On the Gridiron: Pressure situations different for Exeter, Winnacunnet football

Five-plus minutes to play in a two-point football game and the trailing team had the ball.

Crunch time. It was a situation that the Exeter and Winnacunnet high school football teams have become familiar with this season, albeit with different outcomes. Exeter took a 21-20 win on a 25-yard field goal by Evan Royer with 5.9 seconds remaining.

For the Blue Hawks, it was third time in four games this season that the outcome of their game has come down to the final moments.

"We showed a lot of resiliency and didn't flinch at the end," Exeter coach Bill Ball said. "That was the kid's (Evan Royer) first field goal attempt, I think, and he's got five thousand people sitting on him. I give him credit.

"I'm proud of my guys for finishing the game. Three of the four games have been last possession. We're 4-0, but we know we could be other. It could be a lot different than that."

For the Warriors, it was the second time this year they've asked the defense to make a fourth-quarter stop in a close game, and for the second time, it didn't happen.

"We didn't stop them on that last drive, and that's what happened with Salem, too," Winnacunnet coach Ron Auffant said. "That's something we've got to learn to do if we're going to be a playoff team. We're close. We're two last-minute drives away from being undefeated. We've got to get better."

It's a short distance from being a team that all but has its spot in the postseason locked up, to a team that very easily could be in - and perhaps should be - but has a whole lot of work in front of it.

Get out of the way

How do you top a 28-point win over your bitterest of rivals? By running over another one in a 43-point win.

Souhegan topped its 41-13 win over Milford last week by rushing for almost 500 yards (486) in a 50-7 demolishing of Hollis Brookline on Friday. The Sabers had two backs go over 140 yards, with Cam Kinney getting 147 and two touchdowns on 14 carries and Jon Nogueira running for 145 and four scores on 16 carries.

Not enough? Well, how about another 71 yards on five carries for Zach Bossi, and 87 yards and a touchdown on two carries for Dante Savo.

"It speaks to the work those guys did in the offseason," Souhegan coach Mike Lochman said. "Guys like Jon Nogueira, Cam Kinney have always been there for us. Nogueira really worked hard to make himself into a player in the offseason the last two years. Any one of those guys you could say that about. We don't want to be one dimensional and they want to play."

Up next for Souhegan is a huge game at Windham on Saturday.

Unstoppable

What could possibly slow down Bow? Outside of injuries, there may not be an answer to that question.

The Falcons are 4-0 and cruising through the Division III schedule again, outscoring opponents 177-19 so far this season. It might take until Oct. 24, when Winnisquam (4-0) comes to town, for Bow to be really challenged, but even then, there's no guarantee of that.

And if that's not enough, consider this: since football was changed to three divisions, Bow has complied a 24-2 record and outscored its opponents by 741 points (915-174). In 13 of those games, the Falcons have topped 40 points and in all but three, they've allowed 14 or fewer.

One of those two losses was the season opener against Pelham in 2013, so since then, Bow has won 24 of its last 25 games.

Ups ...

• Nashua North: In three weeks, North had scored 20 points in opening the season 1-2. In last Friday's win over South, the Titans scored more than double their season total in a 47-27 win over the Panthers.
• Monadnock: Since opening the year with a one-point loss to Souhegan, the Huskies have rattled off three wins, two within the West Conference, and are on their way to a playoff berth. Also, after Souhegan has scored 91 points in the last two games, how good might Monadnock's defense be after holding the Sabers to 13, seven of which came on special teams?
• Stevens: The Cardinals are 4-0 after an impressive comeback win over Franklin last week. Things don't get any easier with games against Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough (3-1) and Newport (4-0) up next.

... And Downs

• South/Londonderry: Both teams opened the year with a win, and both have dropped three in a row since.
• Sanborn: A playoff team the last two years - including the semifinals in 2013 - the Indians are struggling this season, falling to 0-3 after a loss to Windham.

Madden Stat of the Week: Devin Leonard, of Nashua North, gained 224 of his 252 yards rushing in the second half and added five touchdowns in the Titans' 47-27 win over Nashua South.