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Windham, Salem

SALEM — What a way to start a rivalry!

At least for Windham.

In the first football game ever played between the neighboring rivals, Windham scored last to win a thriller, 31-28, to improve to 3-3 and knock Salem (4-2) out of a tie for first in the Division 1 South.

"We've got a great relationship with Salem and we know it's going to be a good rivalry for a long time," said Windham coach Bill Raycraft. "You want a competitive game in a rivalry and this was a good start to it."

Windham quarterback Cody Potter was understandably ecstatic with the win.

"This was huge to keep us in the race and it's a big rivalry game," said Potter. "This means a lot to us."

The senior QB certainly had a lot to do with the Jaguars win, completing 13 of 17 passes for 207 yards and four touchdowns and showing an uncanny ability to scramble and get out of trouble.

Potter's last touchdown proved to be the game-winner when he threw a bomb to Ryan Marotta, who outfought the defender for the ball and then went into the end zone to complete a 65-yard play with 8:40 to play.

Potter also started the scoring in the first quarter. Salem received the opening kickoff but fumbled on its first play from scrimmage. Seven plays later, Potter connected on a 24-yard strike to Aidan Arinello to give the Jags the early 7-0 lead.

Chris Burke added a 35-yard field goal midway through the second quarter to make it 10-0 but a blocked quick kick gave Salem the ball on the Windham 18 and five plays later, Brandon Wall ran it in from one yard out to make it 10-7.

However, Windham rallied in the final 1:39 of the half and made it 17-7 at halftime when Cody Stevens made a nice catch on a 16-yard flare pass with just two seconds remaining.

Salem came out of the intermission fired up and scored quickly, on a 35-yard Riley Mulvey run to make it 17-14 and just two minutes later took the kead when Wall zoomed 40 yards around the end and two plays later scored from five yards out to provide the Blue Devils their first lead, 21-17.

Then it really started getting interesting.

Windham responded  with a 76-yard drive capped by a 13-yard toss from Potter to Marotta to go back ahead 24-21 but Salem replied with a 50-yard drive that Wall finished with another 5-yard TD run, making it 28-24. Wall wound up with 116 yards in the night on 14 carries.

Windham then needed just three plays before the Potter to Marotta (7 catches 138 yards) bomb ended the scoring.

"That's the second straight game for him (Potter)," said Raycraft. "He almost brought us back last week.

"We wanted to open it up a little. We felt we had been a little too conservative moving to Division 1 and it's nice to have a quarterback who can change things up."

Salem had the ball twice more after Marotta's second TD reception (the first two of his career) but Windham's defense held firm the rest of the way. Bobby Dicicco was in on a number of tackles while also helping pressure Salem quarterback Kyle Poulin.

For banged-up Salem, Sebastian Moser, Connor Chute and Joseph Calabrese all had busy games on defense.