SALEM, N.H. ¬�— The Blue Devils of Salem earned their top billing on the state-playoff marquee with an explosive rushing attack.
So what do they do when the season is on the line?
That's right, they throw a game-winning 42-yard touchdown pass with 70 seconds remaining that proved decisive in the Division 1 title game.
Actually, quarterback Matt Cannone threw a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns, as the Blue Devils rallied to defeat Nashua North, 28-21, before a standing-room-only crowd estimated at 4,000 at Grant Field.
Cannone found a lunging Mike Lorenz for the winning score that capped off Salem's furious comeback.
"Coach called me over and said, 'Run up the sideline, make a move and get open,' so I knew the ball was coming to me," Lorenz said. "I was going to do whatever I could to make the catch. I was running full speed and ended up turning the opposite way. I'm astounded I made the catch. I was looking up at the ball thinking, 'It's time to make a play.' The game was on the line."
Lorenz's coach needed to be talked into the play.
"It was third-and-11, and I was thinking about getting something shorter, so we could work for a field goal," Salem coach Jack Gati said. "But (offensive coordinator) Dan (Keleher) suggested the play, which we had success with last week (in a semifinal win over Pinkerton)."
Salem (11-1) secured the school's first championship in 14 years 50 seconds after Lorenz's touchdown when Joe Scire intercepted a Brandon Karkhanis bomb in the end zone.
"I don't even know how to describe it," Scire said. "I was just lucky enough to get the ball. That final possession all we said was, 'Don't get beat deep.' We knew it was our last drive and we put it all out there."
Cannone, who entered the game with only five touchdown passes the previous 11 games, hooked up with Darren Brown on a 3-yard touchdown with 7 minutes remaining to tie the score at 21-21.
"It was getting frustrating out there the way (the Titans) were moving the football," said Brown, who completed a key halfback option pass in the first quarter and also made 10 tackles. "But when the time came to step up, everyone did."
Although Salem took a 14-7 lead into halftime, Nashua North (9-2) controlled much of the first two quarters with a solid rushing attack and a defense that kept Blue Devils speedsters Max Jacques and Jerickson Fedrick in check.
The Titans, who took a 21-14 lead with two third-quarter scores, ran 23 more plays while controlling the ball 21:30 of the game's first 29 minutes.
"Our game plan was to keep them off the field," North coach Jason Robie said. "We thought if we could get five three-and-outs we could win the football game. And I'll tell you, it feels like we did win the game — just not on the scoreboard. (Lorenz) made a heck of a catch on that third-down play. He was covered, but he went up and got it."
Nashua North, which lost a 54-33 decision to Salem on Oct. 17, actually held the Blue Devils to three plays or fewer on seven of their 12 possessions, although two of those resulted in touchdowns. Jacques and Fedrick, who burned North for a combined 491 yards and seven touchdowns earlier, were held to 157 yards and one touchdown yesterday.
"There were two good defensive teams going at it," Gati said. "We were opportunistic on some big plays and took advantage of them."
Salem 28, Nashua North 21
Nashua North (9-2):7�Ç�Ç0�Ç14�Ç�Ç0 — 21
Salem (11-1):0�Ç14�Ç�Ç0�Ç14 — 28
First Quarter
NN — Andre Williams 1 run (Anthony Guidice kick), 4:49
Second Quarter
S — Max Jacques 38 run (Chris Saulnier kick), 7:08
S — Kyle Henrick 6 pass from Matt Cannone (Saulnier kick), 0:24
Third Quarter
NN — Trevor Rancourt 30 pass from Brandon Karkhanis (Guidice kick), 5:43
NN — Williams 3 run (Guidice kick), 4:59
Fourth Quarter
S — Darren Brown 3 pass from Cannone (Saulnier kick), 7:08
S — Mike Lorenz 42 pass from Cannone (Saulnier kick), 1:10
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING: NN (57-215) — Andre Williams 35-139. Dylan Brodeur 20-71, Brandon Karkhanis 2-5; Salem (35-182) — Max Jacques 15-112, Jerickson Fedrick 15-45, Alex Sobrado 3-21, Matt Cannone 2-4
PASSING: NN — Karkhanis 8-12-1, 99, Brodeur 1-2-0, 18; Salem — Matt Cannone 4-10-0, 76, Darren Brown 1-1-0, 28
RECEIVING: NN — Anton Marinchik 3-38, Trevor Rancourt 2-49, Brodeur 2-7, Williams 1-18, Eric Muite 1-5; Salem — Mike Lorenz 2-70, Jake Matthews 1-25, Kyle Henrick 1-6, Brown 1-3.
FIRST DOWNS: NN 20, Salem 11
PENALTIES: NN 4-40, Salem 5-50
PUNTS: NN 2-49.0, Salem 3-40.0
RETURN YARDS: NN 5-51, Salem 4-56
FUMBLES/LOST: NN 1/1, Salem 2/2
TIME OF POSSESSION: NN 28:11, Salem 19:49
SportsTalk Live: Mass Exodus Under Edsall-2/13
Jill Sorenson reports on the rumors swirling around Mike Knuble-2/13
Jill Sorenson reports on the Capitals' loss to the Sharks-2/13
Kelli Johnson 1-on-1 with John Thompson III -2/13
Alexander Semin finds back of net versus Rangers-2/12
The Sixers are not taking anyone lightly
Spring training is right around the corner
Moving day: Phils' gear en route to Clearwater
Will the Flyers make a move at the trade deadline?
Stoglin's frustrations boil over following Duke loss-2/12
Timonen "disappointed" in teammates' effort
Morganti: 'Rangers' power play demolished the Flyers'
Timonen: 'I think we got half the guys going and half the guys not'
More shootout woes in store for the Flyers when they face the Red Wings?
The Rangers have the Flyers' number
St. Joseph's vs. Massachusetts Highlights - 2/11
Penn vs. Dartmouth Highlights - 2/11
Drexel vs. Hofstra Highlights - 2/11
La Salle vs. St. Louis Highlights - 2/11
John Wall talks about the loss to the Heat-2/10
Ortiz, Red Sox meet in the middle
Merloni: Red Sox need another arm
Julien: In a 'must good-game' situation
Julien: 'did it the hard way'
McAdam's Spring Training primer
Doc: Team's effort is 'un-Celtic'
Pierce stresses mental toughness
Globe 10.0 Who was the best free agent in Boston?
Maria Menounos dons a Giants-colored bikini after losing Super Bowl bet-2/7
Thomas' moratorium: 'I'm out, peace'
Gasol: 'Not pleasant' being part of trade rumor
Blakely: Gasol-for-Rondo trade unlikely
Brady-ing is Latest Internet Meme
Globe 10.0: Is Paul Pierce the Celtics greatest scorer?
Ranking Pierce among Celtics greats
Garnett's tale of first meeting Paul Pierce
Pierce's loyalty touted after big night
Hurt Locker: Patriots react to Super Bowl loss
Brown: 'Eli Manning is better than Tom Brady'
Local fans crushed by Patriots loss in Super Bowl XLVI
