This week, as we hit the mid-sseason point, Merrimack is finally smiling, Bishop Guertin is playing in space and Alvirne is on the road again. Here’s a look:

BISHOP GUERTIN
The unbeaten Cardinals are facing a Dover team on Saturday night that offensively likes to spread things out.
“The more you spread the offense, the more you get people in space,” Guertin coach Tony Johnson said. “If you want to get some space on us, we’re pretty fast. I like seeing this type of offense from a coaching standpoint. You can do a lot offensively, but you can also do a lot defensively.”
Offensively, the Cards have been run, run, run, even though they opened up the season with a Steve Cuipa-to-Mike Kelly bomb. Don’t be surprised if they go back to the airwaves on Saturday.
“Even though we’ve run the ball pretty good, our passing game isn’t even close to where I want it to be,” Johnson said. “For one, our protection could be better. Coop (Cuipa) threw only three times, but he also had to scremble two or three more (plays).”
So expect the ball to be in the air from both teams on Saturday night at Stellos.

MERRIMACK
The Tomahawks are enjoying the fruits of victory but it will be tough to get that first league win on Friday at Exeter.
“If anything, this makes us hungrier,” Merrimack coach Joe Battista said.
Right now, Battista is amazed at the play of two of his linebackers, both juniors, Cody Gladstone and Jimmy Bigwood. Battista, who used to scout the Tomahawks’ defense for Souhegan when he was an assistant there because of their Turkey Day game, says it’s the best linebacking play he’s seen in a few years at Student Memorial Field.
“I’m pretty excited about their play and I’m glad I have them for another year,” he said. “Both players have played physically but I like their mental game. They’re football smart.”
Gladstone, for one, had 10 tackles in the win over Memorial.

ALVIRNE
Broncos coach Bobby Nimblett says the travel preparation was one of the keys to the win over Keene, and the team will have to repeat that this week at Spaulding.
“The kids did a good job of preparation,” Nimblett said. “They did a good job with nutrition, proper hydrating, so when we got off the bus at Keene, we were ready to go. What worries me is now (for Friday) they have to go through a whole school day.”
The Broncos are also wondering about the status of defensive back Anthony Koumarianos and his wounded knee.
“We’ll see how it is,” Nimblett said. “We played him a little at Keene and then took him out, we may do the same thing this week.”
In his place, Nimblett says fellow senior Evan Anaya did a good job of filling the void.
– TOM KING