By Roger Brown
MaxPreps.com
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If you considered Plymouth the favorite to win the Division III football championship before the season began, you probably haven't seen anything that's made you change your mind.
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The Bobcats extended their winning streak to 19 games Friday when they knocked off previously unbeaten Portsmouth, 14-7, in wet and windy conditions at Portsmouth's Tom Daubney Field.
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The victory improved Plymouth's record to 8-0 and earned the Bobcats the No. 1 seed for the Division III playoffs, which begin Nov. 4. The Bobcats will be at home for the Division III semifinals, and, if they advance, for the Division III championship game.
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"This was a real good win," Plymouth coach Chuck Lenahan said. "It was a fun football game. I know one thing: If we play them again it'll be at our place. We won't have to take that two-hour bus ride."
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It was Portsmouth's first loss of the season. The Clippers (7-1) can earn the No. 2 seed - and a home game for the Division III semifinals - by beating Milford (6-2) on Friday.
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"Plymouth is as advertised," Portsmouth coach Bill Murphy said. "They don't make mistakes. They're a very sound football team."
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Plymouth, which has won seven of the last nine Division III championships, received two touchdown runs from senior quarterback Sean Boyle.
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Portsmouth trailed 14-0 when senior tailback Rod Walker (23 carries, 132 yards) scored on a 1-yard run with 1:55 to play, but the Bobcats scooped up the ensuing on-side kick and ran out the clock.
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Boyle first touchdown was a 9-yard bootleg on the game's opening possession. He added a 2-yard TD run with four seconds left in the third quarter.
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Plymouth's second touchdown was set up by a Portsmouth fumble that gave the Bobcats the ball on Portsmouth's 39-yard line.
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The muddy field and strong winds limited both offenses. Each team attempted one pass, but neither was completed.
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"They were the better team on this night," Portsmouth fullback/defensive end Reed Spiller said. "They made fewer mistakes than we did. We knew we could play with them. We'll definitely see them again in the playoffs."
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Elsewhere last weekend, Pinkerton Academy (8-0) remained the only undefeated team in Division I by beating Trinity, 28-0; Exeter (8-0) earned the No. 1 seed for the Division II playoffs with a 20-0 triumph over Goffstown; Laconia landed a home playoff game in Division IV with a 21-7 victory over Stevens; and both Franklin and Bishop Brady improved to 7-0 in Division V. The Golden Tornadoes beat Pelham 24-6, and the Green Giants dominated Newfound 56-0.
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Football: Spinney Selects Syracuse
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Bishop Guertin offensive lineman Mark Spinney made a verbal committment to attend Syracuse University last weekend. Spinney's father, Steve, also played for the Orange.
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Reportedly, Spinney was also considering Rutgers and Duke.
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Spinney is a 6-4 offensive tackle/defense end at BG, but BG coach Tony Johnson said Spinney will likely play center in college.
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Spinney, a senior, was one of the key contributors for a BG team that won the Division II championship last season.
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Field Hockey: Top Seeds Advance
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The field hockey state tournaments have reached the semifinal stage, and the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds are still alive in all three classes.
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In Class L, No. 1 Pinkerton Academy will face No. 4 Salem, and No. 2 Winnacunnet will play No. 3 Exeter. Both games will be played Tuesday.
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In Class I, No. 1 Souhegan will meet No. 5 Plymouth, and No. 2 Lebanon will face No. 3 Merrimack Valley. Those games will be held Thursday.
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In Class M/S, No. 1 Newfound will play No. 5 Hopkinton, and No. 2 Derryfield will meet No. 6 Winnisquam. Both games will be played Wednesday.
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The championship game for all three classes will be held Sunday at Manchester's Memorial Field.