Fast start and big plays key Merrimack football to victory over Manchester Central
MANCHESTER – The Merrimack High School football team came into Gill Stadium Friday night and dominated Manchester Central in all three phases of the game, winning 55-19.
In the Tomahawks second game versus a Manchester school in as many weeks, coach Kip Jackson emphasized the atmosphere before entering the game.
“We talked about the big stadium, the weather, the band, and getting off to a fast start,” Jackson said. “We did not get off to a good start against Bedford and I think that costs us.”
Central had its concerns entering the game as well, but that was centered on the quarterback position. Senior captain Andrew Destefano was out with a concussion suffered in the Little Green’s Week 2 41-19 win over Londonderry.
Stepping in was sophomore Alex Hawkom. Coach Ryan Ray appeared to have full confidence in his back up, having Hawkom throw on the first two offensive plays. Central called 30 passing plays, totaling 140 yards, and Hawkom succeeded in spreading the ball around, with seven different receivers catching passes.
But it was Merrimack that opened the scoring, getting a 46-yard touchdown pass from Justin Grassini to Justin Weiser. On the ensuing kickoff, Central had difficulty fielding the ball and started on its own 3-yard line. After a punt from the back of the end zone put Merrimack’s offense in great field position, Joe Eichman punched it in from the 1 making it 13-0.
Merrimack looked to be running away with the game when with a little over 9 minutes left in the first half Central’s Jeremyiah Rivera had an 80-yard touchdown run to make the game 20-6. In the loss, Rivera shined tallying 162 yards on the ground.
“He’s a great back,” Merrimack’s defensive coordinator Brandon Lily stated. It was clear on Rivera’s touchdown run that he was the fastest player on the field, but Merrimack was successfully able to prevent another breakout play following the score.
The excitement of the touchdown run was short lived for Central, as Weiser returned the kickoff for a touchdown, pushing the Merrimack lead to 28-7 and the Tomahawks led 35-7 at halftime.
Merrimack fumbled the kickoff to open the second half, Central took advantage of the short field, resulting in Rivera’s second touchdown run of the game, pushing the score to 35-13.
In the second half, Merrimack had a little fun, as a double reverse resulted in Weiser’s first career touchdown throw and a TD catch for Grassini.
“Everyone is aware of him now,” Jackson said of Weiser. “He is a great kid and he does anything needed of him.”
But Weiser was not done with that play. Later he caught a touchdown pass on a single reverse play, with the pass coming from running back Alex Bronchuk.
Merrimack will try to pick up its third win of the year on Sept. 24 at Concord, while Central will take on rival Memorial on Sept. 23.
