By Chris Paul
The Londonderry High School Football team took another step closer to a Division I title with a near effortless win over the Exeter Blue Hawks in their Quarter Finals game on Saturday afternoon.
The 27-6 win was the team’s final game at Lancer Park and the victory sets up a tough contest against the undefeated squad from Pinkerton Academy in Derry this weekend.
In the Lancers win over the Blue Hawks on Saturday afternoon, Nov. 11, LHS had all facets of their game working, the offense scored two touchdowns in the first half and special teams added another to lead 20-0 by the end of the second quarter. Needless-to-say, the defense kept the Exeter offense out of the red zone until their final possession of the contest.
The game was dominated by running plays, due to the strong winds blown across the field, where Londonderry dominated, getting 294-yards on the ground, and having the defense hold Exeter to 168-yards.
The Lancers were two for four in passing plays, resulting in just 18-yards.
Senior running-back, Jake Schena, led his team in rushing, piling up 131-yards on the ground.
Senior Conor Williams racked up 36-yards, Seth Doyon had 34-yards and Adrian Cruz tallied 32-yards.
On defense, senior lineman, Ty Miles, led the Lancers in tackles, with seven solo and two assists. Senior Ty Parsons had four solo sacks in the game.
The Lancers first touchdown of the game came on the first drive of the game. The LHS offense marched down the field in 10-plays, starting at the 20-yard line, for an eight-yard TD run. Junior QB, Alex Villa, handed the ball off at the 11-yard line to Doyon, who carried it into the end zone.
Blake Thompson added the point after for the 7-0 lead, which would hold through the end of the initial quarter, despite a field goal attempt by Exeter in their first drive.
Londonderry’s second touchdown came in the second quarter, after a successful punt by the Blue Hawks pinning LHS at their four-yard-line. It took just two plays for Londonderry to travel 94-yards. Schena started the drive with an astounding 92-yard run, followed by a quarterback keeper by junior Sam Ogden running the ball in from the four-yard-line. Thompson’s point after attempt was wide-right for the 13-0 lead.
The following drive by Exeter ended in three plays and a punt, which was blocked by Doyon, who nearly recovered the ball in the endzone. Sophomore Lucas Palma was quick to pounce on the ball in the end zone, after it got away from Doyon, for the 19-0 lead. Thompson’s third point-after attempt was good, and the Lancers lead was 20-0 heading into the half.
Londonderry’s final touchdown came at the start of the fourth quarter. Thompson tacked on the extra point for the 27-0 lead.
Exeter scored their only touchdown with just over seven minutes left in the game.
Doyon capped off the victory with his second block of the game, foiling the extra-point attempt.
The win gives the Lancers a chance at redemption. They hope to serve up Pinkerton Academy’s only loss of the season. The Lancers only loss this year came at the hands of the Astros back in September, when Londonderry lost 24-20 during the annual Mack Plaque game in Derry.
The semi-final round game is scheduled to take place at Pinkerton on Saturday, Nov. 18, starting at 1 p.m.
The Astros, who are the number one seed in the play-offs, are coming off a 55-20 win over Bishop Guertin.