(No. 10)
Nashua South 21, Manchester Central 20
September 26

This was an early showdown between two of the top teams in the state. It was also the night David Zocco began to state his case as the best two-way player in New Hampshire.

Zocco carried the ball 30 times for 234 yards and two touchdowns in soggy conditions to highlight Nashua South's victory. Central led 20-14 with 4:51 to play when it failed to get a punt off on the slippery Stellos Stadium turf. Nashua South took over on Central's 35-yard line and scored the game-winning touchdown when sophomore quarterback Keith Farkas hooked up with Nick Haskell for a 5-yard touchdown pass with 38 seconds remaining.

Central running back Michael Cavanaugh rushed for 190 yards and two touchdowns. He scored on runs for 75 and 19 yards.

Two Zocco touchdowns handed Nashua South a 12-0 lead, but Central cut into its deficit when Jake Tremblay returned a kickoff 87 yards for a TD.

Cavanaugh's 75-yard TD run gave Central the lead, but Nashua South's Cam DiCecca put his team back in front by kicking a 35-yard field goal. Central regained the lead midway through the third quarter, when Cavanaugh scored his second touchdown one play after Nashua South fumbled the ball away on its own 19

Nashua South's final scoring drive lasted 10 plays. The key play was a fourth-and-1 run by Zocco with just over a minute to play.

Each team completed the regular season with a 7-1 record in Division I. This victory gave Nashua South the home-field advantage when the teams met again in the Division I semifinals. Nashua South won that contest, 24-9.