Quick Hits: Bedford football bounces back with big win over Salem
Colby Snow did a little bit of everything on the football field Friday night, and the Bedford High School football team benefited in a big way with a 17-0 Division I win over Salem.
Colby Snow did a little bit of everything on the football field Friday night, and the Bedford High School football team benefited in a big way with a 17-0 Division I win over Salem.
The Bulldogs senior receiver caught three passes for 107 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for 17 yards, was on the kick and punt return teams, and successfully split the uprights with a 26-yard field goal.
“Last year he was really good early on in the year,” Bedford coach Zach Matthews said. “Then he broke a finger and was unable to really do what he can on offense because he had to wear a big padded claw that left him playing mainly on defense. He’s a big part of our offense. Obviously he’s our top receiver, but we’ll run him out of the backfield, put him in the slot or outside, he returns kicks and now we found out he can kick. It’s big for us to have him back in all phases of the game.”
Snow scored his first touchdown on a 53-yard connection from junior quarterback Danny Black (7 of 13, 161 yards, two touchdowns, one interception) with 4:50 to play in the first quarter.
Both defenses stiffened between the end of the first quarter through the third quarter, when Bedford got back on the scoreboard as Snow booted his 26-yard field goal with 5:17 left to play in the frame.
Bedford was driving into Salem territory early in the fourth quarter, but stalled. The Bulldogs settled for a punt that pinned the Blue Devils back at their own 3. The result? Kevin Sheridan tackling a Salem running back for a loss and two points with a safety with 4:56 left in the fourth quarter.
Sheridan led a defensive unit that saw Evan Cibotti and Jack Riso record interceptions, and Domminic Tagliafero recover a fumble.
On the first play of its next drive following the safety, Bedford’s Black-to-Snow connection struck again - this time for 45 yards to close out the scoring.
Bedford rebounded from a tough 19-7 loss to Nashua North on opening night. Now 1-1, the Bulldogs head north to Maine to face defending Class A champion Thornton Academy in Saco at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. Salem (1-1) hosts Exeter (2-0) at 7 p.m. Friday.
“We wanted to focus on improvements coming out of that Nashua North game,” Matthews said. “We dominated time of possession against Salem and had many guys come up with big plays on both sides of the ball. Now we have a tough matchup this week with a state champion in Maine. It may not count in the standings, but it will be another good test for our team.”
SOUHEGAN 41, MILFORD 14
Souhegan scored on all but one possession in Friday night’s 41-14 Division II victory over Milford.
J.J. Bright was a beast on the ground for the Sabers, carrying the ball eight times for 109 yards and three touchdowns. However, it was sophomore quarterback Romy Jain getting Souhegan’s offense moving early.
Trailing 6-0, following an eight-plus minute drive and touchdown by Milford, Jain (7 of 10, 156 yards, 2 TDs, 1 interception) and Madux McGrath connected for a pair of touchdowns - one a 35-yard post and the other a 2-yard fade. Those combined with Bright’s first of three scores gave Souhegan a 20-6 lead at halftime.
Souhegan came out strong in the third quarter, with Bright closing out a four-play drive to open the second half the same way he wrapped things up in the first half - in the end zone to give the Sabers a 27-6 lead over the Spartans.
"We stress to our guys to get off the bus, meaning start strong, control the Middle 8, and finish strong,” Souhegan coach Robin Bowkett said. “If you can score with the last possession of the first half and then get the ball back to start the second half with another score, that’s a big boost to your team. The last four minutes of the first half and first four of the second are key and we owned them again this week.”
Milford got on the board again in the third quarter when quarterback Chuck Urda kept the ball on a triple option for 5 yards and a touchdown. The Spartans recovered the ensuing onside kickoff, only to watch Souhegan’s Charlie Maroun intercept a pass and return the ball back to the 10-yard line.
Bright would punch in his third touchdown from there for a 34-13 lead, and Carson Behn would add one of his own in the fourth quarter to close out the scoring.
Souhegan is now 2-0 following a 60-6 opening week win over Hillsboro-Deering/Hopkinton, and its Week 2 victory over Milford. The Sabers host Manchester West (1-1) Friday at 7 p.m., while Milford (1-1) hosts Hanover (2-0) that same night and time.
BOW 28, PLYMOUTH 18
Bow used a pair of late defensive stops and three Hollis Jones rushing touchdowns to beat Plymouth 28-18 in Division II action Saturday afternoon.
Down by 10 in the final six minutes, Plymouth (1-1) twice had possession but couldn’t convert as Bow improved to 2-0 on the season.
Jones ran for 136 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries, two of those in the first half as the Falcons built a 21-12 advantage heading into the break. He then closed out the scoring in the third quarter with a 45-yard scamper to paydirt.
Plymouth didn’t fold easily, as Dylan Welch scored his second touchdown of the game on a 2-yard run early in the fourth quarter. Welch had previously scored from 1 yard out to open the scoring in the first quarter. The Bobcats held a 12-7 lead in that opening frame following a Gabe Keane kickoff return for a touchdown.
Bow would take the lead on Ryan Lover’s 8-yard second quarter touchdown run and never relinquish it. Lover finished the day with 98 yards rushing on 13 carries.
Bow takes its undefeated record on the road at Gilford-Belmont (2-0) Saturday at 2 p.m., while Plymouth hosts Merrimack Valley (1-1) on the same day and time.
