RallyNorth.net

Windham KOs Kennett in state semis

Saturday, November, 14 By By Bill Burt
Staff writer

WINDHAM, N.H. — For the second playoff week in a row, Windham High football did its best work in the fourth quarter.

Last week it was Lebanon High, which appeared to be even-Steven with Windham, only to get crushed over the final 10 minutes, 30-16. Saturday afternoon, the score stood 14-6, with Windham edging Kennett High, as the fourth quarter started.

But before long, Windham's grueling rushing offense — it only attempted two passes — which finished with 54 attempts, proved too much for the boys from North Conway, N.H. as the defending Div. 2 state champs won 28-12.

Windham will play the only undefeated team in Div. 2, St. Thomas Aquinas of Dover, which crushed Milford High, 51-20, for the state title next Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at Cowell Stadium on the campus of UNH.

Windham coach Bill Raycraft was talking boxing afterward.

"We took a lot of jabs early," said Raycraft. "That's our style, take a little punishinment early. But it's like a 12-round fight and we get stronger and stronger, and in the fourth quarter we go for the knockout."

It was indeed a knockout, as two of Kennett's best players were limping around the field the last 12 minutes, including its talented senior quarterback, Will Pollard, who completed 13 of 23 passes for 226 yards.

But the Jaguars won this game on the ground, with the blustery winds making it feel like it was just below freezing. While they led only 14-6 at the half, the Jaguars had run 38 plays to only 16 for Kennett. The Eagles appeared tired.

"That's the way we play," said Windham senior quarterback Ben Emrick, who went from tailback to quarterback when all-star starter, Griffin Lippold, broke his arm in the second-to-last regular season game.

"We pound the ball and eventually teams get worn down," said Emrick. "It's no secret. We are going to pound the ball. That's what we do in this offense."

The key ball carrier last week was the key one this week, too. Bruising junior back Victor Pizzotti, who is always three feet behind Emrick when the ball is snapped, powered his way to 137 yards on 23 carries. While he had a four-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and a 35-yard off-tackle scamper in the fourth quarter, it was his consistency that really took its toll on Kennett.

"After a while, those three, four and five-yard gains beging to mount up," said coach Raycraft. "It wears you down. That's the kind of back Victor is."

Windham senior Shane Lafond had the clinching run, a 5-yard rush over tackle, to put the game away late in the fourth quarter before Kennett added a late score.

Windham's defense also deserves kudos with Pizzotti (10 tackles) and Kyle Adamson (nine tackles, a sack and forced fumble) leading the way. Windham also had three interceptions. Adamson caught the only two passes Emrick threw for 41 yards, including 20-yard fourth-down reception for the go-ahead touchown in the second quarter.

"This is a different team from a year ago," said coach Raycraft. "That team could score in three plays when we needed to. This is different. But to be honest, it's a lot of fun. They really are all about being a team. You can't ask for anything more as a coach."