Winnacunnet quarterback Sean Griffin shuffles the ball to Thomas Lyons as Bishop Guertin's Vincent Nalen (77) defends during Friday's Division I football game at Alumni Field in Hampton. (Photo by Jay :Pinsonnault/Seacoast Media Group)

HAMPTON – Bishop Guertin head football coach Anthony Nalen gathered his defense when Winnacunnet called timeout with 3.5 seconds left in Friday’s Division I clash at Alumni Field.

The Warriors faced a fourth-and-goal from inside the Guertin 1, trailing 21-14.

“We felt like they were going to QB sneak it there, and we put our chips in the middle, and hoped they ran it there,” Nalen said.

Winnacunnet senior quarterback Sean Griffin did attempt the sneak, and the Guertin defense stood up the 6-foot-3, 195-pounder at the line of scrimmage. Griffin bounced off the initial hit, tried to escape and was lunging forward, but his left knee just hit the ground before his outstretched right arm could extend the ball over the goal line, sealing the 21-14 dramatic win for the Cardinals.

“We were worried if they ran toss or something off-tackle we weren’t going to have the guys (to defend),” Nalen said. “We told our guys to stop the sneak, (Winnacunnet) ran it, we had our big guys in the middle there, they got a push and we were able to hold them.”

Warriors coach Ryan Francoeur thought the quarterback sneak was the right play call.

“From the 1-inch line, that play has worked for us all year long,” he said. “When you have one inch to go forward, that’s what we’re going with. Hindsight is 20/20, maybe we should’ve gone in a different direction, but I am proud of the kids.”

Bishop Guertin improved to 7-2 overall and 6-2 in Division I, while Winnacunnet finished the regular season at 6-3, 5-3 in Division I.

“That’s a great football team and anytime you can beat a great football team, I don’t care what the score is or what happened,” Nalen said. “If you can beat Winnacunnet at Winnacunnet on a Friday night, then you’re going to be happy.”

Winnacunnet trailed 21-7 at halftime, but held Bishop Guertin to 37 yards of total offense in the final 24 minutes. Winnacunnet junior Jaxon McDonald intercepted Guertin quarterback Nathan Bowen (15-for-21, 115 yards) twice in the second half.

McDonald’s first interception gave Winnacunnet a first down at the Guertin 35 with 2:53 left in the third quarter. Six plays later, senior Dom Mancini scored on a 4-yard touchdown, cutting the Guertin lead to 21-14 with 6 seconds left in the third.

“Guertin is one of the best teams in the state,” Francoeur said. “For our defense to shut them down in the second was absolutely great.”

Guertin went three-and-out after Winnacunnet senior Sullivan Duffy was wide left on a 46-yard field goal attempt, and Winnacunnet took over at its own 20 with 5:03 left.

Mancini raced down the sideline for a 50-yard gain on first down, and Griffin’s 1-yard run gave Winnacunnet a first-and-goal from the 10 with 2:01 left. Mancini, who finished with 11 carries on 96 yards and one catch for 69 yards, ran for 3 yards on first, second and third downs, setting up the final play.

“I was happy with the effort at the end there,” Nalen said. “No matter what happened there in the final 24 minutes, the kids rallied with their backs up against the wall and were able to get it done.”

Guertin took a 21-7 lead at halftime, scoring on three of its first four possessions of the game. Bowen connected with Rocco Roy for a 25-yard scoring strike, Logan Curran ran it in from 13 yards out and Bowen scored from 1 yard out.

Winnacunnet scored in the first half on a Griffin-to-Mancini 69-yard pass play, cutting the Guertin lead to 14-7 with 5:13 left in the half. Bowen’s touchdown run came on the ensuing possession.

“I thought it was a good high school football game,” Francoeur said. “I am not happy with the loss, but I am happy we are playing good football going into the playoffs.”