No break in Ball's coaching

Ball, who has led Exeter to seven state championships in his 30 years as head coach, always believed when preparation for the 2023 high school football season started this summer, he would be alongside all his coaches and players.

“I did,” Ball said. “I feel great. I feel night and day different (than last year). I knew I had some issues last year, especially late in the season, so I am very thankful to Dr. Pangan, Dr. Terrien, everyone.”

Winnacunnet head coach Ryan Francoeur knew Ball was dealing with some health issues and couldn’t have been happier when he learned Ball was feeling good and back to coaching.

“I hope Coach continues for years to

Ball and the Blue Hawks are off to a 4-0 start this fall. Exeter is one of five remaining undefeated teams in Division I.

The latest win was Saturday’s 23-7 decision against Winnacunnet at Exeter. The high school’s stadium is named after Ball, and the field is named after Dick Eustis, the legendary Exeter High School coach under whom Ball served as an assistant in his first 15 years with Exeter.

“I learned very early on from (Coach Eustis), and the communities involved that this (game) is special,” Ball said. “It’s a season within a season, it’s marked on Winnacunnet’s calendar, it’s marked on our calendar, and everybody wants to know the outcome of this game.”

Eustis brought Ball on the Exeter

Ball did not win his first game against Winnacunnet as a head coach; that was a 33-11 win for the Warriors. Ball didn’t win in his second game in the rivalry either, that was a 34-29 Winnacunnet win in 1994.

However, Exeter reeled off 13 of the next 15 wins, including a 10-9 win in the 2000 Division II state championship game. Ball has a 23-14 record over the Warriors in his tenure as head coach, now in his 31st year.

What is the most memorable game? “There are so many,” he said. “We talk about a lot of those games. We talk about the high points and sometimes the not-so-high points. There have been

Winnacunnet and Exeter will play for the 100th time on the football field in the not-so-distant future. Ball plans to still be the Exeter head coach when that game happens.

“I haven’t even entertained the thought (of not coaching),” Ball said.