Healy Leads the Way

By Christopher Shaban
EAGLE TIMES STAFF
MANCHESTER — Quinn Healy has had quite a month so far. He graduated from Fall Mountain Regional High School last weekend, will be taking his EMS test next weekend but on Saturday, he matched up against the best D1, D2 and D3 players in the state and was dominant during the West’s 26-0 win. “I just wanted to hit someone, this is just an amazing feeling,” said the future firefighter as I talked to him on the sidelines during the game.

The CHaD East-West Game began in 2012 as a fundraiser for the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth and although everyone at the game, as well as the players, know the reason for this great event, which raised nearly $70,000, on the turf it was all about football for these recent graduates. “I woke up at 5 AM, took a dip in the hot tub then drove 2 hours to be here, I was so excited to get to the stadium, the drive seemed to take forever,” said Healy.

Game preparations began with practice on Thursday, along with an introduction as to what to expect. “I was so excited on Thursday. We met the coaches and were told that a college game plan was on tap. The guys were incredible but seeing all the D1 and D2 players was not what I expected. They were all great players, so many were going to play at the college level, there was some very solid competition to see where I fit in,” said Healy.

Not only did the Wildcat fit in, but he was named a starter and had a great day in with his high school coach (Orion Binney) and a bunch of Fall Mountain fans in the stands. Healy isn’t a small football player at 6’5” and 230 lbs, but his teammates were large people and could play. ConVal’s Gareth Armstrong checked in at 6’4” and 290 lbs, while Goffstown’s Antonio Kapos brought 320 pounds to the battle. Yet Healy had no problem mixing it up, “I loved pushing those big D1 boys around.”

The hot weather forced the game to start early and right off the bat Healy was a force from his offensive line position. Healy not only started but played every single offensive down as temperatures were in the 90 degree range all day. “This kid is an incredible player, any coach would love to have him,” said the offensive coach for team West.

At the half, the West held a 13-0 lead and doubled that score to grab the 26-0 win for the first shutout in the game’s history. The MVP award went to Bedford Quarterback Joe Miko, who threw 2 touchdown passes, while Lebanon’s Nyeoti Punni tore up the turf for a touchdown in the second half. It was the play of Healy that not only provided Miko with protection to throw the ball, but Healy was also the lead blocker for Punni’s TD run, and sprung Merrimack’s Brock Tanner free for the games first score.

“I was super nervous but after the first snap I felt so at ease, this was just an incredible experience, something I’ll never forget,” said Healy. “I am so proud to represent Fall Mountain as the first player from my school to play in this game and to know it helps the kids just makes me so happy and proud.”

Quinn will be trading in his football pads and helmet for Firefighter turnout gear as he will be headed off to South Portland, Maine in a few weeks to begin his college experience studying Fire Science.

The West team chooses players from Bishop Brady, Bishop Guertin, Bedford, Bow, Concord, Con-Val, Goffstown, Fall Mountain, Franklin, Hanover, Hillsboro-Deering/Hopkinton, Hollis/Brookline, John Stark, Kearsarge, Keene, Lebanon, Manchester Central, Manchester Memorial, Manchester West, Mascoma Valley, Milford, Merrimack, Merrimack Valley, Monadnock, Nashua North, Nashua South, Newfound Regional, Newport, Plymouth, Souhegan, Stevens and Trinity while the East had its pick of players from Alvirne, Campbell, Dover, Epping-Newmarket, Exeter, Farmington-Nute, Gilford, Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough, Kennett, Kingswood, Laconia, Londonderry, Pelham, Pembroke, Portsmouth, Pinkerton Academy, Raymond, Salem, Sanborn, Somersworth, Spaulding, St. Thomas, Timberlane, Winnacunnet, Windham and Winnisquam.

Players who choose to play in the ChaD game are not eligible to play in the Shrine Bowl, which will feature multiple players from our area in a game slated for August 6th at Castleton University in Vermont.