BEDFORD – All for one, one for all.

That was always the attitude this season for the Nashua High School North football team. That was on display last week as the team used its depth in a 49-21 rout of Goffstown at Bedford’s Bulldog Stadium for the Titans’ first state championship.

“Today was kind of a composite of the year,” North coach Dante Laurendi said. “We had contributions from everybody. A lot of guys touched the ball, a lot of guys scored, a lot of guys did a lot of great things on defense.

“We were able to stay ahead of the game, and the kids just took over. … They like playing for each other. They’re an emotional group of kids, which is great. Football means a lot to them.”

The Titans picked the best time to score in all three phases of the game: Offense, defense and special teams. Besides TD runs by Curtis Harris-Lopez (two), Jayden Espinal and Isaac Smith (one each) they got an interception return for a TD by Harris-Lopez, a kickoff return for a score by Smith, and a fumble recovery for a TD by Espinal.

“We scored in all three phases, and anytime you do that, it ups your chances of winning the game,” Laurendi said.

“My team pushed through with me to win a championship,” Harris-Lopez said. “It’s a championship, so you’ve got to give it your all. It’s the last game of the year, everyone was locked in, and we did what we were supposed to do.”

And Harris-Lopez did just that. He stepped into a passing Lane on the game’s first series and picked off Goffstown QB Jarrett Henault, and was off to the races for a 45-yard touchdown.

“I was just in the right place at the right time and ran it in for six,” he said.

The Grizzlies answered right back with a nine-play, 88-yard drive, Henault’s 35-yard pass to Will Sasso setting up the QB’s 1-yard TD to help tie things at 7 with 6:06 left in the opening quarter.

But the Titans, who only punted once on the day, bounced back with a seven-play drive of their own, Anthony Greene’s 16-yard run setting up an Espinal 5-yard TD run. A bad snap led to Lucas Cunningham’s PAT being blocked.

No matter. After forcing a Grizzlies punt, the Titans took a 21-7 lead on Harris-Lopez’s 63-yard TD run around the right end, coupled with Smith’s 2-point conversion run.

The Grizzlies, though, weren’t done. A mix-up in the North secondary left Jarrett’s brother, Jeremy, wide open for a 45-yard Henault-to-Henault touchdown combo, the first of two Goffstown would have on the day. The Titan lead was just 21-14 just under two minutes into the second quarter.

North’s attitude?

“Just move on to the next play,” Harris-Lopez, who rushed for 118 yards on 13 carries, said. “Every time they score, we tell (his teammates) we’ll get them back the next drive.”

They didn’t even need a drive. Smith, who took last year off from football and was just part of the team’s depth this year, bobbled the ensuing kickoff, but then he scooped it up and raced 72-yards to paydirt. That was painful for the Grizzlies (8-1), and basically set the tone for the rest of the game.

“Special teams plays are momentum plays,” Goffstown coach Nick Hammond said. “We were fortunate to have a couple go our way this year. Today, it didn’t.”

“The sun was in my eyes, I couldn’t see anything,” Smith said. “I just picked it up and did what I could do.”

If that didn’t break the Grizzlies’ backs, a trick play – a 37-yard halfback option pass from North’s Derek Finlay to Lucas Cunningham down to the Goffstown 4 – did. As North’s offensive assistant Zach Harris said, “We always come up with something and keep it in our back pocket.”

That set up a Harris 1-yard plunge into the end zone with just 32.5 seconds left before the half, making it 35-14.

Over.

And if you didn’t think so, then you did after North scored two TDs in the first five minutes of the third quarter. A Smith 9-yard run capped a half-opening nine-play, 64-yard march, and three plays later, Espinal scooped up a Zach Picard fumble and raced 27 yards to paydirt. The Titans had a 49-14 lead, and that was that. It was a tough break for the gamer Picard, who rushed for 133 yards on 24 carries.

“Getting the ball back in the second half was big to keep it away from them,” Laurendi said. “They can be a one-play score team. You saw that a couple of times. Big play ability. Wasn’t comfortable up two or three (touchdowns). Our kids came to play, and made big plays today.”

Goffstown, despite being stymied by the Titans’ pressure (Henault was sacked four times) had one more big play left in it. Just after it appeared Harris-Lopez had his second interception of the day – a pass was ruled incomplete – the Henaults connected again for a 54-yard TD late in the third. But it mattered little.

These were two teams many had picked to be the best, with North the favorite most of the way with arguably the state’s best player in Harris-Lopez.

“You know, when your best players play their best games in the biggest games, and he did that today,” Laurendi said. “And everybody else stepped up around him. It was great.”

It was a championship.

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