Here’s a look at what’s going on with the area’s three Division II football teams as we approach Week Three:

ALVIRNE — The Broncos have an early game this week, hosting Exeter on Thursday at 7 rather than Friday out of respect for the Jewish holidays.

“It is a quick turnaround,” Alvirne coach Bobby Nimblett said, “but I don’t think it’s anything different than playing Saturday afternoon and then Friday night. All it meant for the kids was they had to give up their day off on Sunday.”

For the Broncos, this will be their Division II opener, and certainly not an easy one, facing an Exeter attack that has been so good over the years. Nimblett feels against the Blue Hawks misdirection running game, inside linebackers NickGoldsack and Jonathan Baldwin will be keys. So will some improved tackling from last week’s loss to Manchester Central. 

There’s no injuries to report, but after two strong showings against Division I teams producing one win and nearly another, Nimblett feels he’ll know a lot more about his club after Thursday, a game which promises to be heavily attended by coaches with clipboards, being the only one of the night.

“This,” he said, “will be a true test of where we’re at.”

MERRIMACK — The Tomahawks, thin in numbers this year almost by design, can ill afford to lose any starting linemen for any extended periods of time. But that’s exactly what is happening after doctors have told Merrimack offensive guard/defensive tackle Brian Goodridge to shut it down for at least three weeks, maybe longer due to an ailing shoulder.

Merrimack coach Joe Battista says he’ll use sophomore Sam Prive and possibly freshman Ryan Asselin to help out on defense in Goodridge’s place but wasn’t quite sure who he would use on offense as of just yet.

“We’ll be taking a look at a couple of people,” he said. “We’ll be a lot younger, but it’s an opportunity for some of the younger kids. We’ll be OK.”

The schedule hasn’t been kind for 0-2 Merrimack, who lost its Division II opener to Bishop Guertin and now has a tough road game in Plaistow vs. Timberlane Regional, thought to be another potential playoff team. The ‘Hawks opened the season with a loss to a Division I contender in Nashua North.

“I agree,” Battista said. “That’s two top 10 teams in a row, but I hope it works to our advantage and we’ll be ready.”

BISHOP GUERTIN — After two road wins, the Cardinals are anxious for their first home game, which they’ll get Saturday night albeit against a very weak Spaulding team at Nashua’s Stellos Stadium.

“It’s going to be a joy to play at home,” Cards coach Tony Johnson said. “True, we don’t have our own field here on campus, but I just love being at Stellos. It’s like a big warm blanket for us. It’s a fantastic place to watch a football game.”

Last week, Johnson during the course of the game vs. Merrimack  held out banged up players  running back Adam  Hall and linebacker Nick Phillips, although Phillips did play some at fullback. Both will be able to play Saturday, he said, but how much would be up in the air due to the game situation.

One thing Johnson wants to see improved is kickoff coverage. It wasn’t bad vs. Pinkerton, but poor against the Tomahawks. His philosophy is to play younger players on special teams “to get them the feel of a game, give them six or seven plays on special teams.”

“Sometimes it comes back to haunt me,” he said. “We just have to make a couple of adjustments.”

His fastest player on kick coverage is senior Tony Travaglini, who actually is a starting lineman but last week, as has happened with other starters on special teams, was showing signs of fatigue, something Johnson wants to avoid.

– TOM KING