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# Lawhorn's big plays helped keep Souhegan football a step ahead
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/lawhorns-big-plays-helped-keep-souhegan-football-a-step-ahead/
- Published: 2019-10-07T15:45:33.000Z
- Updated: 2019-10-07T15:45:33.000Z
- Description: The Milford High School football team had just scored to take a 14-7 lead in the second quarter of Friday's game against Souhegan. A pair of fumbles by the Sabers, which followed a pick-6 for the Spartans, had put Souhegan in a hole, but on the next offensive snap, junior Riley Lawhorn flipped the f
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division II, football, Milford, NH High School Sports Insider, Souhegan, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

The Milford High School football team had just scored to take a 14-7 lead in the second quarter of Friday's game against Souhegan.

A pair of fumbles by the Sabers, which followed a pick-6 for the Spartans, had put Souhegan in a hole, but on the next offensive snap, junior Riley Lawhorn flipped the field.

With Souhegan starting the drive at its own 20-yard line, Lawhorn found an opening in the middle of the Milford defense and broke free for a long gain. It looked like he might go the distance, but Milford's Gavin Urda caught Lawhorn from behind and brought him down at the Spartans' 18.

While Lawhorn would score four plays later to pull the Sabers even, it would be the last time Urda would catch him.

"After that play, I wasn’t giving up on that," Lawhorn said. "I know he’s faster than me, I just had to work harder."

Urda did return a fumble by Lawhorn for a touchdown late in the third quarter, cutting Souhegan's lead to 34-21 and giving Milford some momentum after going three-and-out on its first three possessions of the second half.

But Lawhorn more than made up for it on his next two carries.

The Sabers nearly lost another fumble on the kickoff after Urda's fumble return and Souhegan's offense went to work starting at its own 5-yard line. But on the first play, Lawhorn took a handoff from quarterback Austin Jain and busted through the defense again.

This time, no one was able to catch him as he went 95 yards for a touchdown and gave the Sabers a 40-21 lead.

"Our linemen are amazing right now," Lawhorn said as to how he was able to break free. "They are on fire, both on offense and defense. It was all them. I just followed them."

Souhegan appeared to be in control again, but Milford answered with a touchdown drive to make it 40-28 with 10:41 left in the game, and after the Sabers couldn't handle an onside kick, the Spartans got the ball back. A 47-yard touchdown run by Urda on the first play got Milford within five points with 10:22 remaining and momentum had swung back to the Spartans.

Lawhorn once again would swing things back Souhegan's way.

Milford almost recovered another short kickoff, but the Sabers recovered the loose ball at their own 30\. Souhegan ran the same play, and this time, Lawhorn went 70 yards for what proved to be the game-winning touchdown.

"They were in man coverage and we were able to run a play where, if we can get through, there’s kind of no one home," Souhegan coach Robin Bowkett said. "We did a great job of executing up front and Riley is just a beast. He hits the hole and he goes. It certainly worked out."

Those two touchdown runs ended up being the only two offensive plays Souhegan ran in almost 13 minutes, as Milford answered again with a 15-play, 62-yard drive that consumed 9:31 of the fourth quarter.

"I just can’t say enough about (assistant coach) JT (Anderson) and our defensive staff," Bowkett said. "These guys were going to give everything they had, especially playing a great team like Milford. We know those guys well, we have great respect for them and their program, but they were pretty juiced for this game."

Lawhorn finished the game with 246 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries, the final three of which netted minus-5 yards and came with Souhegan trying to run out the clock and Milford's defense stacked to stop the run.

"It was awesome," Lawhorn said of the win. "Our team was really working together and staying together as a group. Before the game, we talked about trust and every man doing their own job, and that’s exactly what we did. That’s how we won that game."