By ARCHIE MOUNTAIN
SWANZEY —Newport football fans got to see two different games Saturday night at Swanzey.
In the first game, the Newport Tigers stopped Monadnock cold. The Huskies did not look like a team that may be at the top of the pecking order in Division III.
In the second game, the momentum Newport earned in the opening half of play was dashed. Monadnock just kept pounding away in the final 18 minutes to score three touchdowns for a 24-0 victory.
The Tigers played their best football of the season in the opening half of play on a chilly night. Monadnock’s Homecoming fans had to be stunned to note the 0-0 halftime score.
What happened to their 4-0 Huskies and the same could be said for the 0-4 Tigers who put together their best half of football in five games. For Newport fans making that trip to Swanzey, it was well worth the drive.
They got to see an awakening of their favorite team with four games remaining on the schedule.
That feeling was short lived, however, as Monadnock kept pounding away. The Tigers did not completely cave but it was a different team for much of the second half.
There was a batch of penalties against the Tigers with 60 yards assessed during one 10-second span when two Newport starters were tossed from the game by officials for unsportsmanlike conduct. They will not dress for Saturday’s encounter against 3-2 Somersworth on Homecoming Weekend.
Looking at the schedule, the Tigers have an opportunity to break into the win column, perhaps more than one time. The schedule has Newport playing at Maryn Field for three of those four games.
The order of competition has Somersworth in town Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff. The 1-4 Hilltoppers will be followed by Kearsarge, 0-5; at Laconia, 3-2, and Epping-Newmarket, 1-4.
Kearsarge and Newport, football neighbors, are both at the bottom of the Division III standings. Riding high at the top with 5-0 records are Monadnock, Stevens and Campbell and that trio has been responsible for three of Newport’s defeats. And in fourth place is 4-1 Hillsboro-Deering/Hopkinton, another team that defeated the Tigers a couple of games ago.
Despite the defeat, Newport Coach Dennis Borcuk Jr. was not at a loss for words after reviewing film of the game on Sunday.
“I think we can play with anybody. We belong in Division III and that’s not going to change regardless of the score.”
He mentioned the two goalline stands by the Tigers. “They were impressive,” he added. “We were tipping the scales with Monadnock and we really had momentum in our favor.”
The Tigers were in an entirely different defensive scheme against Monadnock, one that the Huskies found troublesome in the first half.
That formation came with the assistance of former Coach Larry Carle after he dug out an old film of a Mascoma game when he coached at Newport and shared it with Borcuk.
Monadnock didn’t cross the goalline until 5:53 remaining in the third quarter. In the end, that would be all it needed but the Huskies added two more scores before the final whistle blew.
After that, Borcuk said a couple of adjustments were made with personnel but they didn’t work out.
“Seeing the kids’ attitudes was fantastic to be around Saturday night. I was very, very pleased with the effort,” Borcuk emphasized. “I really believe in these boys.”
Borcuk praised the punting and kickoff effort of sophomore Marius Edwards. “ He did a good job and will only getter better.” Borcuk also said freshman Liam Almstron did a really nice job at defensive tackle.
As for the loss of the two starters who were ejected, Borcuk said Newport will feel some hurt, “but we will move on.”
All three Monadnock touchdowns came from close range, two from 3 yards out and the third from the 8-yard line.
In the statistics department, Monadnock ran 65 plays to 34 for Newport. The Huskies picked up 295 rushing yards while the Tigers were held to 41. Monadnock also held a huge edge in the first-down category, 19-3. A week earlier Newport was held to only 1 first down by Hillsboro-Deering/Hopkinton.
Newport gained 50 yards on 3 for 12 passing, while Monadnock picked up 47 yards on a 2 for 9 performance.
On the defensive side, senior Gavin Lovely was credited with 16 tackles and sophomore Josh Sharron had 11.
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