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# Defense stepped up for Merrimack football, will have to again
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/defense-stepped-up-for-merrimack-football-will-have-to-again/
- Published: 2020-10-01T14:35:03.000Z
- Updated: 2020-10-01T14:35:03.000Z
- Description: UPDATE: Friday's football game between Merrimack and Nashua North has been cancelled, along with all other events between the two schools. Kip Jackson came away from the first week of the season thinking his Merrimack High School football team looked like it would getting on the field for the first
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division I, Bishop Guertin, football, Merrimack, NH High School Sports Insider, slider, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

*UPDATE: Friday's football game between Merrimack and Nashua North* [*has been cancelled*](https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/content/files/www-unionleader-com/sports/highschool/after-jv-football-player-tests-positive-merrimack-athletics-suspended/article%5Fcbb7dc49-d058-5f50-aa21-1dd58a4d8c62-block%5Fid-664693.html)*, along with all other events between the two schools.* 

Kip Jackson came away from the first week of the season thinking his Merrimack High School football team looked like it would getting on the field for the first time.

Unlike any other season, last Friday's game against Bishop Guertin counted.

Fortunately for the Tomahawks, they were able to do enough to come away with a 21-14 win, thanks largely to play of their defense.

"It felt in some ways like a first scrimmage, in terms of the mistakes made," Jackson said of the game. "We have to try to continue to get better every week. I don't think its different than any other season, but it's more important, just because of how few games there are.

"We tend to get better by the third or fourth game, and this year, we don't have time for that."

Merrimack got performances on the defensive side of the ball from the players the coaching staff was hoping would step up. While the Tomahawks gave up a couple of big plays, they were able to recover enough to hold the Cardinals to a touchdown in each half.

Leading the way on defense was senior linebacker Cody Keefe, along with senior linemen Dylan Sadowski and Nathan Lemire, all of whom are returning starters from a year ago. Juniors Cam Wheeler and Sean Morrilly turned in strong performances for the Tomahawks, as well.

"(Keefe) is one of the few seniors who saw playing time when he was a sophomore," Jackson said. "He's had a number of varsity snaps, and he stepped up and played well. I don't think anyone had perfect games, but the defense stepped up."

After seeing time, and making a couple of starts, at quarterback last year, junior Kyle Crampton led the offense, and at times, was able to make connections with Steven Petz and Shea Goodwin.

"Those two wideouts, because of who we had there last year, didn't see many reps, and both played good games," Jackson said. "Kyle Crampton played well in spurts, but struggled with just being efficient."

The biggest thing for Merrimack's offense was the timing. Usually by the first regular-season game, not only will the Tomahawks have played a couple of scrimmages to get on the same page, but they would have also had time in the offseason to get to work.

"We would have had two scrimmages minimum and we didn't have 7-on-7 competitions (in the summer)," Jackson said. "Timing is definitely off. I thought there would have been more mistakes on special teams also. That's something you don't get a lot of live reps in in practice."

Merrimack is going to need to get a similar effort from the defense on Friday, when the Tomahawks go on the road to face Nashua North for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff.

The Titans opened with a 24-7 win over Nashua South and piled up 358 yards on the ground and four touchdowns, with senior quarterback Curtis Harris-Lopez accounting for 138 yards rushing and two scores.

"They're going to have to play well," Jackson said of his defensive linemen. "North always plays well up front. They do a good job on the interior. They have kids who started last year and are bigger, faster, stronger.

"Our kids need to play well up front just to have a chance. In addition, they have explosive playmakers."

The Tomahawks have also beaten the Titans in three of the last four meetings, including a win in the playoffs in each of the last two seasons.