» BG will stay in Div. II :: Inside NH Preps

Nov042009

BG will stay in Div. II

Filed under Uncategorized by gary fitz at 9:08 pm

Football fans who hoped to see a super-charged Division I next fall that would include both Exeter and Bishop Guertin will apparently have to settle for a little less.

Exeter is moving up, dictated by its enrollment as the ninth biggest football playing school in the state. Bishop Guertin, however, has decided to stay in Div. II. So next year’s Div. I allignment will stay at nine teams, with Exeter moving up and Manchester West dropping down.

There was consideraby pressure on Bishop Guertin, considered the top team in the state and winners of four of the last five titles in Div. II, to move up. But the Cardinals, whose enrollment is roughly half of the smallest schools currently in Div. I, has chosen to stay down.

Coach and Athletic Director Tony Johnson has repeatedly cited economic factors for the decision to stay in Div. II football. So far the downturn in the economy hasn’t effected enrollment at Bishop Guertin, but he fears it could in the upcoming years. His school competes in Div. I in all other varsity sports.

In other moves tenatively agreed on by the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association’s football committee on Wednesday, but not yet ratified by the classification committee, Pelham will move up to Div. III and Trinity of Manchester will move up from Div. V to Div. IV.

Windham will join Div. V in its first year of varsity competition, while Campbell is expected to move up from Div. VI to Div. V. Campbell’s enrollment numbers put it in Div. V, and its attempt to petition back down to Div. VI wasn’t granted.

Another school is getting ready to offer varsity football. Hillsboro-Deering will play a junior varsity schedule next fall.

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Big Dog 2 weeks ago 1 point
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The evidence is clear, BG should move up and see how they do. How could they coil back from this challenge? It would give them a chance to play the two other Nashua teams. It would be awesome.

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MintyMint 2 weeks ago 1 point
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What economic factors would prevent BG from moving up?

Does D II not have freshmen or JV football?

I don't quite understand.

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John D 2 weeks ago 1 point
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Economic factors affect enrollment, since BG has NO feeder program it can't anticipate who will show up from year to year...With a strong enrollment class, ie....a large waiting list, you can somehow predict what you're going to get....but if time remain tough, it might be tough for families to to dedicate almost $11,000 for high school...I hope I explained it properly

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MintyMint 2 weeks ago 1 point
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OK. So there really is no difference in costs between running a DI vs. DII program?

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John D 2 weeks ago 1 point
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Minty, it might be cheaper in D1 given the less travel that is in D1 than D2. For example, Guertin this year had to travel much futher for games, Keene and Winnicunnet, while in D1 the longest trip for the Nashua teams is Concord. So it probably cost Guertin less for travel if they were in D1. But remember, there is no rubber stamp at admissions because some kid is an athlete, you have to be able to do the work, which is considerable.

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The Voice of Reason 2 weeks ago 1 point
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so disappointing...

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baseballnh 2 weeks ago 1 point
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Is that a chicken or a cardinal on the logo?

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Steve 2 weeks ago 1 point
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So with Exeter moving up to D1, BG is now the ONLY fish in the D2 pond. It guess it must save money getting BG's D2 State Champ jackets for 2009, 2010 and 2011 all printed at the same time.

Way to challenge yourselves and the feeder program excuse is awfully lame considering the long waiting list and the fact it is only a 2 year committment, Without an Exeter or PA game next year to establish credibility, who will care about BG?.

Love the comment about the chicken on the helmet, too funny.

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MintyMint 2 weeks ago 1 point
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I was really hoping BG would go to DI, but at least Exeter wasn't afraid.

Can you imagine how tough the DI schedule is going to be next year with West dropping down and Exeter moving up?

It's going to be alot of fun. Too bad BG doesn't want to challenge themselves.

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joeshmoe 2 weeks ago 1 point
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exeter was trying to petition down cuz they didnt want to be in d1 either. there numbers didnt give them a choice, so how about you cut bg a bit of slack

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rassler 2 weeks ago 1 point
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when you recruit...like BG does...economic factors kinda dissipate, don't they Coach?

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rassler 2 weeks ago 1 point
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Exeter didn't choose to move up...they were placed there.

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Joey 2 weeks ago 1 point
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Rassler,

Exeter also didn't even ask to move down. They welcomed the challenge. Major props to Exeter for not trying to duck out of D1 and trying to make D1 a 'true' State Championship event next year. It's a shame BG opted for a 'bye season' instead.

