Roger Brown
nhfootballreport.com

It appears it will take a team's best effort to knock off the Souhegan High School football team this season, and Laconia didn't bring its best game to Amherst on Friday night.

Laconia turned the ball over six times (four fumbles), which eliminated any chance the Division IV Sachems had of posting an upset victory over the Division III Sabers. Instead, Souhegan came away with a convincing 37-7 triumph.

"If you write anything, write that we were physical," Souhegan coach Mike Beliveau said. "That's what I'm happy about."

The game featured two of the state's top players: Souhegan running back/linebacker Steve Jellison and Laconia running back/linebacker Brian Bozek. Jellison rushed for 177 yards on 13 carries and scored two touchdowns, but injured his left ankle late in the second quarter and did not play in the second half.

Souhegan raised its record to 3-0 overall (2-0 in Division III). Laconia, which scored 89 points in its first two games, dropped to 2-1 overall (2-0 in Division IV).

Jellison opened the scoring with a 64-yard TD run with 7:38 left in the opening quarter, and added a 3-yard run with 1:41 remaining in the first quarter.

"They were a big team and we were expecting a tough game," Jellison said. "We got up early. I was really impressed with our effort."

Souhegan quarterback D.J. Petropulos threw two first-half touchdown passes. He hooked up with Brendan McKenna for a 26-yard TD strike with 8:24 left in the half, and connected with Alex Lyon for a 2-yard TD pass with 1:21 left in the half.

Laconia's TD came on a 70-yard pass from quarterback Zach Corbin to split end Aaron Marchione with 2:32 to play in the first half.

Laconia fumbled the ball away three times in the first half, and trailed 25-7 at halftime.

"We've been doing that all year," Laconia coach Craig Kozens said. We told them: 'This is a good team. You can't put the ball on the ground.'"

Souhegan's other touchdowns came on a 45-yard pass from backup quarterback Mike Luks to Matt Schagrin with 1:41 left in the third quarter, and a 1-yard run by Jack Nelson with 2:38 to play in the game.

"They're definitely the best team in their division," Bozek said.

Note: New Hampshire Football Report will have updated recruiting information on both Jellison and Bozek in Monday's Nickel Package.