Bedford back Brody Helton, left, was named the Yukica NH Player of the Year on Thursday. (Telegraph file photo by TOM KING)

Bedford High School’s Brody Helton will come into Nashua’s Stellos Stadium on Saturday vying for the Division I championship already with some hardware-to-be.

Helton was named on Thursday as the winner of the New Hampshire Joe Yukica Player of the Year, beating out two local finalists, Nashua South quarterback Cody Jackson and Souhegan running back Ryland Raudelunas.

Helton will receive the award, given to the most outstanding NHIAA football player as voted on by NHIAA head coaches and a panel of media members, at the annual Yukica Huddle next Wednesday in Manchester.

Helton’s 11-0 Bulldogs take on 9-3 defending champion Pinkerton in Saturday’s Divsion I title game at 1 p.m. at Stellos.

Through 11 games, the senior running back/linebacker has rushed for 1,500 yards and 17 TDs on 162 carries, plus has 15 receptions for 178 yards and a TD. Defensively, has hs 64 tackles with three sacks and ironically picked off Jackson for a TD in last Friday’s Division I semiinal in Bedford.

“Helton … the kid’s special,” Londonderry coach Jimmy Lauzon said in a release sent out by the Yukica/NH Chapter of the National Football Foundation. “His cuts are great and he has the ability to make you miss. He doesn’t have breakaway speed, but he has every other attribute you’re looking for in a running back. He can take over a game at any point.”

Jackson, whose Panthers fell to Bedford last Friday, threw for 2,694 yards and 29 TDs with six interceptions in 12 games, while rushing for 596 yards and 10 TDs. Raudelunas rushed for just over 1500 yards and 18 TDs. Going into last weekend’s Division II finals he had 62 tackles with two sacks and a forced fumble.