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BROCKTON, Mass. — For the past 17 years, Pinkerton and Brockton have played some classics. The Astros have to drop Brockton due to playoff realignment in New Hampshire.

EXETER, N.H. — It may not have been the upset that it was a season ago, but that didn’t mean it hurt any less for Pinkerton yesterday afternoon.

For the second straight season, Pinkerton faced off against Exeter in the Division 1 state title game. And for the second straight year Exeter was able to use its bruising, straight-ahead offense and gritty defense to outlast the Astros and take home the title, this season earning a 31-21 victory at Eustis Field

EXETER, N.H. — It may not have been the upset that it was a season ago, but that didn’t mean it hurt any less for Pinkerton yesterday afternoon.

For the second straight season, Pinkerton faced off against Exeter in the Division 1 state title game. And for the second straight year Exeter was able to use its bruising, straight-ahead offense and gritty defense to outlast the Astros and take home the title, this season earning a 31-21 victory at Eustis Field

Manny Latimore scored four touchdowns and hit the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the season, powering Pinkerton to their seventh straight win.

Latimore scored on rushes of 12, 1 and 76 and also hauled in an 81-yard pass from Sean Conroy. Brett Sturart, who returned an interception 21 yards, and Jacob Burton, who ran 50 yards on his only carry, added the other two touchdowns for the Astros.

Manny latimore scoreed 3 touchdowns as Pinkerton ran past Concord 42-21 and clinched a Division 1 playoff spot. Latimiore ran for 137 yards on 13 carries and Chris St. Onge added 84 on 14 carries and scored on a 56-yard punt return.

Pinkerton clicked on all cylinders yesterday, beating Manchester Memorial, 49-6.

Manny Latimore had an 89-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, a 35-yard TD pass reception and a 2-yard run to the end zone to pace the Astros' scoring.

LONDONDERRY – Pinkerton Academy junior Matt Madden had to have thought he died and went to football heaven:Playing before a standing-room crowd of over 3,000 fans under lights.Tackling a legitimate heated rival in Londonderry High.And facing the single-wing offense, one that he was born and raised to defend.“It’s always a great rival game, and playing for a crowd like this is a one-time-a-year thing. It’s unbelievable,” said Madden.Madden’s 10-tackle night highlighted a thorgoughly dominating 41-0 Astro win here on Mack Plaque weekend at Lancer Field. “Our linebackers, Madden and (Matt) St. Onge like playing the single wing style teams, because it’s all mucking it up inside,” said Astros coach Brian O’Reilly. “They’re both very good at it, and they put some pretty good shots on kids out there tonight.”Turnovers and Lancer mistakes greased the rails for a Pinkerton runaway.An early fumble set up Sean Conroy’s 3-yard TD plunge, and Manny Latimore made it 14-0 with a eye-popping 41-yard punt return that was even more exceptional considering the Astros had only 10 players on the field for it.Latimore dashed up the middle for one more TD, a 29-yarder before the break that essentially ended things, especially the way Madden and his mates were hunting and destroying the football.“We’ve the had same scheme every year against them, and I just key the power back,” said Madden. “But our whole defense tonight was just awesome. It was a great effort tonight from everyone."Madden, an honorable mention E-T All-Star as a sophomore, laid out some bone-rattling hits along the way as the Astros limited Londonderry to 75 first-half yards.But none of the hits were as big as the three pancake blocks he through like a locomotive leading Conroy down the sideline on a third-quarter interception return, all the way to the Lancer 5.“I saw my boy Sean Conroy coming in hot, and I went to help out because I wanted him to get the runback,” said Madden, who draw smiles of admiration from all the Pinkerton coaches on the sideline for the courageous performance.Londonderry, now 1-2 in Division 1 play, looks to recover and find a way to kick-start the offense again and get back into the playoff hunt.Step 1 is Friday night at Concord.

Pinkerton exploded for 28 unanswered points in the second half in a 42-7 blowout of Nashua North. Manny Latimore (168 yards and two touchdowns) and Chris St. Onge (108 yards) powered a 398-yard ground game and Brett Stuart (two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, and a forced fumble) highlighted a stingy defensive effort.

DERRY — Pinkerton entered yesterday with revenge on its mind, hosting the team that shocked the Astros in the title game a season ago.