RallyNorth.net

Salem rallies for state crown

Saturday, November, 21 By Jeff Hamrick
Staff writer

SALEM, N.H. ­— The Blue Devils of Salem earned their top billing on the state-playoff marquee with an explosive rushing attack.

So what do they do when the season is on the line?

That’s right, they throw a game-winning 42-yard touchdown pass with 70 seconds remaining that proved decisive in the Division I title game.

Actually, Salem threw a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns, as the Blue Devils rallied to defeat visiting Nashua North 28-21 before a standing-room-only crowd estimated at 4,000 at Grant Field.

Matt Cannone found a lunging Michael Lorenz for the winning score that capped off Salem’s furious comeback.

“Coach called me over and said, ‘Run up the sideline, make a move and get open,’ so I knew the ball was coming to me,” Lorenz said. “I was going to do whatever I could to make the catch. I was running full speed and ended up turning the opposite way. I’m astounded I made the catch. I was looking up at the ball thinking, ‘It’s time to make a play.’ The game was on the line.”

Lorenz’ coach needed to be talked into the play.

“It was third-and-11, and I was thinking about getting something shorter, so we could work for a field goal,” Salem coach Jack Gati said. “But (offensive coordinator) Dan (Keleher) suggested the play, which we had success with last week (in a semifinal win over Pinkerton).”

Salem (11-1) secured the school’s first championship in 14 years 50 seconds after Lorenz’ touchdown when Joe Scire intercepted a Brandon Karkhanis pass in the end zone.

“I don’t even know how to describe it,” Scire said. “I was just lucky enough to get the ball. That final possession all we said was ‘Don’t get beat deep.’ We knew it was our last drive and we put it all out there.”

Cannone, who entered the game with only five touchdown passes the previous 11 games, hooked up with Darren Brown on a 3-yard touchdown with 7 minutes remaining to tie the score at 21.

“It was getting frustrating out there the way (the Titans) were moving the football,” said Brown, who completed a key halfback option pass in the first quarter and also made 10 tackles. “But when the time came to step up, everyone did.”

Although Salem took a 14-7 lead into halftime, Nashua North (9-2) controlled much of the first two quarters with a solid rushing attack and a defense that kept Blue Devil speedsters Max Jacques and Jerickson Fedrick in check.

The Titans, who took a 21-14 lead with two third-quarter scores, ran 23 more plays while controlling the ball 21:30 of the game’s first 29 minutes.

“Our game plan was to keep them off the field,” North coach Jason Robie said. “We thought if we could get five three-and-outs we could win the football game. And I’ll tell you, it feels like we did win the game — just not on the scoreboard. (Lorenz) made a heck of a catch on that third-down play. He was covered, but he went up and got it.”

Nashua North, which lost a 54-33 regular-season decision to Salem, actually held the Blue Devils to three plays or fewer on seven of their 12 possessions, although two of those resulted in touchdowns. Jacques and Fededrick, who burned North for a combined 491 yards and seven touchdowns earlier, were held to 157 yards and one touchdown yesterday.

“There were two good defensive teams going at it,” Gati said. “We were opportunistic on some big plays and took advantage of them.”

Additional stories:

• Salem the favorite for 2010
• Lorenz the surprise hero for Salem