> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Football rewind: Week 3 - URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/football-rewind-week-3/ - Published: 2010-09-20T20:22:00.000Z - Updated: 2010-09-20T20:22:00.000Z - Author: Joe Marchilena - Tags: Division I, Division II, Division III-IV, Fall Sports, Alvirne, Bedford, Bishop Guertin, Brookline, football, Hollis, Merrimack, Milford, Nashua North, Nashua South, Souhegan, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/bc/58/bc5866d0-9fd9-4113-b959-670d6f16471d/content/images/www-nh-highschoolsports-com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/pinknorthfball0918-nn30-3.jpg "PinkNorthFball0918 NN30-3") The Nashua High School North football team had scored just seven points after halftime in its first two games of the season before Saturday’s win over Pinkerton Academy. Titans coach Jason Robie had reason to wonder if it would be the same against the Astros, and at halftime, the coaching staff made adjustments in an attempt to spark something. It took a while for North to find out if it would work. Pinkerton took the opening kickoff of the second half and held on to the ball for the first 8:02 of the third quarter. “We got into a different formation offensively,” Robie said. “We put it in at halftime, but for eight minutes we didn’t get to show it. A little more of a power-run game, we brought a tight end in. We had a shotgun, I-formation. It’s something they probably hadn’t prepared for as much.” After quarterback Brandon Karkhanis went 7-for-8 for 112 yards in the first half, he didn’t throw a pass in the second. Instead, Karkhanis handed off to Andre Williams, Jahmar Gathright and Marc Lavine. With the usual suspects doing what they do for the Titans, Robie and his coaches needed to try different things. “We have some talented kids in the backfield,” Robie said. “We’re not sneaking up on anybody. They know who is carrying the mail.” North will return to Stellos Stadium on Friday to host Manchester Central. So what did we learn? North’s opening week loss to Winnacunnet created some questions about the Titans, but Pinkerton coach Brian O’Reilly might have explained it best after Saturday. “The only thing I don’t understand is how they lost to Winnacuunet because they manhandled Winnacunnet,” he said. “They played half the game and then it looks like they got bored.” ### Merrimack 28, Alvirne 13 Merrimack looked like it might be in for a long night Friday against Alvirne. The Tomahawks couldn’t do much of anything on their first series and faced third-and-9 on their second. But Merrimack’s offense is all about making adjustments, and that’s what the coaching staff did on the sidelines. The ’Hawks converted that third down, and also converted a fourth-and-2 – after getting 12 yards on third-and-14 – and third-and-11 on that same drive, which ended on a 32-yard run by Chris Smith. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/bc/58/bc5866d0-9fd9-4113-b959-670d6f16471d/content/images/www-nh-highschoolsports-com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/alvmerrfball0917-a32m32-2.jpg "AlvMerrFball0917 A32M32-2") “If we see something on defense, if we see them doing certain things, we know we can take advantage of it,” Merrimack coach Joe Battista said. “They came out aligned differently than we thought and we made some adjustments on the sidelines. It’s a style of offense that they’ve got to play assignment-style defense, and if one guy makes a mistake, we have the potential to make a big play.” None was bigger than the 77-yard touchdown run by Chase Distasio that gave Merrimack a 13-7 lead in the second quarter. “They’ve got some skilled kids and they’re very well coached,” Alvirne coach Bobby Nimblett said. “They made some big plays at key moments that we just couldn’t hang on to.” With the fourth quarter just seconds old, and with Alvirne trailing 28-7, Nimblett made a switch at quarterback from Patrick Reidy to Joshua Cohen. The move made sense based on performance – Reidy was just 6-of-17 for 72 yards and two interceptions. But that wasn’t by the coaching staff made the move. “We played (Reidy) on defense for the first time,” Nimblett said. “He was getting gassed. We threw in Cohen to get him varsity experience in case we decide to use Reidy on defense.” All Cohen did was help lead Alvirne on a 13-play, 57-yard drive that ended on a 6-yard scoring run by Antonio Beaulieu. On the drive, Cohen completed passes of 22 and 13 yards to Keith McCarthy to convert a fourth and third down, respectively. “He led a nice drive,” Nimblett said. “That’s good for him and good for our team because we might have to use him in the long run.” So what did we learn? Alvirne, which hosts Timberlane Friday, might be a little too inexperienced to make the repeat playoff run that many thought it would. Meanwhile, Merrimack is making enough to noise to be considered a serious postseason contender. The Tomahawks will find out this week if they've got enough to be a title contender, when Bishop Guertin comes to town on Friday. ### Tyngsborough 40, Milford 21 Milford [ran and ran and ran some more](http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/highschoolsports/856675-221/tyngsborough-mass.