A Century of Conflict: Exeter vs. Winnacunnet

A Century of Conflict: Exeter vs. Winnacunnet

When you hear the word rivalry, what comes to mind? Arsenal vs. Tottenham, Michigan vs. Ohio State, Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, Bruins vs. Canadians, or Bears vs. Packers. Every sports team plays a team that they want to beat every single time. Emotions rise every time you step on a pitch, field, ring, or rink, and the game becomes tense even before it starts. High School sports are no exception! Two schools from New Hampshire have been fighting on the football field for a century: the Exeter Blue Hawks and the Winnacunnet Warriors. Exeter Head Football Coach William Ball believes Exeter vs. Winnacunnet is much the same as many of these storied rivalries: “It truly is a special week. It’s a stand-alone event and very hard to be replicated.” Coach Ball recalls former Coach Eustis’s famous line, “Exeter vs. Winnacunnet is a season within a season.”

The teams first met in 1924 in an Exeter win, the score being 19-9. The all-time record of the series 62-31-2 with Exeter ahead. Twenty-seven of Exeter’s 62 wins have been shutouts to Winnacunnet’s 8. The two teams never met in the playoffs until 2000 with a 10-9 Winnacunnet win in the Division II Championship. Winnacunnet is 3-2 in the playoffs against Exeter. 

Reflecting on the past 25 games between the Exeter Blue Hawks and the Winnacunnet Warriors, spanning almost a quarter of a century, Exeter's record against Winnacunnet is 15-10, with the total score being 519-370. Exeter has claimed victory in the last two years and is aiming for a third consecutive win. However, before this winning streak, Exeter had faced a four-game losing streak. The 2022-23 season was the lowest-scoring game in recent history between these football rivals. The game ended 3-0, with Exeter winning, as both defenses played incredibly well, allowing 3 points in the entire game. But this doesn’t tell the whole story between Exeter and Winnacunnet; the history goes even deeper. The 100 year anniversary game between Exeter and Winnacunnet is on September 27th at 7:00pm at Winnacunnet.

During an interview with former player and coach Geoffrey Taylor, we were able to discover some of his most memorable moments and games. While Exeter didn’t win any games during his time playing under Coach Eustis for the Blue Hawks, he does however remember the difference between the environment when playing Winna vs any other team. When asked what his biggest memory from the rivalry was, Taylor talked about how he remembers the difference between the environment when playing Winna vs any other team. “Pulling up to the Winna game, the first thing you could see was a mass of people. You couldn't even see the field. It was nuts, rings of people around the field, the bleachers packed, felt like a movie.” Taylor also talks about his first time playing away at Winna, describing how the fans interacted with the players. “Winnacunnet fans would wait for you outside the locker room, and they let you know what they thought of you as soon as you stepped out.”

Other Alumni Speak On The Rivalry

Current Assistant Principal and former player for the Exeter Blue Hawks Mr. Jaime Sawler allowed us to ask him about the upcoming game against Winnacunnet. Sawler played for the Blue Hawks from 1994-’97. He started as a sophomore on JV but towards the end of the year was a starting linebacker on the varsity team. In his first Winna game, his junior year, he was already starting on both sides adding tight end to his skills. During his senior year he was the team’s lone captain, and under his leadership, led the team to a Division II State Championship win alongside now coach Mr. York, They finished their high school career undefeated against Winna in varsity games. 

Interviewing Sawler gave us a great look into the rivalry before we were apart of it, allowing current players and students to gain a greater respect for the games. When we asked about what the rivalry means to him, Sawler stated, “So I've been a part of a lot of different rivalries, in the state of New Hampshire in college, and I will say it was the most passionate out of every rivalry I've been a part of.” With the rivalry being so old and big, it grows bad blood between the two teams involved. This rivalry between Exeter and Winnacunnet doesn’t just involve the high schools, but also the pre-high school teams, the Exeter Seahawk, and the Winnacunnet Warriors allowing these kids to grow more experiences. When we asked Sawler whether there was any bad blood between him or his team and Winnacunnet, he responded saying “So, you know, it was kids that we were familiar with. I remember back in middle school when, you know, back at the old fields, the teams were playing and then all the middle school kids were playing… Basically, tackle football without pads with the same guys. So we've been playing against these guys for 6, 7, 8, 9 years.” 

The Exeter vs Winna game is typically the highest-attended game every year, with many students going, along with alumni from each school, and people from all over both communities. The greatest part about this game is probably the atmosphere. When we asked Sawler what he thought of the atmosphere he said, “It's always been awesome. It's a great fan event because you see people from generations coming back for the Winnacunnet game. I'll have former teammates of mine text me and be like, “Hey, I'm going this weekend. They may not be living in the area, but they'll come in for that game, and we'll meet up, we'll get together. The same is true I'm sure for a bunch of Winnacunnet, it's one of those games that you kinda circle on the calendar, even after you graduated. When you get asked, did you play football? Second question is, Did you beat Winna?” 

