Bishop Guertin's Matt Santosuosso tries to find some room with offensive lineman Sean Kraus helping out while PInkerton's Jack Macklernan (30) closes in from behind during the Astros' 22-12 win at Stellos Stadium Saturday night. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA — As dress rehearsals go, neither producer was too happy after Saturday night’s 22-12 football win by Pinkerton Academy over Bishop Guertin at Stellos Stadium.

Why? Well the Astros, now 6-1 and pretty much set to return to Stellos in three weeks for an expected Division I quarterfinal matchup against the expected West Conference champion Cardinals, lost a couple of offensive linemen in this one.

And the 5-2 Cards, who held out top running back Charlie Bellavance (shoulder), weren’t happy with losing, plus seeing the Astros’ Don Terrio return the opening kickoff 70 yards to paydirt for an 8-0 start.

And Cards coach John Trisciani doesn’t like the fact everything is so predetermined this early.

“It’s a unique circumstance, but I don’t like the circumstance,” he said. “These three games, someone might say there’s not a lot of weight to them. But we want to play meaningful football in October.”

But the Cards have essentially clinched the West title, and have struggling South conference teams Alvirne and Windham to finish up the season.

“We tried to compete, we tried to get couple of guys reps and I think (the Astros) were doing the same thing,” Trisciani said. “And we were trying to win at the end.”

But at the beginning, the Cards were in a 15-0 hole. The Astros got a two point conversion after the kickoff return, and later added a second quarter 1-yard TD run by Cole Yennaco for a two-score lead.

But the return set the tone for the night, as Terrio took a short kick and zipped down the right sideline.

“He did that all on his own,” Pinkerton coach Brian O’Reilly said. “We had he play designed to go to the right, and they kicked it to the other side.”

And later, Guertin missed an extra point after Matt Santosuosso (19 carries, 144 yards) rambled 60 yards to paydirt to cut the score to 15-6, which is what it was at halftime. “He’s a good football player,” O’Reilly said.

“That (the kick return) wasn’t good, huh,” Trisciani said. “And as a coach you just stand there and say ‘Really, really, really?’ We’re squibbing it because we’re concerned about the kick coverage, and then they return it.

“We’ll see it on film. Ultimately, we’re going to have to play the best 11 guys and treat special teams like offense or defense, because we’re not giving up kick returns.”

The Astros pretty much avoided major trouble at the end of the half when after a blocked field goal BG’s Jakob Baker was a few steps from a scoop and score.

“I did like the end of the half,” Trisciani said, “as it was Rocco Geraci knocking a kid back into it and then Baker being athletic and smart enough to know there’s four seconds left, so I can’t jump on it, and let’s give it a shot.”

But Pinkerton took complete control when back Caden Michaud scampered 51 yards for a TD to help make it 22-6 nearly four minutes into the third quarter.

The Cards did respond when Santosuosso, who had to take to the air more than usual and completed 11 of 18 for 124 yards, hit the speedy Adam Gnanou for a 31-yard TD pass with 55 seconds left in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 22-12, a two-point try ruled incomplete. Gnanou had just had a similar pass in the end zone go off his fingertips.

“We talked about taking a shot, and he’s fast,” Trisiani said. “He obviously dropped the first one. … it’s nice to give a kid a second shot and see him bounce back.”

O’Reilly talked about the key in these dress rehearsals is to keep up the intensity “because that’s everything with high school kids.” And Trisciani said the same thing.

“I’m going to play these last two games to win,” he said. “And I was trying to play tonight to win, too.”

The curtain rises in three weeks.

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