RallyNorth.net

Salem pitches shutout over Lancers

Friday, September, 11 By Hector Longo
Staff writer

SALEM, N.H. — Old-school offenses — real old school offense — first and foremost test a defense's courage.

Last night in the mist against Londonderry's Depression Era single-wing, Salem responded with an A+, a 121-yard-allowed 35-0 shutout win over Londonderry.

"That's basically what we try to do, run it up your throat every time," said Salem High captain and linebacker Darren Brown. "I think it's good to go against a team that tries to do the same thing, because we know how to stop it.

"They run a sniff back, and one guy takes you to the football every time. You just have to read him."

Now 2-0, Salem held the scuffling Lancers to only 34 first-half yards.

 It was the defense that put up all the points Salem would need when sophomore Jerickson Fedrick picked up a Lancer fumble on the edge of a pile and sauntered 46 yards for one of the easiest TDs he'll ever score.

The Blue Devils, for the second straight week, chewed up the turf offensively with Fedrick (12 carries, 94 yards), Max Jacques and (13-94) and Alex Sobrado (10-98) splitting the load.

Jacques ran for two scores — make it four in two weeks — while Sobrado and fullback Jake Matthews bulled into the end zone as well.

Defensively, Brown (12 tackles) and Joey DiPalma (10 tackles, 3 for loss) wreaked havoc against a team that put up 28 last week vs. Keene.

"We've got high hopes," said Brown. "I think this shows we belong with the playoff teams this year, but there's still a ton of work to do."

The battered Lancers, who were again without gamebreaker Joey McLaughlin, simply never found their stride.

"You can't make mistakes against the good teams," said Lancer coach Jon Rich. "Five plays into the game we're down (6-0). We talked about playing smart football, holding on to the ball and milking the clock as much as we could because we know they have a great offense and we come out and turn the ball over.

"We have a lot of injuries, I don't know what else to says. (McLaughlin) is still concussed. He got hit pretty good in our scrimmage and he could be out for some time."