RallyNorth.net

Salem clinches top seed in state playoffs

Friday, October, 30 By Jeff Hamrick

MANCHESTER, N.H. — No matter how many more weeks the season lasts, Salem knows it has made it's final road trip of the year.

With one week remaining in the regular season, the undefeated Blue Devils clinched home-field advantage throughout the Division I playoffs with an easy 42-0 victory over Manchester West last night. While posting their second shutout of the year, Salem broke the 40-point mark for the fourth time.

After being forced to punt for the only time in the game on their first possession, the Blue Devils (9-0 overall, 7-0 division) scored on each of their next six possessions behind a balanced rushing attack. While the areas leading rusher Max Jacques was held to a season low 72 yards on eight carries, backfield mates Jerickson Fredrick (nine attempts for 119 yards) and Alex Sobrado (5-67) picked up the slack. The three combined to average 11.7 yards per attempt before each took a seat on the bench with 8:10 left in the third.

"It was the same as always," Salem coach Jack Gatti said. "We try to control the ball and are blessed this year with some backs who can break the long ones. Our offensive line has been very consistent, and that's the biggest thing. There is no big mystery about what we try to do."

With a defense holding Manchester West (1-8, 1-7) to 62 total yards in the first half, Salem used four scoring drives — none of which lasted more than 2 minutes, 29 seconds — to take a 28-0 lead into intermission. All three running backs had one rushing touchdown and Matt Cannone threw a 15-yard scoring pass to Kyle Henrick. Fredrick added another score early in the third to up the advantage to 35-0.

"I just try to do what I do in practice," said Fredrick, who cracked the 100-yard mark for the third time. "We aren't trying to send a message, just let everyone know we're coming. We're just going to execute and do what we have to do."

Manchester West, which became the fifth Blue Devils opponent held to 7 points or fewer, crossed midfield twice, but only once drove past the Salem 48.

"We wanted to come out and make a statement," said linebacker Joe DiPalma, who had two of Salem's four sacks. "We wanted to prove we were ready for the playoffs. We just try to go out and shut everyone down. We've had some bad games (defensively) but we've really come together the past couple games."

The Blue Devils close the regular season at home against Manchester Central with a chance to finish the regular season undefeated for the third time in school history — first since 1995.

"They run a handful of plays and just come after you," Manchester West coach Travis Cote said. "They're good. The lineman come off the ball and come at you quick with a couple of very good backs. They are very good across the board and play tough on both sides of the ball."