Twenty-six years later, Pinkerton Academy of Derry head football coach Brian O'Reilly and fullback Ryan Mihalko, who played for the University of Notre Dame, are reunited again.

Arguably the best head coach/running back tandem in state high school football history, both will be inducted at the 2012 NHIAA Hall of Fame Banquet on Sunday, Nov. 18 at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord.

Mihalko said he didn't know he was inducted into the NHIAA Hall of Fame until Wednesday night.

“It's a wonderful honor and exciting to be going in with coach O'Reilly who is still the one coach I have the most respect for throughout my career, first as a player and now a teacher and coach,” said Mihalko. “Coach O'Reilly is a very transformational coach. His style of coaching helped me and my teammates to perform at the highest level. He wasn't the type of coach that was in your face all the time. But when he spoke, he got his point across in a way we all understood. He was a terrific motivator and a positive role model.”

Mihalko now lives in Winston-Salem, N.C. with his wife, Shannon, and two children, six-year-old son, Cooper and four-year-old daughter, Carsen.

He is a physical education teacher and coaches football, girls' basketball and track and field for boys and girls at the Summit School which is a private school for grades K-9.

Before this year, he served as the school's athletic director for 12 years, in charge of 23 campus sports programs.

Perhaps no Division I football program defined dominance like the O'Reilly-Mihalko years of 1985-86.

During those two seasons, the powerful Astros steamrolled to two undefeated seasons in their first two campaigns in Division I.

O'Reilly is heading into the shrine with 10 state championship wins in football (and nine state titles in boys' lacrosse).

In 1985, Pinkerton culminated a 12-0 season with a 23-2 championship win against Salem in Derry and a year later, they demolished Keene 52-0 at Gill Stadium to complete an 11-0 campaign.

Ken Sciacca, now retired, was the head coach of Salem during the 1985 season.

“We had a good defense in 1985 and we played Pinkerton twice that season in two close games (17-7 during the regular season). In both games, Mihalko broke a long one for a touchdown,” said Sciacca. “Mihalko just ran over people. He was big, fast, athletic, just had it all. He was also a quality person. I knew the family and also coached his brother in a (New Hampshire-Vermont) Shrine game.”

Sciacca said when game planning for Pinkerton's offense “you really couldn't focus all of your attention on Mihalko. They had many outstanding and quality players, particularly (running back Joe) Segreti who would burn teams on the sweep. They just had an exceptional team and Mihalko was one of their top leaders.”

Segreto played for Holy Cross where he graduated as the second all-time leading rusher in school history (3.461 yards) behind only Gill Fenerty with 3,670 yards.

Sciacca also said O'Reilly is “certainly deserving of the Hall of Fame recognition. He's an excellent coach, a quality guy. He's been with Pinkerton well over 30 years (34 years) and he's done a great deal of work and good deeds for New Hampshire football.”

The numbers during the 1985-86 seasons tell the story.

Pinkerton led the entire state in scoring for those two consecutive years. Including tournament play, the Astros totaled 867 points, including 444 in 1985.

The Astros showed total dominance in 1985 and 1986, scoring over 30 points in 18 of the 23 games Mihalko played with Pinkerton. In those two seasons, the most points Pinkerton allowed in one game was 27 to Division II rival Londonderry in 1985.

After the 1986 title game, Mihalko and his Astros tied Somersworth (1950-52) for the second longest unbeaten streak in the state (23) at that time.

Mihalko's senior season was stellar, one for the record books. He tallied 30 touchdowns and accounted for 213 of his team's 423 points that year. He gained 1,089 yards on just 138 carries for a 7.9 average.

“To be honest, we could have played with anyone,” said Mihalko. “It didn't matter if it was a Massachusetts team or a national powerhouse. We had weapons and I'm not just talking about me and Segreti. I mean we had so many talented players. Its funny but half the time we never got to use plays we practiced during the week because most of the games were over by halftime. I think I only played a handful of games during my high school career from start to finish.

“Our football team was very workmanlike. We never got too high or low and that's a credit to coach O'Reilly. It was all about doing your job, embracing your role and having fun with it.”

When Pinkerton moved to Division I in 1985, Mihalko said “I remember the local papers had us no higher than fourth in 1985. To me the 1985 team was better than the 1986 team. I understand we had lost many linemen from the year before, but no one realized how much talent we had at the skill positions. I mean Peter Chulack (quarterback) and Fred Parker (receiver) and many more were just outstanding.”

Mihalko said respect is earned but in 1985 the Division I coaches didn't even vote him to the first team, All-State ballot.

“I still get a chuckle out of it,” said Mihalko, who ended up playing for Notre Dame two years later. “I guess they figured I just wasn't that good in 1985.”

Mihalko still is humble when it comes to individual accomplishments. Reminded that he once scored five touchdowns during the 1986 semifinals, Mihalko laughed and said, “that's because it was muddy that day. Coach O'Reilly called my number between the tackles because it was the best play to run that day.”

Of playing with Segreti in the same backfield, Mihalko said “he was a great talent. Honestly, I enjoyed peeling back and blocking for him on punt or kickoff returns. Listen what he went on to do at Holy Cross doesn't surprise me. He was a great football player and it was an honor to play with him.”

Mihalko said playing at Notre Dame was like playing at Pinkerton. “Same philosophy,” he said. “We won 24 games in a row when I was at Notre Dame. I even got to play some special teams and made some contributions.”

One of Mihalko's highlights at Notre Dame was during the 1990 season when he broke through on special teams and blocked a punt against Air Force.

“You had to know your role and play it well to help the team,” said Mihalko. “For me my experience at Notre Dame brought me back to Pinkerton. Because it was at Pinkerton where coach O'Reilly taught us that no one person, coach or player, was bigger than the team. So when I get inducted to the NHIAA Hall of Fame in November, I will go in sharing the award with my teammates and coaches. This honor wouldn't be possible without all those people around us at that time.”