Though Merrimack slowed him down Michael Landmesser (#2) tallied off several big runs in Alvirne's 28-26 win. (Photo by Jack Belanger)

MERRIMACK — The Merrimack Tomahawks are lucky they haven’t had a lot of close games this season. A 14-10 win over Nashua was the team’s only one possession game. The Tomahawks are lucky because without a reliable kicker, they’ve gone for two after every touchdown this season.

And until Friday, it hadn’t come back to haunt them.

With over a minute left in the game, Merrimack quarterback Maverick Torres scrambled for the touchdown to bring his team within two against the Alvirne Broncos. On the two-point conversion, Torres found his tight end, Zach Retey. As the defense collapsed on him, Retey made one last effort and dove for the goal line.

Unfortunately, much like the Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV, Retey came up one yard short.

After a failed onside kick attempt, the Broncos gained possession, got the first down and held onto the 28-26 victory at Merrimack High School. The win extended Alvirne’s win streak to three and gave it a chance for the playoffs at 4-5.

“We are trying to get better week-to-week. Things have been going our way lately,” Alvirne coach Justin Hufft said. “This (win) gives us a chance. We will have to see how things shake out. Whatever is will be, but we did the best we could.”

The Broncos started the game like their season depended on it. On the team’s third play from scrimmage running back Michael Landmesser bounced to the outside of the line and ran 55-yards up the right side of the field.

There was no guarantee for the playoffs for Merrimack either, and the Tomahawks responded. Shea Egan returned the kickoff deep into Alvirne territory. Starting at their opponent’s 36-yard line, Merrimack made quick and the Torres to Retey connection cashed in for a 20-yard score. A hand-off to a forward pitch play dropped incomplete on the two-point try.

Torres completed 8-16 passes for 82 yards. Retey caught five passes for 46 yards.

From there, the Broncos took control for the rest of the half. The team did all of its scoring in the first half, finding the endzone on all four possessions before heading to the locker room.

Landmesser scored back-to-back touchdowns on runs of 48 and 11-yards, giving the Broncos the 21-6 lead. 159 of his total 167 yards came in the first half on a total of 18 carries.

“He’s a combination of fast, tough and shifty,” Hufft said. “He’s not easy to tackle. He knows where a play will develop and has that gear not everyone has.”

Bronco quarterback Ethan Dudley contributed with a rushing touchdown of his own pushing through the line for the one-yard score with 11 seconds on the clock before halftime. He ran for 30 yards on 10 attempts while his one pass was for 28 yards.

Meanwhile, the Tomahawks tried running the wildcat with direct snaps Egan and Shea Scott to little success. The offense hit a low when Torres got flagged for intentional grounding, then threw consecutive incomplete passes for a turnover on downs.

Needless to say, the Tomahawks didn’t have much life going into halftime down 28-6.

But whatever Kip Jackson said at halftime worked, because it was the Tomahawks who played like their season was on the line the second half.

Scott scored on the opening possession and Egan cashed in on double-reverse play on the two-point conversion to make the score 28-14. He finished with 159 yards on 23 carries. Despite taking some big hits playing defense, he continued to take carries through the last drive.

“He played his tail on both offense and defense. We put him at outside linebacker. He’s a big physical kid and he did well in that position,” Jackson said.

With new life, the defense went from behind on its heels to attack mode. After a Merrimack turnover on downs put Alvirne at the six-yard line, the Tomahawks got the big play they desperately needed.

Broncos running back Quinten Tetrault mishandled a handoff from Dudley and the ball bounced fell into the endzone. Lineman Nicolin Stevens pounced on the pigskin and secured possession before Alvirne. Merrimack made it a one-possession game, 28-20.

But the two-point conversions continued to hinder the Tomahawks, Alvirne anticipated the double-reverse and stuffed the run behind the line of scrimmage.

“What a great game, just hard fought,” Hufft said. “Merrimack is super well coached and we knew we that we were going to get everything we could handle from Coach Jackson’s team. Their kids never stop battling.”

The Tomahawks finished the game converting just one of their four two-point attempts. The tight game put extra light on how important the conversions are to Merrimack’s success.

“We told the kids we have to get 75% of the conversions in order to get it in our favor,” Jackson said. “Our only option is to go for two.”

Both teams now wait for what their destiny will be next week.

PELHAM 33, MILFORD 6

The Spartans wound up their season at 2-7 while the Pythons (7-2) will prepare for the playoffs that start next weekend after snapping a two-game losing streak.