Defense stepped up when Salem football needed it most

Rob Pike insists there isn't anything special the Salem High School football team does on defense when an opponent drives deep into the Blue Devils' territory.

Maybe it's more about what they don't do - panic.

Salem's defense has been top-notch all season long, allowing just 52 points through its first seven games of the season. Forty-two of those came in the Blue Devils' lone loss - a Week 2 setback against Londonderry - and they've had four shutouts this season.

In Saturday's 34-3 win over Bedford, the defense for Salem (6-1) was at it again. The Bulldogs drove inside the Blue Devils' 30-yard line and managed only a field goal, including the game's opening drive, where Salem came up with a stop on fourth-and-goal at its own 1.

"That was huge," Pike said. "Our defense has been making plays all year like that and standing tall when they need to. That was the case there. Any time you can get a stop inside the 5, that’s great football."

On two other occasions in the second half against Bedford, the Blue Devils found themselves defending inside their own 10-yard line.

The first came after an interception on Salem's first possession gave the Bulldogs a first down at the 13-yard line. Bedford got as close as the 7 before turning the ball over on downs.

"There’s so many big plays in a game, but that was big," Pike said. "Momentum is a big deal in football and they got it there with us turning it over. The defense stood tall and made some plays."

Then, in the fourth quarter, Bedford had a first-and-goal at the Salem 4, and appeared to find the end zone on second down, but had a touchdown called back on a hold. The Bulldogs were eventually faced with a fourth-and-goal from the 24 and the Salem defense held strong again.

"It’s nothing schematic or anything like that," Pike said. "You’ve got to play. It’s disheartening when they move the ball down the field (on you). They get inside the 5 and human nature is ‘what did we do wrong,’ but our kids, you’ve got to give them credit, they just move on to the next play."

That's been the case in the last two games. Against Bedford and Windham, the Blue Devils' defense has been on the field for 36 plays inside its own 30-yard line and allowed 52 yards.

But 29 of those yards came on two plays, a 17-yard run against the Bulldogs and a 12-yard completion against the Jaguars. Take those two away and Salem has allowed an average of just under 0.7 yards per play, with 15 of those plays leading to no gain, negative yardage or a turnover.

The Blue Devils success on defense begins up front with their defensive line, which is led by seniors Josh Ozoria and Owen Gromley, along with junior Andrew Sullivan and sophomore Jackson Dailey.

"They all played well," Pike said of his line. "You’ve got to play well on the lines to win any football game. They’re good and they had their plays where they beat us, but our kids stood tough and hung in there and played well. We’ve got tough kids in there."