Hey voters, next year be sure you clearly recall Coach Johnson's "we have 34 seniors this year" rationale and don't simply annoit BG's 2010 version a primo Power Poll slot based on the departed 2009 version because wherever you rank them, they won't break a sweat in NH all season next year . In fact . . . I hear they just asked for a game with the Manchester Eagles Pop Warner team to increase their 2010 Strength of Schedule.

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Brian_in_Hudson 2 weeks ago 1 point
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Exeter wouldn't request to move down because they know it would certainly be denied. If, however BG were to petition to Division I, then Exeter would fall to division II because the top division is 9 teams and Exeter would be the team dropped.
Also, in division I against division II this year, division II has outscored division I by 66 points! I can find no evidence that Division I teams are better than division II. And I've looked for it. Maybe Salem and Pinkerton could be forced to move "up" to division II.

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John D 2 weeks ago 1 point
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Chicken or Cardnial? Nashua Schools refused to play BG, not just T-DAy but during the bye week during the season for at least 6 years.....and BG offers each year......and to all you nuckelheads, no one is on scholarship or was recruited. BG is just a better alternative for some families. It was for mine. BG has roughly 400 boys, that's it, and has no idea how things shape up until you can see the freshmen in August. Also a great majority of the freshmen class have NEVER played football. But they are good athletes who get good coaching.

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YooMan 2 weeks ago 1 point
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I have seen the BG varsity games... there has to be nearly 80 kids over there on the sidelines. I understand they ALSO have TWO JV teams (one with only juniors and one with only sophomores)... for anyone from BG to claim they are worried about numbers is as empty an excuse as there can be! By the way, every school deals with a freshmen class full of kids who have never played football. Where BG separates themselves is that they do in fact have top notch coaching. They obviously spend a GREAT deal of time turning freshmen into football players. But please do not use the worry of enrollment as a reason to stay down at Div. 2. The benefit of moving up would be cheaper travel and a challenge to what should be one of the best programs in the state! However, it appears Tony J is very happy kicking the snot out of the weaker programs and winning by 30 points every week. Give me a break!! You have the athletes, you have the coaching... now have the guts! And if enrollment suffers in the future, you can ALWAYS move back down. Nothing ventured - NOTHING GAINED!

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joeshmoe 2 weeks ago 1 point
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bg already moved up to d 2 cuz it would be the smallest in d3. and so you know, those 80 kids on the sideline include the jv and sophomore teams, which had lessthen 20 guys each last week and had to bring up freshman.

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baseballnh 2 weeks ago 1 point
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Has nothing to do with playing he Nashua schools and everything to do with playing better competition week in and week out. With the more difficult schedule you would get to see if BG being the "best team in the state" is true, or if it's simply a DII phenomenon. Until they move up and prove it that question will always be there, regardless of how many AAA titles they stack up....

And the freshman argument, that pretty normal for high school football at all NH high schools. Calling Pop Warner some massive feeder program is pretty comical.

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dan paul 2 weeks ago 1 point
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Tony Johnson shoots his mouth off like he has the greatest team in the world, yet won't move up to Division 1. Step up or shut up.

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nails33 2 weeks ago 1 point
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Recruiting at D-II, must make you feel proud Tony J!

The Dan Paul comment sounds like these two have had a "tiff" in the past!

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nails33 2 weeks ago 1 point
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By the way John D....I'm sure the same amount of boys come out for South and North as they do for BG....and tiy call everyone "nuckleheads" yet you can't spell the work right. FYI- it starts with a "K".

Oh, and I'm sure that the North and South Coaches are the ones behind not playing Guertin the last 6 years...brush up. Those coaches and kids would kill to knock heads with Guertin any day of the week.

I agree that the BG program is doing great, but it's time to step up and give the D-II kids from other schools a chance too.

-Unbiased Nashua Native.

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John D 2 weeks ago 1 point
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Hey Nails
No spell check sorry...lol..

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John D 2 weeks ago 1 point
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well who is behind it and why, in these economic times the gate would help defray the costs of the programs, I know Tony would give up part of the gate to play the game, then why not play....Guertin would love to knock heads with both schools and its not Guertin holding it back....

