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# Pelham football continues to do what it's been doing
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/pelham-football-continues-to-do-what-its-been-doing/
- Published: 2025-09-16T19:17:02.000Z
- Updated: 2025-09-16T19:17:02.000Z
- Description: WEARE - The final score of the Pelham High School football team's win Saturday over John Stark made it look like a lot of the Pythons' wins over the last five years.
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division II, football, John Stark, NH High School Sports Insider, Pelham, slider, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

WEARE - The final score of the Pelham High School football team's win Saturday over John Stark made it look like a lot of the Pythons' wins over the last five years.

But there was more to the team's 47-0 win over the Generals than just the final score.

It opened well enough for Pelham, as the defense stopped John Stark on fourth-and-1 at the Generals' 40-yard line. Three plays later, Kevin Hardy connected with Jacob Chafe for a 17-yard touchdown and a 6-0 lead with 8:33 remaining in the first quarter.

That would be the last time the Pythons had the ball in the first quarter.

John Stark answered with a 13-play drive that ate up 8 minutes, 32 seconds, and got the Generals down to Pelham's 10-yard line. John Stark converted a fourth down on the possession and got some help from a pass interference and a personal foul call on the Pythons.

The first quarter ended with John Stark facing a fourth-and-6 from the 10.

"We’re ready to get off the field and it’s a first down, and penalties," Pelham coach Jason Riley said. "Now they’re methodically going down the field and shortening the game. The first quarter was gone."

The Pythons took the quarter break to regroup and prepare for what might have been the biggest play of the day. Pelham came out and stopped John Stark for a 6-yard loss to force the ball over on downs.

"That was the type of stuff we’ve got to overcome," Riley said. "We’re not going to be able to play our game if we’re doing this. I think they responded to that challenge and cleaned up some assignments on defense. It was about team defense and once they got that, we were good."

Pelham was certainly good on offense, as it scored on its first five possessions of the game, and the Pythons put the game into running time on a defensive score by Chafe, a 13-yard return of a bad snap by the Generals.

"I think the slower start is what makes this win feel more meaningful," Pelham senior captain Brady Williams said. "We bent but we didn’t break. It felt good to come back from that adversity."

If there's any group that knows about adversity, its the returning players for the Pythons.

Riley is now the program's third head coach since Tom Babaian stepped down in February of 2024, having led the team to four straight championships. Add that to the injuries the Pythons dealt with for stretches last season and the fact they were a game away from a fifth-straight title is a bit miraculous.

"Look at the adversity that happened (in 2024), through none of these kids’ faults, and at the end of the day, they found themselves in the championship game again," Riley said. "That doesn’t just happen. They have a lot to be proud of."

The experience of a year ago has created a chemistry that Williams and fellow senior captain Patrick Muise haven't seen before in the program.

"I think this team has a lot of chemistry," Muise said. "We have that chemistry in the backfield, where we can give the ball to someone else and gain yards. It’s not just one person."

"It’s a big difference from last year, how we’re running the program," William said. "I love it. In the four years I’ve been in this organization, this is the most chemistry. I think that’s what is going to carry us far this season."