Nashua South's Bruno Goncalves closes in on Merrimack back Shea Scott during Friday night's game in Merrimack. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

If you ask Nashua High School South football coach Josh Porter, he’ll tell you it feels like the playoffs have already arrived. Perhaps they have been here for awhile.

“I feel like playoff football has started early this year,” he said, “with all the key matchups coming down the stretch all over the state. The crossovers hitting now and all that.It’s a fun time of year.”

Of course Porter’s Panthers, who righted their ship with a 51-16 rout of Merrimack, now head to Derry Friday night for a colossal matchup with Pinkerton Academy. The two teams will have one thing in common: both had to lick their wounds after being beaten by Manchester Memorial. The Astros were beaten by the Crusaders this past Friday, 28-25, while the Panthers suffered a 46-28 loss just over a week ago.

“We’re on to a big game (Friday), looking forwad to it,” Port said, likely hoping to have running back Sam Levine (shoulder) and receiver/safety Josh Tripp (flu) back after missing Friday night.

But the Panthers had Eric Baker rush for 99 yards and Ryan Jansen play on defense for Tripp and didn’t miss a beat. “They mainly were special teams players,” Porter said. “What they did was incredible.”

NASHUA NORTH INJURIES

The Titans will be playing Thursday night at Stellos vs. Dracut (Mass.), a non-league game that marks the return of former South standout and assistant coach Trevor Knight, who is the Dracut head coach. North will make the playoffs, and help them sort out injury woes.

Jack Krulikowski, sr. and jr. Diones Delacruz were the starting inside linebackers and Krulikowski, the veteran, was showing Delacruz the ropes. Krulikowski went down earlier this season, and was replaced at ILB by sophomore Eli Gagnon. But Gagnon got hurt in the win Friday night over Keene.

“We lost another good kid, Eli Gagnon, who took over for Jack Krulikowski who was out for the season,” Zibolis said. “Then you’ve got Eli out for the season. We’re down to our third (string) linebacker now. I feel bad for him. It’s hard. Especially when you’re a senior like (Krulikowski). He’s upset. He knows he’s going to play football in college, but he just wants to play with these guys again.”

Nashua North’s Diones Delacruz (20) runs after Keene quarterback Colin Tinnin duirng Friday night’s game at Stellos Stadium. (Photo by Dan Attorri)

As for Delacruz, Zibolis said “Krullo (Krulikowski) used to tell him what to do, then Diones had to tell Eli what to do. Now he’s telling another sophomore what to do. We’ve got two sophomore linebackers in there right now. Diones is taking on a nice role there.”

“He didn’t say a word for two years. This year he’s got a totally different mentally which is great. It’s nice to see him grow. He’s doing really well.”

And now the Titans will just try to focus on their final regular season game with an eye on the playoffs.

“Keep practicing well.” Zibolis said. “Get our stuff squared away with the injuries we’ve got right now. Who we’ve got, what position they’re playing, and then once we (know who we’re seeing in the playoffs) we’ll figure out where kids should be depending on who we’re playing.

“But right now we’re pretty light with our depth. We’ll figure some stuff out. With an exhibition week we can figure some stuff out and see where we’re at. With the point system (determining playoff seedings), you never know.”

CARDS FACE ANOTHER TEST

Bishop Guertin was dominant in a 40-0 win over struggling Goffstown on Saturday night, so how tough will it be to adust to facing a tough crossover East Conference opponent in Winnacunnet on Friday?

“We just had two weeks with South and Bedford, so I think we’re up for the challenge,” Cards associate head coach Jermaine McKenzie said. “It’ll be a great game, Winnacunnet’s a helluva team over there. We’re looking forward to the challenge.”

The big thing is the Cards get their head coach back on the sidelines on game nights, Anthony Nalen. Nalen was penalized two games, an NHIAA standard penalty, for being ejected toward the end of the loss to Nashua South back on Oct. 10. He could coach during the week for practice, etc., but was not allowed to be at the site of a game. McKenzie can now focus on game nights on his defensive coordinator role.

“Hey, we handled it, we’re moving forward, and we’re good,” McKenzie said, smiling.

Souhegan quarterback Michael Fiengo dumps off a pass to Cole Brandt while Pelham’s Luke Draper defends during the second quarter of Souhegan’s 33-6 win on Friday. (Photo by Dan Doyon)

SOUHEGAN WEAPONS

The unbeaten Sabers – the local area’s only undefeated team at 8-0 — don’t seem to be hurting for depth. QB Michael Fiengo is confident in Souhegan’s championship defense heading into the playoffs. The Sabers likely will be the No.1 seed after it hosts Hollis-Brookline in next Friday’s regular-season finale.

“We have the ability to score on any play,” Fiengo said after the Sabers’ win over Pelham this past Friday. “(Ryland Raudelunas) hit a couple and no one is stopping him. I hit Brody (Smith) over the top a couple of times. We have so many weapons.”

ALVIRNE HAS A SHOT

After starting the season a tough 0-4, the Broncos have now won three out of their last four, and believe it or not, have a shot at a third straight playoff year. Unofficially some who have mastered the NHIAA point rating system have the Broncos currently in the 13th spot out of the 13 teams that make it.

But what they’ll have to likely do is beat Merrimack on Friday night at Student Memorial Field. Now, the Broncos get a boost by the fact they’ve scheduled nine Division I games – no out of state game or bye week game. They all count. It helps them if they can win that extra game, but it hurts if they lose it.

CAMPBELL RETURNS WITH A BIG ONE; MILFORD HAS ONE MORE LEFT

The other area games are Pelham at Milford on Friday night and in Division III, a fairly big one with 7-0 Monadnock at 6-1 Campbell Saturday morning.

The Cougars will be coming off a bye week and looking to get in playoff mode and cement their seeding atop the East to be able to stay at home for two games. Monadnock has clinched the West but wants to go in as the top possible seed and stay unbeaten. A good one.

Meanwhile, Milford faces an uphill climb vs. the Pythons but the despite their 2-6 mark have had their competitive moments. They lost a tough two-point game to ConVal Friday.

“Getting better,” Spartans coach Max Morelli said. “Just got to keep going.”

(Telegraph Sports Correspondents Dan Attorri and Dan Doyon contributed to this report.)