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# Merrimack football beats Nashua North in overtime to advance to semifinals
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/merrimack-football-beats-nashua-north-in-overtime-to-advance-to-semifinals/
- Published: 2018-11-04T14:59:01.000Z
- Updated: 2018-11-04T14:59:01.000Z
- Description: MERRIMACK – Ben Eichman showed up in crunch time on both sides of the gridiron. The senior two-way player on the second-seeded Merrimack High School football team ran in the game-winning touchdown on third-and-goal from the 3 during a 6-0 overtime victory over third-seeded Nashua North in the quarte
- Author: Trevor Wenners
- Tags: Division I, football, Merrimack, Nashua North, playoffs, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

MERRIMACK – Ben Eichman showed up in crunch time on both sides of the gridiron.

The senior two-way player on the second-seeded Merrimack High School football team ran in the game-winning touchdown on third-and-goal from the 3 during a 6-0 overtime victory over third-seeded Nashua North in the quarterfinal round of the NHIAA Division I Tournament.

The win catapulted the Tomahawks (8-2) into semifinal-round action against top-seeded Bedford on Saturday, Nov. 10, at 1 p.m., as the game will be played on Bedford’s home field.

“It was very exciting,” said Eichman about crossing the goal line in overtime. “I would not have been able to do it without the offensive line, as they let me walk in there. There were a lot of big plays in this game.”

Speaking of big plays, Eichman blocked a 23-yard field goal attempt off the foot of Titans junior Sam Nicholls on the first possession of the extra period during a fourth-and-goal play from the 6.

The NHIAA overtime policy gives each squad the ball at the opposing team’s 10-yard line with one set of downs. Each team will receive the ball at least once, and if is still tied after one complete round, then the procedure will be continued until a winner is determined.

Merrimack defended its home turf twice this year against North (7-3), as the Tomahawks outlasted the Titans in a 32-24 shootout on Oct. 19\. Saturday afternoon’s game took on a completely different narrative, as old-school football was on display with dominating defenses amidst a rainy and windy afternoon with less-than ideal field conditions. The third quarter opened up with four straight three-and-outs, and neither team was able to develop any kind of traction on drives.

“It definitely impacted the game a lot,” Eichman said. “It sent a lot of adversity to both teams, but we practiced all week in the rain on our practice field and it is a lot muddier than this.”

Tomahawks head coach Kip Jackson added, “It was not just the field conditions; it was the wind. Halfway through the second quarter, the wind really picked up. North had a couple screens it was trying to throw and the ball went backward 7 or 8 yards. It was challenging but it was fun. It is football.”

The Titans received a boost in the first quarter, as senior Brian Montminy intercepted Tomahawks junior quarterback James Dowling, and returned the pick to Merrimack’s 44 with 9:03 on the clock. Four plays later, Montminy broke open a 17-yard run, putting the visitors at the Tomahawks’ 13 with first and 10\. Senior Bobby Bunis halted North’s drive, picking off Titans sophomore quarterback Curtis Harris on a fourth-and-21 play from the 24.

On the next play, Eichman reeled off a 52-yard rush for Merrimack, bringing the hosts to North’s 29\. Harris rose to the occasion on the Titans’ defense, intercepting Dowling on second and 11 from the 17 with 4:02 left in the first.

North tried to get on the scoreboard in the waning minutes of the second quarter, as senior Austin Ouellette intercepted Dowling, and then tacked on a 39-yard return to the visitors’ 16 with 5:29 on the clock. The Titans earned a first and goal from the 4, but a penalty and a 7-yard loss hindered the drive. Nicholls attempted a 29-yard kick on fourth and goal, but the effort sailed wide right and the game progressed into halftime scoreless.

The second half was more of the same, as Merrimack was not able to find the red zone at all in the third or fourth quarters, and North was only able to sneak deeper than the 20-yard line once. In games like this, teams are thankful for the efforts of the defensive units.

“Our defense has so much confidence,” Eichman said. “We stopped them back and forth every drive, and they set us up with a couple good spots. North had a great defense too.”