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# Start of each half set the tone for Plymouth football in championship win
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/start-of-each-half-set-the-tone-for-plymouth-football-in-championship-win/
- Published: 2018-11-20T14:30:02.000Z
- Updated: 2018-11-20T14:30:02.000Z
- Description: The Plymouth Regional High School football team is known for setting the tone from the opening kickoff and playing mistake-free for 48 minutes. But at the start of Saturday's Division II championship game against Alvirne, the Bobcats did something that was way out of character. After receiving the k
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division II, Alvirne, championship, football, NH High School Sports Insider, playoffs, Plymouth, slider, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

The Plymouth Regional High School football team is known for setting the tone from the opening kickoff and playing mistake-free for 48 minutes.

But at the start of Saturday's Division II championship game against Alvirne, the Bobcats did something that was way out of character.

After receiving the kick, Plymouth senior Owen Brickley fought for more yardage, but his second effort allowed Alvirne's Kyle Clark to knock the ball free. Andrew Porter recovered at the Bobcats' 29-yard line, and a surprising first half was underway.

The two teams combined to score on their first five possessions, with the Broncos taking an 18-15 lead. Kyle Gora had a passing touchdown on a 12-yard toss to Jack Regan; a 1-yard rushing touchdown; and a 6-yard touchdown reception from Regan on a reverse option-pass.

And Alvirne nearly had more, driving to the Plymouth 27-yard line when time expired in the first half.

"We had to get up and correct our defense and control the clock," Plymouth coach Chris Sanborn said. "That opening kickoff fumble changed the complexity of the game. We lose that possession and then they ended the half with the ball. It limits your time trying to touch the ball."

While Sanborn wanted to see better play from his defense, what the Plymouth coach really wanted to was a big play from the special teams, to make up for the fumble.

He got it on Alvirne's first possession of the second half.

Two false starts by the Broncos put them in a first-and-20 situation to start the half, and Plymouth's defense held, forcing a punt. Jackson Palombo came free around the right side of Alvirne's line and blocked the kick by Morgan Williams.

As players from both teams tried to recover it, the ball was knocked back toward the goal line, with Anthony Valez finally falling on it for Plymouth at the Alvirne 8-yard line.

"We said all week we’re going to block a punt," Sanborn said. "They (the special teams) owed us one after the opening kickoff fumble. They got us the ball back. We’re putting it on our seniors. You need seniors to step up and make big plays."

Two plays later, Brickley scored on a 7-yard run to give Plymouth a lead it wouldn't let go of, as the Bobcats led 22-18.

For Alvirne, it was the first time all season the Broncos were outscored in the second half.

"At the half, I felt like we had a really good chance," Alvirne coach Tarek Rothe said. "Very rarely did we come out in the second half and not be able to drive down the ball and score. They made some great plays and they stopped us. A punt got blocked and that set the tone back for us."

While Alvirne held the edge in yardage, 361-289, Plymouth was able to hold on to the ball for longer, going 7 for 11 on third downs, while holding the Broncos to just 3 of 12\. Both teams ran the same number of plays (62), but the Bobcats finished game with 30:25 of possession time.

That included a 16-play, 81-yard drive that took up 8:10 of the fourth quarter and ended with a 3-yard touchdown run by Cody Bannon with 2:30 remaining.

"Our offensive line does a great job every week," Brickley said. "They stopped us a little bit in the first half and we made adjustments and got it done from there. Our backs ran real well."