The score from last season's Division I championship — Exeter's 23-13 stunner against season-long No. 1 Pinkerton Academy — won't soon be forgotten.

Nor should this: A combined 46 players graduated from the Seacoast and Derry squads.

In other words, the Week 2 showdown between the statewide No. 1-ranked Blue Hawks (1-0) and No. 2 Astros (1-0) is a rematch in program names only.

“That is absolutely correct,” said Pinkerton head coach Brian O'Reilly, whose team hosts the matchup Saturday (1 p.m.) at Memorial Field. “Very few kids are left over from last year.”

The trenches — where Exeter controlled play last November — provide the perfect example. Roster turnover forced both teams to revamp their offensive and defensive lines.

Exeter's work-in-progress O-line features tight ends Zach Bosen and Jameson Whiteley, center Neil Vorster and “a committee at both guards and tackles,” head coach Bill Ball said.

The Astros, meanwhile, could use five to nine D-linemen in various fronts. Andrew Ong, Nick Liporto and Jake Bernaiche pressured from the edges in Week 1.

“It's really not a rematch of last year's championship game,” O'Reilly said. “It's a matchup of two teams that people think are the favorites, at this point in time, this early in the season.”

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NO. 3 MANCHESTER CENTRAL (1-0) tonight seeks its 12th straight win over Concord (1-0), currently No. 10 in the Union Leader/WGIR/WMUR Power Poll.

Concord last won in 2000. Then-head coach Bob Camirand and the Crimson Tide won the Division I title, 38-0.

“Who cares?” said Central head coach Ryan Ray, expressing more concern for Concord running back Tolbert Nemo, QB Marc Gaudet and receiver Seimou Smith than the streak. “I think their motivation is the same as ours: to win the first league game.”

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MANCHESTER WEST'S Jim Lauzon clearly remembers last year's lopsided chess match with his high school coach. Ex-West leader Travis Cote guided Bishop Guertin of Nashua to a 47-17 win.

“He took me to school last year,” said Lauzon, whose Blue Knights visit the No. 9 Cardinals Saturday night at Stellos Stadium. “I need to do my work and my job.”

West (1-0) needs fast and disciplined defense against Guertin (0-1). Linebackers Chres Barrett and Robert Place, and D-linemen Edgar Hernandez and Joe Robles will be busy.

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DEFENSE MAY dominate tonight when Division II Dover (0-1) hosts King Philip of Wrentham, Mass.

Dover linebackers Eric Wilson, Noah Boucher and Eric Waddington “are the strength of our team,” head coach Ken Osbon said in the preseason.

“It's safe to say KP is among the most exotic defensively,” ESPNBoston.com High Schools co-editor Brendan Hall said in an e-mail, noting LB Brett McEvoy is one to watch. “They've come at opponents from all sorts of fronts, with every type of zone blitz imaginable.”

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NEWFOUND'S BEARS (1-0 Div. VI) call themselves “road warriors” for playing eight varsity seasons without a true home field.

Bristol's bunch pops pads Saturday (1:30 p.m.) in its first game on home turf. Morrison Field's dedication is 15 minutes before kickoff.

Newfound athletics director Peter Cofrin said via e-mail that the Newfound Area School Board and Friends of Newfound Football (FONF) in 2008 signed an agreement to build a field on school district property. There was no cost to the district. Morrison Construction built the field for $20,000.

“We are pretty proud of that,” said Cofrin, lauding the community and FONF president Bryan Richardson in particular.

Can Winnisquam of Tilton (1-0 Div. VI) play spoiler? Newfound seniors Brendan Adair (TE/DE), Caleb Currier (OL/DL), Jake Dearborn (WR/DB), Aaron Nelson (OL/DL), Douglas Payne (Slot/CB) and Eric Vose (QB/DB) lead the effort to win the milestone matchup.

Newfound head coach Greg Dalzell on his 25 players: “They're putting more effort into this week's practice than I've seen before.”

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Marc Thaler covers high school football for the New Hampshire Union Leader & Sunday News. He co-hosts the “N.H. Sports Show” Saturday morning on WGIR-AM 610 and the Seacoast's 96.7. Send e-mails to mthaler@unionleader.com and follow him on Twitter: @marc_thaler.