By ARCHIE MOUNTAIN
NEWPORT — With the realignment of Division IV in New Hampshire schoolboy football next fall, Newport will be facing seven different teams that didn’t appear on their 2018 nine-game schedule.
The Tigers have dropped down to Division IV after competing in Division III the last two years.
The only two teams Newport will continue to play in 2020 are Somersworth and Epping-Newmarket.
Gone are Lebanon, Stevens, Campbell, Hillsboro-Deering-Hopkinton, Monadnock, Kearsarge-Mount Royal and Laconia.
New teams on Newport’s schedule next season will be Bishop Brady of Concord, Franklin, Fall Mountain, Farmington, Raymond, Mascoma and Newfound.
Each team in Division IV will play the other nine teams within that Division. Newport High School Athletic Director Jeff Miller said the Athletic Directors have not been told how the playoffs are going to work.
“We have an AD’s meeting in early December, which includes an All Division football meeting. Several of us plan to ask at that meeting,” Miller stated.
The breakdown of student enrollment, according to the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association, includes Division I, 900 and up; Division II, 606-899; Division III, 436-605 and Division IV, 1-435.
The enrollment of the 10 schools in Division IV follows:
*Epping-Newmarket, 531; *Fall Mountain, 465; Somersworth, 433; Newfound, 391; Farmington-Nute, 367; Raymond, 351; Mascoma, 345; Newport, 316; Bishop Brady, 304, and Franklin, 278. *By Petition.
Newport’s 2020 season will open with a home game Sept. 5 against Somersworth and close out on Oct. 31 at Newfound. Two night games are on the schedule, Sept. 25 at Fall Mountain and Oct. 9 at Raymond. The Bishop Brady game may be played on a Saturday night. The Senior Game will be played Oct. 24 against Mascoma. Homecoming is Oct. 3 with Farmington coming to Maryn Field to face the Tigers.
2020 Schedule
September
5 SOMERSWORTH
12 at Bishop Brady
19 FRANKLIN
25 at Fall Mountain
October
3 FARMINGTON
9 at Raymond
17 EPPING-NEWMARKET
24 MASCOMA
31 at Newfound
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