Top Games From 2008: No. 2
(No. 2)
Plymouth 14, Laconia 7
Division IV championship game
November 15
It was midway through the fourth quarter, and it looked like the state's longest winning streak was about to end.
Laconia had a 7-0 lead against Plymouth, which was trying to secure the program's 44th consecutive victory. It was the first time Plymouth trailed in the fourth quarter all season.
Laconia's touchdown came in the first quarter, when running back Christian Birt took a direct snap and raced 56 yards to the end zone. Tyler L'Heureux made the PAT that put the Sachems up 7-0.
It remained 7-0 until Plymouth drove 48 yards in nine plays in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Rich Manzi hooked up with Phil Slaughter for a 19-yard touchdown pass on a fourth-and-1 play with 7:55 remaining. Plymouth failed to convert on the PAT, however, and the upset still seemed possible.
Tim Farina scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 16-yard run with 5:10 left. It capped a four-play, 44-yard drive. Manzi ran it the two-point conversion that handed the Bobcats a 14-7 lead.
Laconia had two more possessions and drove into Plymouth territory each time. The first drive stalled on Plymouth's 38, and the Sachems moved as close as the Plymouth 12 on their final possession. Laconia's final drive ended when quarterback Nick Converse was forced out of bounds with 5.9 seconds left.
It was the fourth straight 11-0 season for the Bobcats, who dropped from Division III to Division IV following the 2007 season. It was also Plymouth's eighth state championship in the last nine years. The Bobcats posted a 95-3 record during that span.
(No. 3)
Pinkerton Academy 19, Londonderry 15
Division I semifinals
November 15
It looked like Pinkerton's quest for a fourth consecutive Division I state championship would end in the semifinals against its arch-rival.
Fourth-seeded Londonderry led 9-0 at halftime. After top-seeded Pinkerton sliced the lead to three points, the Lancers seemed to assume control when Joey McLaughlin scored on a 56-yard run that made it 15-6 with 7:19 to play. McLaughlin gained a game-high 93 yards on 17 carries.
Pinkerton began to show its championship pedigree when quarterback Ryan Simpson tossed a screen pass to halffback Matt Mangano, who shook free of several defenders and traveled 84 yards for a TD.
Pinkerton's final drive began on its own 12-yard line with 1:52 to play. It was fourth down when Simpson hooked up with Sean Allen for a 20-yard gain. On the following play, Colby Verge scored on a 40-yard run that finalized the scoring with 44 seconds remaining.
It was the second TD of the game for Verge, who also scored on a 43-yard run in the third quarter. Simpson completed 7-of-19 passes for 178 yards.
The comeback meant Pinkerton would face Nashua South in the Division I championship game for the second consecutive season.
(No. 4)
Hanover 28, Merrimack Valley 27
October 30
The playoffs started a week early for these teams. The winner would secure the No. 4 seed for the Division IV playoffs, and there were times in the fourth quarter when each team looked like it would extend its season.
Hanover prevailed when quarterback Sam Carney hooked up with tight end Parker Sutherland for a successful two-point conversion in overtime.
Merrimack Valley quarterback Alex Ladd broke a 14-14 tie when he capped a 13-play, 59-yard drive with an 8-yard touchdown run with 3:56 to play. The kick sailed wide left.
Hanover countered with a 36-yard touchdown pass from Carney to Franklin Taylor that tied the game with 1:08 to play. Carney was stopped short on the two-point conversion attempt, however, which meant the playoff spot was still there for the taking.
Merrimack Valley's Alex Thurston rushed for 10 of his 93 yards when he scored on the first play of overtime. The PAT gave the Pride a 27-20 advantage.
Hanover also scored on the first play of its overtime possession. Senior tailback Christian Harris (21 carries, 128 yards) covered the 10 yards after catching a screen pass. That set up the pass from Carney to Sutherland that denied Merrimack Valley its first postseason berth in the program's history.
