Air Ball: Identifying NH's top receiving threats

You can make a strong argument that pass catchers will make up the strongest offensive position in New Hampshire high school football during the 2026 season, in terms of both top-end talent and depth. Examine the New Hampshire high school landscape and you'll find a large number of game-changing athletes at the wide receiver, slotback and tight end positions. This is the first of two reports that will highlight 10 of those players.    Fish caught 48 passes for 860 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, when he showed his versatility by rushing for 106 yards and a TD on 16 carries. He was also Nashua South's primary kick-returner. He should be the focal point of the Nashua South offense this season, as graduation claimed the team's starting quarterback as well as two other starting receivers. Fish has run a 4.59 40-yard dash. He'll likely be a finalist for the Joe Yukica Award, which recognizes the top high school player in New Hampshire each season.      Many college coaches were late to the party regarding Gomez, who picked up a handful of Division I offers following the 2025 season and committed to the University of Massachusetts earlier this summer. Gomez, who is also a standout in basketball, typically lines up as a tight end in Memorial's triple-option offense, but will also be split wide. He's an athletic receiver, but is also a willing blocker when the Crusaders run the ball. He will provide Memorial will a mismatch in the passing game against most opponents this season.      Magarian certainly has college size -- he's up to 265 pounds -- and could provide Londonderry with a dominant blocker as well as a big target in the passing game during the 2026 season. He received offers from the University of Maine and Central Connecticut University before he committed to the University of Rhode Island in early July. Londonderry returns starting quarterback Sully Daron, so Magarian could be primed for a productive season in terms of receptions and receiving yards.      Rao, who has excellent size for a high school receiver, transferred from Londonderry to rival Pinkerton before the 2025 season. Despite playing in a Wing-T offense, Rao caught 17 passes for 415 yards and six touchdowns for the Astros, who lost to Bedford in the 2025 Division I championship game. He should be an even larger part of the Pinkerton offense in 2026. Rao is also a standout defensive back who recorded 50 tackles and intercepted four passes last season.      Roy was a semifinalist for the Yukica Player of the Year last season, when he caught 48 passes for 908 yards and 12 touchdowns. He'll have quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1455064' first='Nate' last='Bowen'], arguably the state's top passer, throwing him the ball again this season, so expect those numbers to climb. Roy is a strong two-way player who also lines up as a defensive back. He made 20 tackles and intercepted two passes as a junior. He's one of the main reasons Bishop Guertin is among the Division I favorites this season.

You can make a strong argument that pass catchers will make up the strongest offensive position in New Hampshire high school football during the 2026 season, in terms of both top-end talent and depth. Examine the New Hampshire high school landscape and you'll find a large number of game-changing athletes at the wide receiver, slotback and tight end positions. This is the first of two reports that will highlight 10 of those players.