Nashua South alum Connor Rowsell will play in his final football game Saturday in the CHaD East-West All-Star Game at Saint Anselm College. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

MANCHESTER – Football’s loss is lacrosse’s gain.

That’s how you have to look at the fact that recent Nashua High School South graduate Connor Rowsell will play his final football game Saturday at Saint Anselm College’s Grappone Stadium in the annual CHaD East-West All-Star Game.

He’s headed to Southern New Hampshire University to play lacrosse, and why not? His Panthers coach, Bill Monsen, described him this past spring as “a beast” on the lacrosse field.

“I wasn’t sure going into my senior year,” Rowsell said. “I was getting some looks (from colleges) for lacrosse and I wasn’t getting many looks for football. But mostly I chose lacrosse because I’ve always played it with my childhood friends and I’ve really enjoyed the sport a lot more. And I’ve always played it like a relaxed sport, I might say.”

Especially since football would require a lot of preseason workouts, etc. That being said, Rowsell said he’ll miss the game.

“I really do love the sport of football,” he said. “It was a tough choice. Football really helped me become a better lacrosse player. Playing for ground balls, the dirty work I would say; that’s what really helped me for football.”

Rowsell was an all-purpose back for the Panthers and also played linebacker, solid in both positions while fighting injuries.

It doesn’t take too much thought for Rowsell to choose his favorite football moment: It was when he recovered his own fumble in the end zone, squeezing the ball between his legs with zero time on the clock in South’s win over city rival Nashua North last September.

“It was awesome, and it was funny,” he said with a smile.

He also loved back to back games his sophomore year, regular season and playoffs, vs. Exeter. “I loved that group of seniors,” he said.

But this year was tough for the Panthers, as they finished 3-6 and well out of the playoffs when the opposite was expected.

“It was disappointing for all of us,” he said, “including the coaches. We knew we were a good group of guys, and we knew we could make some noise during the season. It was just tough for all of us to click and finish games. We were in close games with other competitive teams and good teams, but we just couldn’t close out.”

Rowsell started playing lacrosse when he was about four years old, then began playing with the Nashua Blast when he was 5. His cousin actually got him involved in the sport.

“I always went to his games when he was in high school,” Rowsell said. “It was just super enjoyable, I always loved the fast pace of the game. I would go out in the back yard with him when I was super young and just throw the ball to him for him to shoot and all that stuff. It was just super enjoyable.”

Rowsell is playing in a summer league in Bedford, hoping it will help prepare him for the college game.

“It’s going to be tough at first; I hope I can get used to it,” he said.

His friends in elementary and then middle school convinced him to play football. He was used by the Panthers in a lot of different ways. He loved running the ball, but running after the catch as well. And at linebacker, he enjoyed running downhill.

“He’s just an awesome athlete who can play multiple positions,” West coach Robin Bowkett of Souhegan said. “Very versatile. Obviously a stud on the lacrosse field. Bill Belichick would love a kid like that; he can play probably three positions on either side of the ball.

“Just seemed like a smart football player, tough as heck, you know? He’ll play a bunch of special teams. We’re really excited about Connor.”

Besides college interest, what else changed this year for Rowsell to make lacrosse take over?

“It was the middle of the (football) season, the injuries,” Rowsell said. “It was just tough for me, I was dealing with stuff. It was tough dealing all four years with injuries and I realized lacrosse was the better decision for me healthwise. Going into college, SNHU has a real good sports management program, so that’s kind of what sold me.”

Rowsell said he’ll miss football but will try to savor the experience this week and into Saturday.

“I’m going to enjoy this time with my friends, I know most of these kids here,” he said. “I’m going to have a great time.”

And hopefully, a great good-bye to a sport he also excelled at.

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