RallyNorth.net

Astros stand tall, deny Salem

Saturday, September, 25 By Hector Longo
Staff writer

DERRY, N.H. - Two coaches, two gambles, one huge defensive stand.

Yeah, the Pinkerton Academy-Salem High football rivalry simmered here yesterday before an Astro homecoming crowd of about 1,200 here yesterday.

In the end, a handful of Pinkerton defenders swarmed on Max Jacques at the Astro 1, denying the potential tying or winning TD as time ran out, preserving a 38-31 Granite State Division 1 thriller.

“It speaks volumes to this team that we don’t give up,” said Pinkerton captain Kevin Davies, who scored a pair of TDs on offense and anchored the defense with a dozen tackles. “They beat us twice last year, defending champs, so this one feels great.”

Both coaches rolled the dice in the final seconds of each half.

In the first, with 6.6 seconds left, Pinkerton's Brian O'Reilly eschewed the field goal and went with a pass. Sophomore QB Chris St. Onge rewarded the bravado with a daring scramble right and a dart to Ryan Coombs for the 9-yard TD hookup with no time on the clock.

The 21-20 advantage at the break did wonders for an Astros program that had been battered by defending state champion Salem twice last year.

Salem's Jack Gati wasn't as fortunate in the fourth when with no timeouts from the Astro 2 with nine seconds left, he chose running Max Jacques to the left instead of passing on third and potentially running if need be on fourth.

“Our best thing is the run game,” said Salem coach Jack Gati. “I’m not going to tell Max how to run because he does so many things on his own that create big situations. That play should have gone outside a little more, maybe he saw something. I don’t question running there. What was it two-and-a-half yards?”

Jacques, for an instant, had some room but the hole sealed quickly with a wall of red.

“Max came to the left, we swarmed to the ball, tackled him,” said Davies, one of at least four Astros on the scene at the end. “You know he’s a tough kid, all the defenders around tackled him. Everyone was firing to the ball. That’s what you’re looking to do on defense, especially against a back like him.”

It ended a classic, which featured top skill athletes slugging it out with alternating big plays.

St. Onge delivered what ultimately was the kill shot, a 49-yard option keeper for TD with 5:26 left in the game, snapping a 23-23 tie.

He showed plenty of poise under Salem pressure all day.

Pinkerton got a huge lift in the kicking game, especially on returns.

The fab frosh, Manny “Laser” Latimore blew past the Devils’ cover team on a dynamic second-quarter 93-yard dash, accelerating away with a mega-burst over the final 40.

“That’s his second of the year, has to be some kind of record,” said Pinkerton coach Brian O’Reilly.

When Salem kicked away from him, Emmitt Smith delivered a pair of returns to midfield and each set up TDs.

Coombs, who caught that huge TD before the half, came up with an equally clutch field goal in the third, booming a 35-yarder straight on with the square-toed kicking shoe.

“He’s old-school,” joked O’Reilly.

For Salem Jacques earned his 118 yards and a TD rushing on 21 carries. Jerickson Fedrick ran for a pair of TDs and caught a 58-yard TD strike from Matt Cannone, who was 6-of-10 for 117 yards on the day.