Todisco helps Salem football get back to business in win against Dover

DOVER – There were some high expectations placed upon the Salem High School football team, which naturally led to questions as to why the Blue Devils opened this season with a pair of losses.

Salem coach Steve Abraham wanted to simplify the equation entering Friday night’s game against Dover, and that meant getting the ball in the hands of his best playmaker, Kevin Todisco, and let him help the Blue Devils find their way back.

The senior running back had an electrifying night by rushing for 215 yards on nine carries with five touchdowns to lead Salem to a 63-13 Division I victory. All of Todisco’s work came in a first half that saw Salem leading 42-13.

Salem (1-2) played Londonderry tough before the Lancers pulled away for a 30-7 victory in the season-opener, while the Blue Devils dropped a 20-13 decision at Alvirne last week.

“We had opportunities in our other two games against Londonderry and Alvirne, especially, and I’ll take part of the blame and part of it is on the kids, they have to be held accountable,” Abraham said. “We were trying to use too many guys and I said we’ve got (Todisco) here who is a pretty good running back and I should just feed him the ball.”

Todisco is coming off a strong junior season that saw him rush for 903 yards and 20 touchdowns. He now has 440 yards this season on 32 carries with seven touchdowns, averaging 13.75 yards a carry.

“It was a great feeling,” Todisco said. “I came here, I had a job and I told the coach that I was going to do something special (Friday) and that’s what I did, but I’ve got to give all the glory to my line.

“After my first carry, I knew it was going to be a good game.”

Todisco had to wait to get his hands on the ball on Friday after Dover (0-3) opened the game with an 18-play drive that ended with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Cooper Gagnon to Camden Grund.

Salem countered with a drive that ended with an 8-yard touchdown run by Todisco on fourth-and-5. He then added a 40-yard touchdown run as time expired to give Salem a 14-7 lead entering the second quarter.

“Todisco is a great football player, he has the ability, so we’ve just to get him the ball more,” Abraham said. “He’s a running back that can run over you and can run around you. We went back to the basics (Friday) and just ran power all night long, and Todisco powered it through.”

Todisco’s highlight reel escalated with Salem pinned back on its own 8-yard line when he took a pitch to the left and cut up the field for a 92-yard touchdown scamper to give Salem a 21-7 lead with 8:42 left in the second quarter.

He then capped off his short, but spectacular, night with touchdown runs of 22 and 9 yards.

“I got the pitch outside and I basically saw the open field and my wide receiver made a great block and I was able to read him and go off of him,” Todisco said. “And then I just beat everybody else down the field.”

Todisco said he came into this year determined to build off his strong junior season and prove he’s one of the best running backs in the state and that his team is ready to roll once again.

“This year I definitely put in a lot more work,” Todisco said. “Last year I had an all right season, but it wasn’t good enough and we ended up on a bad note, so I had a chip on my shoulder. I just wanted to prove everyone wrong, everyone who says I can’t do something, I hate that and I don’t listen to it.”