Telegraph Sports Reporter Tom KIng.

They both crossed the finish line first.

Saturday was the best day of what has been a lousy 2020 as far high school sports is concerned.

It was a day to bottle up and remember what is important. The area saw not one, but two football teams win championships as Nashua North throttled Goffstown 49-21, and Souhegan rallied late to beat Plymouth, 26-21.

Two for two. And just like that, the 2020 fall high school season is a wrap.

They did it.

“I guess you could say we took it week by week,” North standout Curtis Harris-Lopez said after his three touchdown day. “With all the elminations of teams, we just make sure we stayed healty, wore our masks, and followed protocol.

“We made it this far.”

Half the battle was just getting there.

“Oh absolutely,” Goffstown coach Nick Hammond said. “Playing nine games this year was just awesome. So much uncertainty through the spring, summer, and throughout the fall. To just get to this point was an unbelievable accomplishment for our kids.”

But now North, in this pandemic season, has its first ever state football championship, after back-to-back heartbreaking losses in 2009-10 when Laurendi was an assistant.

And Souhegan, who brought in its former quarterback to re-establish its program – , the brash, enthusiastic Robin Bowkett, a quote machine if there ever was one – has its fifth title but first since 2010. Bowkett’s Sabers had to bounce back after a squandering a 20-7 lead with a late fourth quarter Riley Lawhorn 70-yard TD run. A run for the ages.

The game in Bedford didn’t have that kind of drama. It started with a big Curtis Harris-Lopez 45-yard interception return for a touchdown, a sign of things to come for the Titans who scored two defensive TDs, one on special teams, and four more on offense.

“Those things really help to start the game,” Laurendi said. “Our team speed really showed today, I thought.”

Neither team lost a game all year. North only was able to play three regular season games thanks to COVID, and Souhegan had its opening playoff game with Manchester West cancelled due to Blue Knight virus concerns.

But the way these championships were so hotly contested, you couldn’t tell this was anything different than four teams going for a championship. Both North and Souhegan were two teams everyone looked at as, if not potential champions, at least potential finalists all year. Both had strong groups of seniors that had played together, a lot of them, even before high school.

“It was a pleasure to play with all these boys,” North two-way back Devin Bracetty said. “It’s been a long journey.”

A journey that ended with the Titans crossing the finish line, just like the Grizzlies, Plymouth, and Souhegan.

But crossing it first, as the Titans and Sabers did, was that much sweeter.

“It’s crazy,” Bracetty said. “It’s over.”

“I’ll tell you,” Laurendi said, “it’s better to end No. 1 than to start No. 1.”

And end in good health.

Tom King can be reached at tking@nashuatelegraph.com, or on twitter @Telegraph _TomK.

Newsletter