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Unbeaten Bedford ousts short-handed Salem

Sunday, November, 06 By Kyle Gaudette

BEDFORD - It was a tall task for Salem without not one, but two of its top running back options Saturday evening again top-ranked Bedford.

The Eagle-Tribune's leading rusher and scorer Josh Sibanda as well as senior back James LeBlond were both unable to play for the Blue Devils due to injury.

Their absences allowed new and familiar faces to tow the load offensively for Salem, but the Blue Devils were eventually beaten by undefeated Bedford in the first round of the NHIAA playoffs 33-7 Saturday night. It was the second consecutive week the teams played each other.

Bedford (10-0) will now play Merrimack (9-1) in the Division 1 semi-finals next Saturday after the Tomahawks beat Goffstown 42-7. Salem finished it season at 6-4.

"The kids played really well," said Salem coach Rob Pike. "Bedford is obviously a great team with a really good defense. I don't know how many yards we had but it was pretty substantial against a team like this. We didn't make a few plays when we needed to, and give credit to Bedford. Whenever they needed big plays they converted, and that was the difference."

Salem actually doubled-up Bedford in time of possession, generating multiple long drives into the red zone. But the Bulldogs always stood tall near their goal line, playing a type of bend-don't-break defense that would have warmed the heart of Bill Belichick.

Without Sibanda and LeBlond it was sophomore Domenic Paci who starred in the backfield, leading the team with 90 yards on 18 carries. The Maroun brothers also played well out of the backfield for the Blue Devils. Big brother Adam, a junior, rushed for 66 yards on 14 carries while freshmen Josh burst onto the varsity scene with 49 yards on 11 carries. 

"(Sibanda and LeBlond) are great players, but hey we got some other guys that are pretty great too," said Pike. "Dom Paci played great. As a sophomore fullback he ran the ball so hard for us today. And Josh Maroun came in as a freshmen and ran the ball really well. So we definitely missed those guys, but the kids played well. I couldn't have asked any more of them."

Bedford quarterback Connor Robert got the offense going early, throwing two touchdown passes to his favorite target of the day Noah Chaberek. Running back Sean Tierney added a 14-yard rush to give the Bulldogs a commanding 20-0 lead at the half. Salem twice drove inside the Bedford 20-yard-line during the half, but came up with a missed field goal and a turnover on downs.

The Blue Devils came out of the break fired up, taking the second half kickoff 71 yards on an 18-play drive that chewed up more than eight minutes and ended with a Josh Maroun 4-yard run. The momentum continued on Bedford's ensuing drive when linemen Ben Emerson made a tremendous leaping interception.

But Bedford forced a stop, and drove right back down the field for a score at the start of the fourth quarter to put a stop to the Salem rally. The Bulldogs would add a late score on Nicholas Leahy's second TD run of the game to punctuate the win.

Robert went 11 of 16 passing for 154 yards and two touchdowns, and Leahy was the Bulldogs leading rusher with 145 yards on only 11 carries.

Despite the loss Salem still put together a very good season. The Blue Devils are losing very valuable assets to graduation such as Emerson, Jonathan St. Hilaire and Ben Genest to name a few, but Sibanda's breakout junior year should give fans a lot of hope for the future.

"Right until the end we though we had a chance," said Pike. "We made some great plays, Ben had that incredible interception, but we couldn't convert. Again when they needed to make a play they did it and we didn't, and that was the difference."