Salem football stays disciplined, defeats Manchester Central

MANCHESTER – There were many indications of opening weekend at Gill Stadium.

Coaches were in shorts, the band was not in uniform, you could hear the fireworks coming from the New Hampshire Fisher Cats game, and there was a general lack of discipline of the football field with the team who made the fewer mistakes coming out victorious.

Through the haziness and the unpredictability that is week one of the high school football season shined a bright star for the Salem Blue Devils. That star was in the form of shifty running back Josh Sibanda.

Sibanda totaled over two hundred rushing yards, three touchdowns, and put the Blue Devils in great positions after special team plays in the 28-13 victory.

“Josh was awesome, a guy his side is hard to tackle,” Salem fourth-year head coach Rob Pike said of Sibanda. The shiftiness was a problem for Central in the first quarter when Sibanda ran in his first touchdown from 62 yards out. That play broke open the scoring in the game.

Midway through the first half is where the lack of discipline became an issue. At one point Central was facing a third-and-38 due to multiple holding penalties and in some instances back-to-back pre-snap penalties.

“(That) lack of discipline is on the coaching staff,” Central coach Ryan Ray said. “We are not doing something right, and I will take credit for that one.”

This lack of discipline came to a head midway through the second half when Central attempted a punt in its own territory. There was an errant snap over the punter’s head, resulting in a safety giving Salem an 8-6 lead. The ensuing free kick and a great return put Salem at the 50-yard line leading to a 1-yard run from Sibanda for his second touchdown of the day and Salem a 15-6 halftime advantage.

Salem struggled on offense to open the second half, and despite a series of holding penalties, Central punched home a touchdown. The score was set up by a critical fourth-down conversion by backup sophomore quarterback Alex Hawkins, who replaced starter Andrew Destefano for one play. Destefano was cleared to go back in by the athletic trainer following the touchdown.

Salem showed its grit by putting together a drive at the beginning of the fourth quarter to go up 21-13. The special teams units for both squads struggled, but this last missed extra point kept the contest at a one-score game with Central having and a chance to tie.

But the Blue Devils were able to get the ball back and score the final touchdown by James LeBlond, who also rushed for over a hundred yards in the victory.

In the loss, Central’s Jeremyiah Rivera ran for 115 yards and two touchdowns.

Salem’s home opener will be next Friday against Concord, while Manchester Central will look to bounce back against Londonderry.