Telegraph photo by TOM KING Chris Keefe was all smiles after his second varsity start at QB for Nashua South turned into a 27=0 Panthers win over Spaulding Friday night at Stellos Stadium.

NASHUA – The Chris Keefe quarterback era at Nashua South is underway.

Keefe led the Panther offense for the second straight week with two rushing TDs, and the South defense also recorded its second straight shutout, 27-0 over Spaulding Friday night at Stellos Stadium.

Keefe, a junior, has started the last two games in place of injured sophomore Mike Rutstein (hip). But so far, so good as the the Panthers, now 5-2, continue their playoff push.

“I’m really happy right now,” Keefe said. “Over the summer Mike and I were working and I was working in (at QB) in case something happened, and unfortunately something did happen. But thanfully, I had the right coaching to do this.”

Keefe ran for a score last week and last night rushed for 29 yards but was 9 of 18 for 132 yards throwing.

“I thought he did a nice job tonight,” Panthers coach Scott Knight said. “Last week was his first start (at Winnacunnet), and it was 30 miles an hour windswept rain, and he got poked in the eye in the first half, and he played the whole second half with one eye. So it was really tough to get an indication of what he could bring to the table. So tonight I was kind of anxious to see what he’d do on the dry turf.

“We threw it around tonight. There’s some stuff we have to work on. If we’re going to make the playoffs, play in the playoffs, and do well in the playoffs, we’re going to need to be able to throw the football. Keefe showed some glimpses tonight.”

Jason Compoh’s 42 yard run set up a Chris Keefe 9-yard TD run with 3:19 left in the first quarter.

A short Red Raider punt gave the Panthers good field position midway through the second quarter and they cashed in with Keefe’s second TD run, a 4-yarder, with 5:19 left in the half. Jake Smith’s second of three PAT kicks made it a 14-0 game.

That was the halftime score as the Red Raiders saw a penalty-filled drive late in the half die as time ran out when South’s Zach Gauthier corraled Red Raider back Jacob King at the 4.

“We’ve played pretty solid ‘D’,” Knight said. “That (goal line stand) was real big. We’ve been really good on fourth down this year.”

“That was tough,” said Red Raiders coach Kevin Hebert, his team now 2-5 and scoreless in eight quarters this year at Stellos. “We didn’t execute in the throw game, and they’re a good team. You can’t drop passes against these guys. … The defense kept us in it for the most part, which is what we were looking to do. We just couldn’t get it done offensively (109 total yards).”

Another bad Red Raider punt (4 yards) plus a personal foul penalty helped set up a 13-yard South TD run by Joe Buturla with 8:10 left in the third.

Jason Compoh added a 20-yard run with 5:01 left to clinch things at 27-0.

And for now, Keefe will try to keep things moving.

“Until (Rutstein comes back), I’m the guy right now,” Keefe said. “My mindset? Go to Dover next week.”

With both eyes open.

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