Nashua South players Jadiel Bomfim, left, Santi Somorrostro, Sammy Hadouche and Rory Olsen celebrate their second straight Diivision I title win over Hanover Sunday in Exeter (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

EXETER – Now it truly is a Purple Reign.

When the Nashua High School South won its first Division I boys soccer crown exactly a year ago, who knew that the Panthers were just getting their feet wet for bigger and better things?

South is now a two-time defending state champion after beating Hanover once again, this time with a regulation 2-0 win Sunday afternoon at William Ball Stadium.

“They kept their eye on the prize,” Hanover coach Rob Grabill said. “Full credit to Nashua South. They’re the defending champs, they made it through. This was a classic final.”

The one constant between the two titles? South striker Santi Somorrostro, who as a sophomore had the deciding penalty kick in last year’s title win; yesterday as a junior all he did was set up the only goal South would need with a free kick from 20 yards out in the later quarter of the first half, and score the clincher himself with about two minute left.

There was a lot on his plate in this game because the Panthers were without one of their top scorers, senior Sammy Hadouche, who wasn’t medically cleared to play after suffering a head injury in the semifinal win here over Manchester Central.

“This was definitely a harder year,” Somorrostro said. “Not going undefeated like last year (South finished 17-3), we lost some players, but this is over the moon, it’s a dream come true to win it again.”

The way the game started, it didn’t seem as though South would be on top of its game, not when Hanover’s Jack Gardner walked right in alone on South keeper Ansh Khanna just 10 seconds in. But Khanna, who finished with seven saves and had a spectacular tournament, made a diving stop to his right and the best threat Hanover had all day went by the boards.

Conversely, the Panthers didn’t have a ton of chances in this one, but cashed in on the best one they had at 27:42, when Somorrostro was tripped up some 20 yards away from the goal on the right wing. He put the ensuing free kick into the penalty area where sophomore Revin Olsen – younger brother of senior wing Rory – headed it past Bears keeper Ty Nolon (six saves) for the 1-0 lead.

“I was just looking to put it in the box,” Somorrostro said. “And when I shot it, luckily Ryder (Bears midfielder Hayes), he’s a tall guy, but the ball went over his head and Revin was wide open. I was trying to put it in, and Revin was there to finish it off.”

“I knew Santi was going to put it dead center,” Olsen said. “It’s what he’d been doing all season. And I had to run on it somehow, and it perfectly went in.”

In between South’s two goals, Grabill’s Bears put the pressure on.

“It was really tough,” Somorrostro said. “Our main focus was to control the midfield, and after we got that early goal, and then after that we tried to play really defensive. We changed formation, put a couple of guys back, and just tried to hold them off there.”

Their push started near the end of the first half when Khanna made a lunging stop, but even better reached back while still on the ground and smothered the ball to prevent a potential rebound goal with Hanover’s Zach Tracy right on top of him.

And there were other chances for the Bears in the second half, but none better than when Sean Smith broke in, created a flurry and it looked like the Bears had a sure goal with Khanna away from the play. But sophomore back Leonel Lopez, who did the same thing a year ago in the Panthers’ overtime quarterfinal win over Exeter, was there to in front of the goal to knock it away. Save of The Year, two years in a row.

“I saw the guy open right there, so my first thought was to go behind Ansh and cover the open area where he wan’t there,” Lopez said. “Fortunately he did shoot it and I was there to save it.”

“He made it known that he did it again for me,” Bellen said with a chuckle. “But he makes a huge play again. But that is habit, that is discipline. That’s why we survive these games.”

“I’m very satisfied with how we responded,” Grabill said. “We didn’t panic, kept the ball on the floor, moved it around, created some really good chances, couldn’t finish, playing against a really damn good team. Full credit to Nashua South.”

“What happens is what happens to all teams,” Bellen said. “You go up a goal, and you try not to do anything foolish, and you start losing possession of the ball. But we really didn’t give up anything dangerous.

“At the end of the day, we played smart. It was planned, go up a goal and then make them work for a goal. … That’s how soccer is played sometimes.”

Somorrostro put it away in the final minutes with a smart play from the left corner as Olon came out to try to cut off his chance. That was it. Much less dramatic than a year ago, but just as satisfying, if not more.

“They knew,” Grabill said, “it was all about getting through the season, and showing up at the end. And they played their best soccer their last two games, against Central (in the semis) – and Hanover.”

And thus the Division I title plaque won’t have to be packed up and moved. It can spend at least another year in the fancy Purple digs on Riverside Drive.

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