SALEM, N.H. — When Mike Lorenz arrived at Salem High yesterday morning, he expected another day as a role player.
"I didn't see this at all," said Lorenz. "I expected my normal day of playing some defensive back and going in on offense a little bit."
But when Lorenz left Grant Field at 3:30 p.m., he did so as champion and a football hero.
"He is a bigtime player," said Blue Devils quarterback Matt Cannone. "I had total confidence in him."
With the New Hampshire Division 1 state title game on the line, Lorenz was at the center of two of the biggest plays in Salem High football history.
After all, what is bigger than a tackle on third-and-short — to set up your own gorgeous game-winning long touchdown catch with 1:10 left?
"I am just overwhelmed," said the junior after the come-from-behind 28-21 win over Nashua North. "This was just huge."
While Nashua North had not broken a big gain on the day, the Titans had consistently run the ball to the tune of 55 carries for 215 yards.
So, when the Titans faced a third-and-less than a yard with 1:59 left on the clock, a first down seemed a sure thing with running back Andre Williams, who had gained at least a yard on all but two carries during the game (35-139, 2 TDs), and who entered the play with 1,341 yards and 20 touchdowns on exactly 200 carries for the season.
Williams took a handoff to the left, and the 6-foot-1, 180-pounder surged towards the down-marker.
But 6-foot-2, 175-pound Lorenz — converted from defensive line to cornerback earlier in the season — stepped up and halted Williams in his tracks for a loss with a bone-jarring hit.
"I knew we needed a stop and I just stuck my head in there," said Lorenz, who finished the day with six tackles. "That play was the game and we were all in the moment. After that stop, we just knew we had it."
Salem followed that with another stop, led by Jake Matthews, to cause a turnover on downs. But the offense still needed a score, and with six catches for just 115 yards and a touchdown for the season going into the game, Lorenz didn't appear the likeliest of targets.
After a pass fell incomplete on first down, and Max Jacques was stopped for 3 yards on second down, overtime seemed inevitable.
"Coach (Jack Gati) told me to make a move and go down the sidelines," said Lorenz. "The game was on the line, and Cannone threw me the ball. I knew I had to do anything I could to catch the ball.
"Once I caught it, I didn't know where I was until I got up. I looked down and I was in the end zone. I was overwhelmed."
On third down, Cannone lofted a pass towards the end zone. Lorenz eluded a defensive back and went into an outstretched dive to haul in the pass and land in the end zone.
"I knew he was going to get it," said Cannone of the 42-yard bomb. "Lorenz made a great move and I put everything I had into it. He made a great catch."
Fullback Darren Brown, who had connected with Lorenz earlier in the game on a halfback pass that the receiver caught with his tiptoes on the sidelines, was confident in his teammate.
"I didn't even know he caught it until the whole field went crazy," said the senior. "Mike's our most athletic tight end. He's our tallest tight end and has great hands. I can't wait to see what he can do next season."
But, regardless of what he does as a senior, for one day Lorenz lived out every young boy's dream of making a place in football lore.
"I don't know if words can describe it," said Lorenz. "I couldn't have guessed."
E-mail David Willis at dwillis@eagletribune.com.
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