> ## 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.

# Merrimack football comes back to beat Nashua South in D1 prelims
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/merrimack-football-comes-back-to-beat-nashua-south-in-d1-prelims/
- Published: 2020-11-02T19:16:46.000Z
- Updated: 2020-11-02T19:16:46.000Z
- Description: There wasn't any secret formula for the Merrimack High School football team needed to turn things around in Sunday's game against Nashua South. The Tomahawks just had to do a better job of doing the things they like to do. After falling behind 20-0 in the first quarter, Merrimack figured out how to
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division I, football, Merrimack, Nashua South, playoffs, slider, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

There wasn't any secret formula for the Merrimack High School football team needed to turn things around in Sunday's game against Nashua South.

The Tomahawks just had to do a better job of doing the things they like to do.

After falling behind 20-0 in the first quarter, Merrimack figured out how to make those things work, rallying for a 27-26 win over the Panthers in a Division I preliminary-round game. The Tomahawks advance to face Nashua North, which beat Bishop Guertin 35-6, in the quarterfinals at 6:30 p.m. on Friday at Stellos Stadium.

"Just try to do our jobs," Merrimack coach Kip Jackson said of what needed to be fixed. "We really weren't doing what we needed to do. South did a great job with their blocking on the perimeter. Our guys had to do a better job of being physical with what they were trying to do.

"We made just a minor adjustment. It was just our kids playing better more than anything else."

Kyle Crampton led the way for the Tomahawks (3-1), completing 25 of 34 passes for 289 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. One of those touchdowns was a 12-yard completion to Shea Goodwin with 7:33 remaining that put Merrimack up for good.

Jake Trahan also caught a touchdown pass from Crampton for Merrimack's first points and he added two rushing touchdowns, as the Tomahawks held South scoreless in the second half.

The Panthers had just 62 yards on offense in the second half.

"We were trying just about everything," South coach Scott Knight said. "It felt like we were stuck in mud (Sunday). I don't have an answer. It looked like we had no legs. Even on that first (South scoring) drive, nothing was going by design."

The Panthers (2-3) opened the game with an 11-play, 75-yard drive that ended with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Chris Keefe to Connor Rowsell. South took a 13-0 lead less than two minutes later, when Cody Goode returned an interception of Crampton 39 yards for a touchdown.

On its next possession, Merrimack drove down to the South 15-yard line, but turned the ball over on downs. Two plays later, Keefe went 83 yards for a score and a 20-0 lead with 3:43 left in the first quarter.

Merrimack answered with a 10-play drive, as Crampton connected with Trahan for a touchdown on the final play of the first quarter.

Trahan added a 1-yard touchdown run on the Tomahawks' next possession to make it a one-score game, but South's Jason Compoh capped a 12-play, 72-yard drive with a 2-yard scoring run as the half ended to make it 26-14 Panthers.

But in the second half, Merrimack took over the game.

"The field was titled the entire third quarter," Jackson said. "We started all our drives on this (South's) side of the 50\. We didn't always finish, but that puts a lot of stress on another team when you do that."

A 2-yard touchdown run by Trahan with 3:21 left in the third cut the lead to five, 26-21, and the Tomahawks went in front for the first time on Crampton's scoring pass to Goodwin with 7:33 remaining.

South's ensuing drive ended at midfield and Merrimack was able to eat up the final 4:49 on the clock.

"We've been impacted a lot by the situation, just like everybody else has," Jackson said. "We've had some interesting situations, the kids have been resilient. I'm happy it paid off for them."