(No. 5)
Trinity 27, St. Thomas 26
November 2
It would have been hard to script a more dramatic ending than the one that punctuated this game, which determined home-field advantage for the Division V semifinals.
St. Thomas tied the game, 20-20, on the final play of regulation, when Paul Brown hauled in a 10-yard pass from quarterback Jack MacNevin on fourth down. Brown was penalized 15 yards for spiking the ball, however, which turned a routine PAT into a 35-yard kick. The distance may have been academic, because the snap wasn't handled cleanly and the Saints never got a kick off. The teams headed to overtime.
The Saints went on offense first, and senior tailback Zach Merrigan scored on an 8-yard right to give St. Thomas a 26-20 advantage. Trinity's Josh Hughes blocked the point-after kick, which was a key play in a game full of them.
Connor Lyons scored on a 10-yard run on Trinity's first offensive play of overtime, He then added the PAT, which handed the Pioneers a one-point victory and the No. 2 seed.
Lyons ran for 84 yards and three touchdowns in the game. He also made three point-after kicks.
St. Thomas was outgained 143-0 in the first quarter, and trailed 12-0 after 12 minutes. It was a 12-7 game at halftime, and Trinity extended its lead when Lyons found the end zone from 43 yards away in the third quarter.
Trinity's Tyrell Skinner gained a game-high 106 yards on 12 carries.
The Saints trailed 20-7 entering the fourth quarter, but began their comeback when fullback Zach Duffey scored on a 1-yard run with 7:03 to play. MacNevin, who completed 9-of-17 passes for 149 yards, re-injured his ankle on his game-tying TD pass at the end of regulation and missed the following weekend's game against Somersworth.
(No. 6)
Goffstown 36, Con-Val 30
November 1
This was a make-or-break game for each team. The winner would earn a spot in the Division III playoffs. The loser would be done for the season.
Con-Val led 23-22 and added to its lead when running back Justin Morgan scored on a 14-yard run late in the third quarter. At that point the Cougars seemed to be in a comfortable position.
Goffstown had plenty of fight left, however. The Grizzlies responded with a scoring drive capped by Jamie McGarry's 1-yard run early in the fourth. Goffstown failed on the two-point conversion attempt, which left Con-Val with a 30-28 lead.
Goffstown went in front to stay when Tom Foote scored on a 4-yard run with 2:22 to play. Con-Val's final drive lasted four plays. The victory handed the Grizzlies the No. 4 seed and set up a semifinal date with top-seeded Souhegan.
Con-Val, which was attempting to make the playoffs for the second time in the program's history, had three touchdowns called back because of penalties.
Goffstown's Jake Staffiere rushed for a game-high 143 yards on 28 carries, which pushed him past 1,000 yards for the season. Morgan finished with 102 yards and two touchdowns in what ended up being his final high school football game.
(No. 7)
Keene 18, Bishop Guertin 14
October 24
There's smart, and then there's football smart. Keene's Colby Wilkinson proved that he's a student of the game after his team had a 22-yard field goal attempt blocked late in the fourth quarter of this contest. Wilkinson scooped up the loose ball and returned it to Bishop Guertin's 1-yard line. That set up Ray Boulay's 1-yard touchdown run -- his third TD of the game -- with 2:17 to play that helped the Blackbirds post a four-point victory.
Wilkinson's 12-yard run came while many BG players were celebrating the blocked field goal that mometarily preserved the Cardinals' two-point lead. Boulay finished the game with 126 yards on 26 carries.
BG played without quarterback Andy Vailas, who suffered a concussion in a loss to Billerica, Mass., the previous week. It was the first time BG had suffered back-to-back losses in five years.
Keene, which held BG to 79 yards rushing, build a 12-0 lead in the first quarter, but quarterback Steve Cuipia came off the bench to rescue the Cardinals. Cuipia replaced starter Tony Phillips and completed 5-of-11 passes for 82 yards and two touchdowns.
