Telegraph file photo by TOM KING - Kyle Crampton completed 21 of 42 passes in Friday night's loss to Salem.

SALEM — Trailing big in the second half Friday night, it was hard to fault Merrimack High School.

The Tomahawks, held in limbo by Covid-19 since the opening night home victory over Bishop Guertin, competed enthusiastically, but this is a football team in need of snaps and action, not quarantine and inactivity.

Down 34-13 at halftime, Merrimack fell to 1-1 with a 48-13 defeat at the hands of the 2-1 Blue Devils.

“There’s been no rhythm for anybody this season. For teams that had to miss weeks like this, and I’m sure Windham feels the same way, it’s just a challenge to get the kids back into the rhythm of playing football,” said Merrimack coach Kip Jackson.

“We didn’t finish drives. It was the same thing that happened when we played BG, it’s just that (Salem) is really good, and they made us pay for it. We have to finish better.”

The teams, originally slated to play a week ago, backed into a battle this week when Salem’s original foe, Pinkerton Academy, cancelled all fall sports, and Merrimack’s slated opponent, Nashua South, could not be cleared for play in time, again due to virus precautions.

The news came to the teams on Wednesday.

“We were prepping for South, and then we weren’t prepping for South, and then were prepping for South. They went through the same thing. They found out at the same time, and they managed to be prepared,” said Jackson, whose team beat Guertin on Sept. 25.

“They were preparing for a wing-T team and they had to play a spread team. We were preparing for a spread team and had to play a wing-T team. I think playing more games helps, obviously, but we’ll figure it out.”

Salem never trailed, striking first with a 64-yard Aidan McDonald TD sweep around right end on third-and-7. Thomas Ahlers made it 14-0 with a 17-yard touchdown of his own, capping a 90-yard Salem march.

Merrimack responded, forcing a Blue Devils’ fumble on a punt at the Salem 43.

Three plays later, Kyle Crampton hit Jake Trahan on a pretty 30-yard hookup to the corner of the end zone, slicing the margin to 14-7 late in the first quarter.

The teams then traded second-quarter scores with McDonald rolling home from 28, and Jacob Bunis scooting 27 yards for the Tomahawks.

But Salem found another gear in the second and Merrimack just couldn’t answer.

Cody Clements hit Ryan Allard for a Devils TD and Dante Fernandes sped 75 yards to make it 34-13 before the break.

After allowing 245 Merrimack yards in the first half, Salem did tighten up defensively. The Tomahawks were held scoreless after the break, turning the ball over three times and amassing just 99 yards of offense.

The inability to adjust is evidence of just how much Merrimack could use more snaps that matter.

“We’re younger in that they’re inexperienced more than anything else. This year’s group we have seniors who haven’t had to be on the field on a Friday night,” said Jackson. “It’s another reason that not having a regular season and a preseason are hurting us right now.”

Bunis led Merrimack on the ground with 73 yards on 14 carries. Crampton closed out the night at 21 for 42 for 195 yards.

Trahan was double-tough, catching seven balls for 79 yards. Shea Goodwin had six grabs for 60 yards, and Justin Fournier pitched in four catches for 35 yards.