HAMPTON – All eyes were focused on Nashua North’s Curtis Harris in their season opener at Winnacunnet High School. But junior back Xavier Provost made sure to grab his share of the spotlight.

The junior running back scored a pair of touchdowns, including a 98-yard return of the second-half kickoff, as the Titans rolled to a 35-8 victory over Winnacunnet.

Harris also scored a pair of TDs to lead a dominant – albeit late-starting – offense and junior back Anthony Greene added a score to pace the Titans.

“Curtis is a three-year starter and he’s really made a name for himself, but it was great to see the other guys step up and share the load,” Nashua North coach Dante Laurendi said. “For us to be a successful team and to be effective, we’ll have to spread the offense around. We saw that tonight.”

Neither team could put together much of an offense and the first quarter was scoreless.

But the Titans’ Harris soon took matters into his own hands.

With North taking over at its own 34 following a truncated Winnacunnet drive and punt, Harris took the snap, rolled around left end and was gone, scampering 66 yards down the left sideline to the end zone at 9:31 of the second quarter. North missed the extra point and the Titans led 6-0 lead

North built on its lead just over seven minutes later. When Provost took the handoff, shook off a hit in the backfield and ran the ball in from 15 yards out with 2:17 left. Harris ran in the two-point conversion and, after exchanging possessions in the final few minutes, the Titans held a 14-0 lead into halftime.

North didn’t let the break slow it down, though, as Provost took the opening kickoff at the 2 and returned it 98 yards for the score. Sam Nicholls added the extra point and the Titans were up 21-0 just 16 seconds into the second half.

“We lost Xavier early in the season last year so it was good to see him make a big play for us,” Laurendi said.

The Warriors went three and out before the Titans found the endzone again.

After a false start penalty and 8-yard gain by Nicholls, Greene took the handoff at the Winnacunnet 19, swept left, rumbling into the endzone. Nichols’ extra point put the Titans up 28-0 with 8:55 left in the third quarter.

Harris scored his second TD late in the third quarter, capping a seven-play drive with a 5-yard keeper to the left. Nicholls again added the extra point and North had a 35-0 lead.

Winnacunnet closed out the scoring with 12 seconds remaining, avoiding the shutout with Ryan Eaton’s TD and two-point conversion.

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