Souhegan football outlasts Hanover to pick up win (video)

AMHERST - The way Friday night's game between the Souhegan and Hanover high school football teams was going, it looked like whichever team was going to make a defensive stand first would win.

Each team scored on its first three possessions, and a 76-yard touchdown run by JJ Bright on the first play of the Sabers' fourth gave them the lead early in the fourth quarter.

On the Marauders' next drive, Souhegan finally got that stop, forcing a turnover on downs with 4:32 remaining, and the Sabers were able to run off enough of the clock to hold on for a 27-20 win in a Division II West Conference game.

Bright finished with 128 yards rushing and the game-winning score on 10 carries while Romy Jain was 13 of 15 passing for 194 yards and three touchdowns.

"I couldn’t be more proud," Souhegan coach Robin Bowkett said. "We showed we could win a tight game, a playoff-like game, and when it matters most, when you’re tired and you’re hurt in the fourth quarter, the guys looked to each other. That’s what playing for your brothers is all about. They were not losing this game. We had some war daddies out there."

Jain threw touchdown passes on each of Souhegan's first three drives, hitting Madux McGrath and Cole Manning for 17-yard completions in the first half and then connecting on a short pass that Tony Garrant took 42 yards to open the third quarter.

The Sabers (4-3) were able to overcome inopportune penalties in the first half and a lot of time on the field for their defense, as the Marauders (5-2) had a 31:10-15:45 edge in time of possession. Hanover had four drives of more than five minutes, including drives of 9:22 and 8:56 on its first possession of each half.

"Maybe not two tight ends and no receivers, but the way they played, bleed clock and keep us off the field, it was a great job by them," Bowkett said of what he expected going into the game. "I saw them play (Hillsboro-Deering/Hopkinton) and the first quarter was 15 minutes (real time). We were hoping we’d stop them a little bit better on defense. We knew they were going to run the ball on us."

Seamus Murphy led Hanover with 131 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries while Colin Pierce had 41 yards on 12 carries. But the Marauders were able to catch the Sabers off-guard through the air, as quarterback Roger Lucas was 7 of 11 for 128 yards with two touchdowns and an interception by Souhegan's Charlie Maroun that ended the game.

Lucas threw for scores on each of Hanover's first two possessions, including a 39-yard strike to Brendan Logan (three catches, 60 yards) that made it 13-7 Marauders with 3:42 left in the first half.

Souhegan answered with a 10-play, 79-yard drive that took under three minutes, with Jain connecting with Manning for a 17-yard score with 41.3 seconds left in the half. The kick was no good and the teams went to halftime tied at 13.

The Sabers got the ball to start the third quarte and went 65 yards in seven plays, scoring on Garrant's 42-yard catch-and-run. The extra point gave Souhegan a 20-13 lead with 8:16 left in the third and the Sabers wouldn't see the ball again until the fourth quarter.

Hanover went on a 12-play, 73-yard drive, with Lucas hitting Edward Sumner for a 38-yard completion to the 1-yard line and Murphy found his way in on the next play to tie it with 11:07 remaining.

Getting the ball back on its own 24, Souhegan looked to take some time off the clock while getting back in front, but on the first play from scrimmage, Bright got the edge and was gone.

"It was an outside run, to the left side," the sophomore said. "Perfect blocking by the receivers and linemen. It was executed great and too good not to score. Mitch Hauser was on one (defensive back). Once I made it past that, all I saw was the end zone, and there was no turning back. (Murphy) nicked me but it wasn’t enough to take me down."

Murphy made a diving attempt at Bright inside the 5-yard line, but it wasn't enough, as the 76-yard touchdown put Souhegan back up 27-20 with 10:45 to play.

"Theoretically, but we’re just happy we scored," Bowkett said when asked if he wanted to use up more time. "We waited to see what they were going to be in and we liked the look. We ran it, and we’ve got a few more guys who play than they do, so they were getting gassed it looked like."

Souhegan's defense made a stand on Hanover's next drive, but the Sabers turned the ball over on downs at the Marauders' 29 with 1:17 remaining.

With no timeouts left, Hanover went to its passing game, with Lucas connecting with Pierce for gains of 6 and 15 yards, respectively. But after a spike to stop the clock with 32.4 left, Lucas was intercepted by Maroun.

"We needed that stop," Bright said. "Once we got the stop, it was a dog fight to the end. That stop was all we needed, and once we got it, I think it motivated us to finish the game."