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# Fast starts have been something Bedford football has done all year
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/fast-starts-have-been-something-bedford-football-has-done-all-year/
- Published: 2023-11-16T00:00:31.000Z
- Updated: 2023-11-16T00:00:31.000Z
- Description: It has been some kind of season for the Bedford High School football team. The Bulldogs not only went undefeated through their nine-game regular season, but more often than not, they were putting teams away by the time each side went in for halftime. Bedford scored 259 points in the first half of ga
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division I, Bedford, football, NH High School Sports Insider, playoffs, Salem, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

It has been some kind of season for the Bedford High School football team.

The Bulldogs not only went undefeated through their nine-game regular season, but more often than not, they were putting teams away by the time each side went in for halftime.

Bedford scored 259 points in the first half of games during the regular season, an average of almost 29 points per game. It's a crazy number, but only until it's put up against what the Bulldogs allowed in the first half of those nine games.

Thirteen points. Total.

Only once did Bedford trail, falling behind 7-0 and 10-7 in the first quarter against Dover. The Bulldogs outscored the Green Wave 35-0 the rest of the way and won 42-10.

Only once did Bedford fail to get at least three touchdowns on the board in the opening 24 minutes, and that was in the season opener against Bishop Guertin, when the Bulldogs led 12-3 at the break. They went on to win 40-3.

Even with those fast starts under the Bulldogs' collective belt, Bedford coach Zach Matthews was a little concerned with how his team would open last Saturday's Division I quarterfinal against Salem.

As the No. 3 seed, Bedford had a bye in the first round and hadn't played in two weeks, while the Blue Devils were coming off a 55-34 win over Spaulding in the preliminary round.

The Bulldogs turned out to be just fine, scoring on all six of their possessions in the first half on the way to a 49-6 win over the Blue Devils.

"That was my plan coming in, to not have the kids have a chance to be sluggish, so I wanted to win the coin toss and take the ball, which we did," Matthews said. "I wanted to go right into some tempo and go no-huddle and get the thing moving, which we did. We scored on that drive and I think that’s important. I didn’t want to give our kids a chance to be sluggish."

Bedford's first four possessions ended with touchdowns from Brody Helton, two on the ground and two on the receiving end of passes from Danny Black. That gave the Bulldogs a 28-0 lead with more than nine minutes still left in the second quarter.

Kevin Sheridan and Dom Tagliaferro also had rushing touchdowns in the first half. For Sheridan, a senior captain, his score was something to remember, coming in his final home game.

"It was amazing," he said. "I only have two touchdowns on the year, four in my career, so definitely will remember this one. It was a huge moment.

"Obviously love getting out there and getting the huge lead in the first half. It’s amazing getting the kids out there who may never see a playoff game. It made their year."

While Matthews emphasized another fast start coming out of the bye, the coach also thought it helped that Bedford didn't play Salem during the regular season. That helped the players focus more than maybe they would have against an opponent they were familiar with playing.

"Every week, you’re going to see something different that you haven’t seen," Matthews said. "We’re faced with new challenges. We felt like we were going to be challenged by their physicality. It’s a different style of football than we play. We still pride ourselves on being physical. This is passing a test."

The Bulldogs will have another one, against another unknown, in the semifinals, with a trip to No. 2 Portsmouth-Oyster River on Friday.

"Another unknown," Matthews said. "I’ve seen some film. They play really good defense and they’re another physical team. They’ve got a couple of physical backs. They like to get after it. This is the type of game we’ve been waiting for."