.”

—- Merrimack is suffereing through its lowest numbers in years, somewhere in the 50s. What does head coach Kip Jackson attribute that to?

“Football takes a lot of commitment,” Jackson said. “And now with a lot of sports going to more of a year round model – and dont’t get me started on that – it makes it challenge to play multiple sports including football. And in some cases, kids don’t want to do things that are hard or difficult. It’s a lot easier to enjoy the rest of your summer instead of hanging out here (at practice) with your friends. Which to me, I think you’d want to be with your friends.”

— North coach Chad Zibolis is thrilled at having about 30 freshmen. It’s a sign that the newer youth program in the city, the Nashua Cougars, is working.

“It’s coming,” Zibolis said. “The youth program now that has come together, we’re going to start seeing it the next three or four years. They’re running our system, they’re running our terminology, everything. That Cougar organization has really stepped up for us, which is awesome.”

And, at South, head coach Josh Porter has constantly been working with and meeting with the Nashua PAL program, as the divide as to who goes where is become much clearer.

Either way, kids are playing football again. Great to see.

Tom King may be reached at X @Telegraph_TomK, or via email at tking@nashuatelegraph.com