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exbgsuperstar 2 weeks ago 1 point
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I say Dan Paul and Tony Johnson throw the shoulder pads on and hit the gauntlet. Then we'll see who's tougher! My memory tells me Dan was a big wimp in his playing days!

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dave337 2 weeks ago 1 point
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I say it is what it is!! Exeter belongs in D1 because of their numbers.BG belongs in D1 because of their talent.Period!!! I do not see a way to satisfy all teams. However coaches avoiding playing where they belong is a insult to their school and sends the wrong message to players, parents and community.It is High School sports, remember that!!!!

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MintyMint 2 weeks ago 0 points
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BG recruits from 2 states and 20 different communities. That's unbelievable.

If BG cruises through their schedule next year and Memorial is terrible once again it wouldn't surprise me if the NHIAA forces BG's reluctant hand for a switch.

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ryandstaywarm 2 weeks ago 1 point
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perhaps if tony johnson his players, worrying about his looks and tanning and think about the players, we wold have some very exciting football and a great challenge to meet

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NH_Observer 2 weeks ago 1 point
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You are all missing the larger point here. Why does NH football have 6 divisions. It is understandable for much larger states like, Texas, California, and Pennsylvania, but not for NH which has only about 56 teams competing. Cut the divisions to 3 or 4 and break them out internally for scheduling.

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titandad 2 weeks ago 1 point
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Anyone remember Timberlane wrestling about 12 years ago. They were cruising through the Class M, which is now Division II and moved up to Class L, now Divison 1, and have won 10 straight Division 1 and State Championships. As well as a few NE Wrestling Championships sprinkled over the same period. Timberlane is a public school and has a much smaller talent pool, so why the hesitation to move up.

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dontbeahater 2 weeks ago 1 point
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Anyone that has a problem with BG's choice is just bitter of their success. I am a graduate and forner player for Tony's team in the 90's when many of us played both ways due to lack of numbers and tallent so I can tell you numbers on the sidelines is that of all kids in the program frosh to seniors to make it appear larger. Recruiting? honestly. it would be impossible to do. Parents have to pay for their kids to attend, are they going to go to all the jr high in the area and compile a list of who they want, come on! do not fool yourself. If kids are that good they will go to a prepschool on scholarship. Numbers may be good right now however with small graduating classes and no jr high to look at you just do not know if numbers will continue. PRIDE that is what makes the team go. Kids join to and be appart of something special. Making a move to d1 might seem like the right move it just is not logical. Thoese of you that do not like it need to relax, BG may compete and win at d1 for a year or two to make the move justifiable then enrollment drops and they drop back to d2 that is foolish. I now live in ohio where people don't cry about teams that win alot because all divisions are strictly seperated by enrollment.

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chuck 2 weeks ago 1 point
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Like the previous poster said, way too many divisions for state football, need to reduce. Also to all the BG haters, Exeter has 1,650 students, pulls from 6 towns, why wouldn't they be Div 1 ? BG has maybe 700-800, they "play up" now in a very competitive D2, what's the problem other than yes it would be exciting to see them compete in D1. Tony J does what is right for their program, no reason to fault him for that. The Nashua HS's have refused to play BG, the chicken comment is directed at the wrong program.

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briandelaney 2 weeks ago 1 point
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If economy is the reason, explain why BG has 3 hockey teams the most expensive sport in any athletic program. Just think of the great games that
would be generated with BG in division 1. What is BG thinking? If you want to say your the best challenge yourself against the best. Top to bottom division 1 will provide more competition on a yearly basis.

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Steve 2 weeks ago 1 point
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Hey BG alumni, I respect the fact you stick up for your school but what they did 'back in the day' bears ZERO resemblance to what they are doing in 2009-10. In fact what BG did in 2007 - 2008 bears no resemblance to what is going on over the last 12 months. What BG did in the '90's or '04 is irrelevant.

For folks to cite BG's pure enrollment numbers is very naive. That assumes a normal, random distribution of kids (like a public high school like at the other D1 / D2 teams) vs at LEAST a hand-selected student body and, likely, a partially hand-recruited student body. Ask the NHIAA or the other local HS's how many current BG players were already their town's better HS players in some sport before transferring to BG. Then see if those kids ever had any 'off the record' winter/summer/camp discussions initiated by those BG coaches. That is completely different than selling the BG experience to the Catholic families of 7th & 8th graders as it was 'back in the day'.

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BG will stay in Div. II

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