We were also able to interview Coach Justin York. A former player, and current guidance counselor at Exeter High School, York played for the Blue Hawks Varsity team from 1995 through the fall of 1997. York played as a backup guard and special teamer in just his sophomore year, and he was ready to start on both sides of the ball his junior year before getting injured in a scrimmage sidelining him for 8 weeks. His senior year saw him help the team win a Division II State Championship in ‘97. Interviewing Coach York was a great experience because we got a coaches, players, and fans view of the rivalry all in one. When asked about the rivalry from a player standpoint he stated, “They're loud… their style is just different from our style. We were more low-key. We kinda let our playing do the talking… they're more, pound your chest…as far as I can remember, it’s always been that way. So, yeah… if you wanna call it, like, hatred runs deep." Before Coach York became a coach he would watch the game from the stands which is where he witnessed one of his favorite memories from the rivalry: “One [memory] that really stands out to me, wasn't as a player or as a coach, but actually as a fan. I think it was in 2004, It might have been ‘03…But, Mr. Callahan, was also a very good player, I remember in the championship game that year he had a pick-6 and basically, took it  like 67 yards to the house. It was exciting because the crowd just went nuts and I don't even know if it sealed the game…but, I'll never forget that.” 

A Key to the Hawks' Success: The Hammer

Exeter High School Captain Jack Kavanaugh is ready and waiting to take on Winna. The 5’9” 175 pound running back/cornerback is nothing short of a dog. The running back is often referred to as “The Hammer” due to his aggressive and hard hitting play style on the field. “Physical, Tough and reliable” are the 3 words Exeter High School’s running back coach Thomas Stackhouse used to describe Kavanaugh's gameplay. “He doesn't shy away from contact, He knows how to get yards through contact” Stackhouse said. From his short but bulky build, to his ability to absorb contact and hit holes, Jack Kavanaugh is nothing short of a hammer.

Kavanaugh has always been dominant on the football field, When he was announced Captain it was no surprise to anyone. “I love football, it's been a key part of my life for a long time now,” Kavanaugh said. Ever since he was little football has been his favorite thing, from playing with his friends on the Phillips Exeter Academy fields, or watching the Patriots on a Sunday afternoon, Jack just loves the game. “Jack is one of the biggest leaders on this team, always leading by example, nobody cares more about this team then Kavanaugh. I love that kid,” quarterback Michael Caron said. “He doesn't say too much, but he lets his play speak for itself.” 

Jack is one of only two players to be starting 3 years straight, and for good reason. He is a great person on and off the football field and is heavily respected by his coaches and teammates. Every great football team should have a captain like Hammer. 

The Emerging Leader: Noah Thomas

Senior OT/DT Noah Thomas has emerged as a leader and an unofficial 5th captain for the Exeter Blue Hawks this season. Thomas’s impact on the field is felt whether it's hyping up the “T-N-T’s” pre-game, blowing up a run play on defense, or pancaking a defender to create a running lane on the offense, he uplifts the team every time he’s out on the field. When asked what the rivalry means to him Thomas said “The Winnacunnet rivalry is the most important and memorable game I will play at Exeter. Without a doubt I will remember this game over any other this season or seasons before.” While Thomas and his class enter this game 2-0 vs the Warriors in their varsity career, their undefeated record vs. the Warriors isn’t the only thing at stake: this game marks 100 years of this rivalry adding even more meaning to this particular game. When asked whether the pressure is higher Thomas stated “It being 100 years means it will be a statement game, one of the oldest rivalries in New Hampshire football and one of the most intense, I expect plenty of people and a meaningful game.” Entering his final Exeter vs Winnacunnet football game, Thomas feels this is the most important game in his career, stating “It is arguably the most important game I’m going to play in, more than any playoff game, more than any win or loss, it's the Winnacunnet game I will think of. I hate them on the field but will show respect after.” 

Message to the Current Players

While finishing the interviews with Coach York and Mr. Sawler, we asked if they had a prediction or any messages for the current team, especially the seniors. York had a great and meaningful message saying, “The preparation piece is gonna be key…cherish every day of the week because you only get one your senior year. You know? You will only get to do that one time. And going into the game and everything, really just kinda take a moment if you can to just kinda look around and take it all in because you won't forget it.”

Sawler kept it short and sweet: “Record doesn't matter. Score doesn't matter. Just beat Winnacunnet.”