GOFFSTOWN — Middle of summer? For Nashua South grad Jason Compoh and the rest of the seniors in Saturday afternoon’s CHaD New Hampshire East-West All-Star Game, it might as well have been playoff time in November.

“The moment you get up, your body knows it’s game day,” said Compoh, after helping to captain the West stars over the East, 29-6, here at Saint Anselm’s Grappone Stadium.

“Your nerves are already going off. Real quiet, and your personality changes, you’ve got full alter-ego on. Once you get out there, everything shifts. You’re ready to go. Your heart is pumping fast. I just knew I had to give everything I have every single play. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

The Merrimack College-bound Compoh anchored a West defense that shackled the East for nearly the entire afternoon, allowing just one late 78-yard TD pass from Alvirne’s Kyle Gora to Windham’s Westin Lippold.

“It was a good day for me. I wish I could have gotten even more,” said Compoh, who did most of his damage for the Purple Panthers at running back and linebacker but wreaked havoc at defensive end on Saturday – the position he projects to play in college. “I can’t be mad with a couple sacks, and I got a lot of pressures in, too.”

The local contingent for the West stars enjoyed a monster day, with big plays abounding.

But it might have been a couple of minor adjustments at halftime from coach Robin Bowkett’s staff that turned a 7-0 nail-biter into a bit of a rout.

The first came Souhegan grad and Division II state championship playoff hero Mike Maroun on special teams, of all things.

“I have to give some credit to coach (Milford assistant Rick Urda),” said Maroun, who blocked multiple punts in the run to the title last fall. “I wasn’t even rushing on punt until (halftime). I told coach I block punts, let me give it a shot. He took my word, said all right, and I guess the rest is history.”

Maroun’s blocked punt tumbled out of the end zone for a quick third-quarter score and a 9-0 lead.

Goffstown’s Jeremy Henault made it 16-0 quickly with a 21-yard interception return for TD and the West seized control.

That’s when the second halftime adjustment broke it open.

“We were talking about it coming out of the half. We wanted to do it,” said receiver Jake Trahan of Merrimack. “We had been practicing it all week. We knew it was going to work. As soon I ran past my guy, I knew it was going to work.”

Trahan was speaking of a bit of trickery, a West halfback option pass. And Bedford’s Solomon Sanchez arced a perfect strike down the sideline that Trahan ran under, making it a 23-0 game.

Gora, a bastion of resilience all day, had his moment to shine, hitting Lippold on the long one, but the East’s excitement was short-lived.

Souhegan grad Austin Jain (7 of 10, 97 yards) went 4 for 4 on the next drive, clicking with Bedford’s Alex Zwickau on a 3-yard score to close it out.

Bishop Guertin’s Brendan Callahan had a strong performance on defense with a full, hard-hitting day at left cornerback.

Hollis Brookline’s Marc-Andre Thermitus pitched in four carries for 28 yards.

Merrimack’s Dylan Sadowski was a menace on the opposite defensive end from Compoh, pitching in a sack of his own.

Souhegan’s Riley Lawhorn did a little bit of everything in the victory, seeing reps at safety, running three times for 19 yards and booting three of four extra-point kicks.

Milford’s Darrion Kimball had a 23-yard catch.

Goffstown brothers Jarrett and Jeremy Henault earned co-MVP honors in the victory.

Gora’s East offense was stifled most of the day, but the Broncos standout certainly deserved respect for his courage under such duress.

Some of the state’s finest ballhawks had his No. 5 in their sights all day long, and Gora, the East’s lone QB, kept battling.

“It was a tough one for sure. They gave it to us up front,” Gora said. “We battled, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity. I had fun. It was still an honor, so glad I got to take part.”

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