-beats-milford-40-21.html?ref=nh-highschoolsports.com), but it [wasn't enough](http://www.lowellsun.com/football/ci%5F16110846?ref=nh-highschoolsports.com) against Tyngsborough. The Spartans rushed 49 times, with John Forte (14 carries, 158 yards) and Max Goudreau (13, 131) leading the way. Milford led 14-13 at halftime, but penalties and other miscues did in the Spartans (1-2 overall) and the Tigers scored 19 points in the fourth quarter to take the win. The Spartans return to Division III play on Friday when they host Con-Val. So what did we learn? The same seems to be true of Milford every year: if the Spartans can cut down on the mistakes, they can play with anybody. While the offense is putting up big numbers on the ground - 356 yards rushing against Tyngsboro - the Milford defense has allowed an average of 385 yards per game this season. ### Souhegan 41, Goffstown 27 Division III is looking like it still belongs to Souhegan. For the second straight week, [the Sabers defeated a team](http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/highschoolsports/856676-221/sabers-offense-keeps-rolling.html?ref=nh-highschoolsports.com) that is expected to challenge for a playoff spot in the division - and this [wasn't even close](http://www.goffstowntoday.com/goffstownvssouhegan.htm?ref=nh-highschoolsports.com). It could have been worse, since Souhegan had three touchdowns called back on penalties. Goffstown turned the ball over five times, and scored most of its points after the [Sabers had pulled their first-string defense](http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/highschoolsports/858577-221/the-point-is-north-sits-atop-division.html?ref=nh-highschoolsports.com). Quarterback Mike Luks threw for another three touchdowns, while Nick Calvetti ran for 130 yards. Souhegan will host Hollis/Brookline on Friday. So what did we learn? Souhegan looks like the class of the division once again, but there are three games left on the schedule that will answer that for certain. On Oct. 15, the Sabers host Milford, which beat Souhegan for the first time last year, and on Nov. 5 Souhegan will host Bedford. The third game? Souhegan's non-division game against Manchester Central on Oct. 1. ### Lowell 40, Nashua South 17 South was in the game at halftime, down 20-17 with a few minutes to go in the second quarter. But the Red Raiders scored late to make it 27-17 and [then blew it open in the second half](http://www.lowellsun.com/sports/ci%5F16110898?ref=nh-highschoolsports.com). The scary thing for the rest of the teams on Lowell's schedule is that it did this without top running back Angel Escalera. The Raiders still ran up over 500 yards of offense, 353 of it through the air. South quarterback Keith Farkas had almost 200 yards passing and ran and threw for a touchdown. So what did we learn? South's youthful defense still has a way to go until its grown up, and until then, the Panthers are going to have to win shootouts. Thankfully, this game doesn't count. South plays at Manchester Memorial on Friday. ### Bishop Guertin 48, Spaulding 7 Bishop Guertin didn't miss injured running back Mike Kelly too much on this night, as Zach Mailloux for three touchdowns in the first half to [lead the Cardinals to the win](http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/highschoolsports/856680-221/newcomers-break-out-in-cardinals-48-7-romp.html?ref=nh-highschoolsports.com). The Cardinals were also without quarterback Steve Cuipa, but Bob Fahey stepped in for his first varsity start and threw for 185 yards and a touchdown. Bishop Guertin will face a tougher test this week when it travels to Merrimack on Friday. So what did we learn? Instead of one guy carrying the load, the Cardinals have a stable of guys who's sum is equal to the guy who went down. Bishop Guertin isn't the team it was a year ago - and what team could be - but the Cardinals are still pretty good. ### Bedford 48, Pelham 0 The [win sets a single-season record](http://rallynorth.net/localsports/teams/story/8926?story%5Fid=8121&ref=nh-highschoolsports.com) for Bedford (2-0 in Division III, 3-0 overall), which won two games a year ago. Jordan Garron had two rushing touchdowns to lead a ground attack that piled up 235 yards. Quarterback James Caparell completed all seven of his passes for 145 yards and three touchdowns, and he also ran for another score. The Bulldogs' defense held Pelham, which has yet to score a point in its first two division games, to minus-13 yards. Bedford returns home to play Pembroke on Friday. So what did we learn? Not much, as Pelham was without three of its best players and is still adjusting after moving up from Division V. With winnable home games against Pembroke and Con-Val in the next two weeks, Bedford could be 4-0 in the division when it takes on Milford on Oct. 2. ### Hollis/Brookline 34, Pembroke 0 The [offense shined](http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/sports/highschoolsports/857713-221/cavs-shut-out-pembroke-academy.html?ref=nh-highschoolsports.com) for Hollis/Brookline in its Division III opener on Saturday. The Cavaliers gained over 300 yards against Pembroke, led by Colin Pellerin, who had 104 yards rushing and a touchdown. Brian Liamos added 7o yards rushing and another touchdown, while Nathan Ferenczhalmy had a touchdown rushing and one receiving. Kyle Gervais also threw for two scores. The Cavaliers will go to Souhegan on Friday. So what did we learn? This was a game the Cavaliers should win, and in the past, it might have been closer. For a team that just missed the playoffs a year ago, playing games like this are a step in the right direction.