Andy Cunningham scored both BG touchdowns. He hauled in a 19-yard TD pass from Cuipia with 35 seconds left in the first half, and caught a 26-yard pass that helped give BG a 14-12 lead with 8:50 left in the third quarter.
Keene's second play from scrimmage produced Boulay's first TD -- a 53-yard run. Keene's second TD was set up when BG fumbled the ball away on its own 5-yard line. Boulay made it a 12-0 game when he scored on a 1-yard run.
Keene's game-winning drive included a 31-yard halfback pass from Boulay to Mike Tateosian. Shortly thereafter, BG blocked a field goal attempt that Wilkinson turned into the play of the game.
(No. 8)
Souhegan 28, Portsmouth 21
October 3
In the game's first 28 minutes Souhegan looked like one of the best team's in the state. In the final 20 minutes, Souhegan wasn't even the best teams on the field.
The Sabers, who were playing without injured fullback/linebacker Steve Jellison, led 21-0 after quarterback D.J. Petropulos connected with split end Ben Stallman for a 73-yard touchdown pass on the first play from scrimmage in the third quarter. Souhegan increased its lead on Stephen Daigneau's 14-yard TD run with 7:40 left in the third.
That's when Portsmouth tore the running plays out of its playbook, and made it a 28-21 contest with 5:25 to play. Portsmouth moved the ball to Souhegan's 32-yard line on its final possession, but the game ended after Mike Fransoso's pass fell incomplete near the goal line.
Fransoso established a school record by attempting 50 passes in the loss. He completed 29 passes for 267 yards and two touchdowns. Portsmouth's Mike Montville, a junior wide receiver, set the school record for receptions in a game by catching 17 passes for 152 yards and two TDs. Montville's second TD catch came with 5:25 to play.
The Clipppers also received a 4-yard touchdown run from tailback Gallagher Hogan.
Petropulos completed 12 of 20 pass attempts for 220 yards and two touchdowns. Stallman hauled in both TD passes.
Souhegan, which improved its record to 5-0 with the victory, opened the scoring on a 1-yard run by running back Nick Chacos. Stallman caught six passes for 155 yards.
It turned out to be Portsmouth's only regular-season loss.
Exeter 21, Nashua South 20
September 6
It was a matchup much of the state wanted to see: One of the best teams from Division I taking on one of the top programs in Division II. The game didn't disappoint.
Division II Exeter trailed by 14 points early in the fourth quarter, but took the lead when halfback Jason Monroe hauled in a 24-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Andrew Kukesh and then James Holler added the point-after kick with 2:59 to play.
Kukesh rushed for 92 yards, and completed 7-of-12 passes for 94 yards and two touchdowns in the contest. His 10-yard pass to Ben Callahan opened the scoring with 6.7 seconds left in the first quarter.
Nashua South running back/defensive back David Zocco was bothered by leg cramps and was limited to one carry in the second half. Zocco, who was named New Hampshire's Mr. Football earlier this month, gained 46 yards on nine carries. He scored Nashua South's first touchdown on a 23-yard run in the second quarter.
It was a 7-7 game at halftime, but South scored twice in the third quarter. The Panthers took the lead on a 21-yard option pass from Nick Haskell to Nick Frederickson with 7:15 to play in the quarter, and then added another touchdown when Nilsson Basora returned a fumble 32 yards with 6:01 left in the third.
The momentum turned in Exeter's favor when the Blue Hawks gained 25 yards on a fake punt on a fourth-and-nine play from their own 30-yard line late in the third quarter. Exeter halfback Robbie Kisiel scored on a 2-yard run 10 plays later.
One of the key plays on Exeter's final scoring drive was Kelleher's 18-yard run on a fourth-and-six play from Exeter's 42-yard line with six minutes to play.
Each team ended up advancing to the championship game in their respective division.
(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.
