Crimson Tide, Clippers Slide and a NH Turkey Bowl Guide

The official games are concluded, with three more champions now in the books, and while most Granite State high school football fans enjoyed their fill of 2013 gridiron action, Thanksgiving offers a sweet topping on a decadent season.

The main course

Concord High School capped an undefeated season with its first championship since 2000. The Crimson Tide washed over perennial-power Pinkerton Academy of Derry, 42-14, to capture their fifth crown.

Portsmouth failed to earn its third-straight championship, falling to Plymouth, 21-14, in Saturday's Division II title game. To reach the title tilt, the second-seeded Clippers finished the regular season with an 8-1 record and avenged their lone 2013 loss with an 18-14 victory against Trinity in the D-II semifinals.

Bow took the Division III throne with a 20-6 triumph over Stevens.

The leftovers

Bedford, Exeter and Windham all provided typically successful seasons for both players and fans, though all three teams ultimately missed out on the big prize.

Exeter completed the regular season with a 6-3 record and reached the playoffs. EHS avenged an earlier loss to Spaulding with a 24-14 division-round win, but the Blue Hawks were ultimately shot down by Concord, 22-10, in the D-I semifinals on Nov. 16.

Windham surprised many coaches and fans around the state when it compiled 8-1 record to finish atop the Division II South standings. The excitement was mashed however, as Trinity made the Jaguars look like turkeys with a 36-0 stuffing in the divisional playoff round.

Bedford may have been served the smallest helping this season. The Bulldogs looked like a force, finishing 7-2 in their first year in Division I, but missing the playoffs because their losses came to D-I North rivals Concord and Manchester Central. Central, which finished with an identical record, won the tiebreaker based on its head-to-head victory over BHS.

In addition to Bedford, Bishop Guertin (6-3), Milford (6-3), Winnacunnet (5-4), Londonderry (4-5), Merrimack (3-6) and Souhegan (2-7) missed the playoffs.

The dessert

While many other states, including neighboring Massachusetts, have their fill of Thanksgiving high school football, New Hampshire offers a much smaller portion. Still, all three Turkey Bowl matchups should be stuffed with action.

Though Merrimack and Souhegan have decided to call it quits on their 16-year Turkey Day rivalry, Salem kicks off the holiday excitement at 6 p.m. Wednesday when the Blue Devils host Bay State rival Lawrence High School. SHS fell, 28-6, in last year's matchup, but hope for a sweet ending after a disappointing season.

Then, on Thanksgiving Day, Nashua South takes on Nashua North at 10 a.m. at Stellos Stadium. The 8-1 Purple Panthers were felled, 38-21, to Keene in the division playoff round, while the 2-6 Titans failed to reach the postseason. South won the Sept. 27 matchup between the Gate City foes, 35-27.

Manchester Central hosts city-rival Trinity in the only other Granite State action of the day. The Queen City showdown kicks off at 10:15 a.m.

Would you like to see Exeter playing in a Turkey Bowl? Perhaps against a regional rival like Winnacunnet? Have some thoughts or insights on your team or NH high school football in general? Share your opinion in the comment section below.