Division I championship game was one to remember
Editor's Note: When choosing the top high school games from 2009 all of the games played last season were narrowed to a list of 20, and then that list was whittled to 10. Many of the games that didn't make the top 10 were deserving, none more than Salem's victory over Nashua North in the Division I title game.
Because it was such a competitive contest and because a state championship was at stake, New Hampshire Footbal Report regrets not putting this game in the top 10. Here's a look back at Salem's seven-point victory:
Division I Championship Game
SALEM 28, NASHUA NORTH 21
at Salem
If you dig through the Salem High School scrapbook you'll find a newspaper article from last August in which Salem coach Jack Gati promised to throw the football more than usual during the 2009 season. The last pass play he called was the most memorable one.
That play -- a 42-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Matt Cannone to Mike Lorenz with 1:10 to play -- was the final TD in Salem's 28-21 victory, Cannone completed four passes in the game, and three of them went for touchdowns.
"Coach (Jack Gati) told me to make a move and go down the sidelines," Lorenz told the Lawrence (Mass.) Eagle-tribune. "The game was on the line, and Cannone threw me the ball. I knew I had to do anything I could to catch the ball."
Salem trailed 7-0 after one quarter, but grabbed a 14-7 lead after Kyle Henrick hauled in a 6-yard pass from Cannone with 24 seconds left in the first half. The third quarter belonged to North, however.
The Titans, who were appearing in the Division I championship game for the first time, tied the contest when Brandon Karkhanis completed a 31-yard TD pass to Trevor Rancourt with 6:43 left in the third quarter. After a Salem fumble, North went ahead 21-14 when Andre Williams scored on a 4-yard run with 4:59 left in the third.
Salem pulled even again on a 3-yard TD pass from Cannone to Darren Brown and Chris Saulnier's point-after kick with 7:08 to play.
North fumbled the ball away on the ensuing kickoff, and Salem took over on North's 17-yard line. The Blue Devils wasted the scoring opportunity however, as Saulnier's 31-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right with 3:20 to play.
After Lorenz dropped Williams (139 yards and two touchdowns on 35 carries) for a loss on third and less than a yard, Salem's defense also came up big on fourth down and forced North to turn the ball over on downs.
Salem took over on North's 42-yard line with 1:59 to play, and minutes later Lorenz was celebrating in the end zone.
North moved the ball to Salem's 37-yard line on its final possession, but that possession ended when Joe Scire intercepted a Karkhanis pass in the end zone.
