Mostly clear. Low 44F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Mostly clear. Low 44F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.

Team West’s Jordan Docen takes a water break during the CHaD East-West New Hampshire All-Star Football Game in 2018.

Team West’s Jordan Docen takes a water break during the CHaD East-West New Hampshire All-Star Football Game in 2018.

THESE EYES have seen four NHIAA football games this season and a significant number of players had cramping issues in each contest.

Londonderry doesn’t start many players on both sides of the ball, but still found itself without several starters in the second half of Saturday’s game at Bishop Hendricken because of cramps.

“We started breaking down there with the cramps and had multiple (substitutes) in at once,” Londonderry coach Jimmy Lauzon said. “At one point, we had eight second-group guys in there at once.”

Four games is too small of a sample size to say cramping is a bigger problem in NHIAA football this year than in the past, but it is a problem. This despite coaches and athletic trainers regularly reminding players to hydrate.

“It’s not (just) water,” said Jon Dana, the University of New Hampshire’s director of sports medicine. “In fact, you can drink enough water that you dilute the electrolytes and cause a reverse problem. You have to hydrate, but we’re much more into supplementing the electrolytes. Specifically calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.”

Dana said UNH players are given electrolyte pills that they can take like aspirin. UNH players also have access to drinks like Gatorade or Powerade that have been mixed with an electrolyte supplement.

“We’re in a little different position (as a college program) because we can do that,” Dana said. “I’m not sure high schools could do that, although I guess parents could.

“The suggestion to me would be the electrolytes. I think the drug stores all have electrolyte supplements, although I want to caution people that you can overdo that also.”

Saint Anselm coach Joe Adam echoed what Dana said, and added that if you don’t hydrate until the night before the game, it’s too late.

“It’s preparation,” he said. “They have to cycle that hydration pretty much three days ahead of the competition. If you try to cram it the night before, it’s not going to happen. It’s a combination of water and electrolytes, and what you’re intaking on game day as well.

“I’m sure the coaches are provided that educational platform, but it still comes down to the player. Is he going to take that advice and roll with it?”

It’s not only how much a player drinks in the days leading up to a game, but what they drink as well. Energy drinks should be avoided, according to Adam.

“The energy drinks with some of the things that are in there can suck your muscles dry,” Adam said. “I don’t have the data or science behind it, but you probably shouldn’t be (drinking) C2s or Red Bulls an hour before the game.

“I think it’s a combination of player preparation — of actually taking the coaching and education and applying it — and maybe some of the other things they’re potentially putting in their body 24, 48 hours before the game and on game day.

“It is a detriment to the team if you cannot perform. If you look at it from that standpoint and you’re a team guy then you’re going to do what’s in your power to prepare yourself — especially if you play a lot of snaps.”

Eating fruits and vegetables during the week will add electrolytes as well, Dana said.

Cramping issues haven’t been limited to Saturday afternoon games on hot days, either. Some teams have struggled with cramps during Friday night games. It would be a mistake to assume the cramping issues will go away later in the season when the weather is cooler, too.

“What we found is when it gets cool, people drink less and cramp more,” Dana said. “So it’s kind of a Catch-22. Yeah, the weather is way better, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to stop cramping.

“You can’t go into a game, sweat (a lot) and expect to get even at any point during the game. It just doesn’t work that way.”

Bedford hasn’t allowed a point in its last six quarters. The Bulldogs kept Nashua North off the scoreboard in the second half of a 19-7 loss, and then shut out Salem last Friday, 17-0.

Bedford forced four turnovers in the victory over Salem.

“That’s the best defense we’ve played since I’ve been at Bedford,” said Bedford coach Zach Matthews, who is in his fourth season with the Bulldogs. “Salem runs a good Wing-T and they have physical kids who show up to play every single night. That Wing-T offense has stood the test of time, so it’s always good when you’re stout up front against a team like that.”

The Bedford defense has allowed 12 points this season. One of North’s TDs came when a Bedford fumble was returned for a score. Defensive end Cal McAuliffe, middle linebacker Parker Bromley and safety Evan Cibotti — all captains — have been the defensive leaders.

Bedford could get even better on defense soon since Logan Sfeir hasn’t played on that side of the ball this season. Sfeir, a starting defensive end last season, sprained his ankle in the Queen City Jamboree and has played only offense in Bedford’s two games.

The Bedford defense will get a tough test when the Bulldogs visit Thornton Academy (Saco, Maine) on Saturday. The Trojans won last year’s Class A championship, and are among the favorites to win the title again this season.

Thornton Academy opened its season with a 35-0 victory over Scarborough, but dropped a 25-20 decision to Oxford Hills last weekend. Oxford Hills is the team Thornton Academy beat in last year’s Class A championship game.

“As far as TA is concerned, they’re solid at every position,” Matthews said. “It’s a program and a team that’s not going to beat themselves. They’re going to make you earn it. They have solid players everywhere on offense and defense, so we’ll have to show up and execute. I think points are going to be tough to come by for both teams, for sure. Who’s going to be able to manufacture some explosive plays? That’s going to be the game within the game.”

One of this week’s most attractive matchups will take place in Division II, where Bow (2-0) will visit Gilford-Belmont (2-0). Bow’s No. 1 challenge will be containing Gilford-Belmont quarterback Isaiah Reese, who accounted for all of his team’s scoring in last weekend’s 36-0 triumph over Sanborn. Reese passed for two touchdowns and two two-point conversions, ran for a TD and a two-point conversion and scored twice on punt returns.

Bow is coming off Saturday’s 28-18 victory over Plymouth. Hollis Jones rushed for 131 yards and three TDs in that win. The Falcons also received 101 yards rushing and a touchdown from Ryan Lover.

New Hampshire teams are 3-2 against out-of-state opponents this season. … Timberlane’s winning streak ended at 13 games with last Friday’s 23-20 loss to Bishop Guertin. … Evan Delorie has returned a kickoff for a touchdown in each of Exeter’s first two games. He brought back the game’s opening kickoff 90 yards — the first play of his varsity career — in a season-opening victory over Portsmouth/Oyster River, and returned a kickoff 79 yards in Saturday’s win against Champlain Valley Union of Hinesburg, Vt. … Winnacunnet, last year’s Division I runner-up, failed to score in each of its first two games this season.

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