New Hampshire earns shutout victory

By rbrown
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Updated: August 8, 2021

CASTLETON — New Hampshire ran away from its competition during Saturday’s Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl.

New Hampshire ran the ball on 56 of its 60 offensive plays and posted a 21-0 victory at Castleton’s University’s Dave Wolk Stadium

Exeter’s Uly Ellis got the most work. Ellis carried the ball 17 times for 111 yards and a touchdown. Exeter teammate Owen Roth ran for 60 yards and Nashua South’s Chris Keefe, a converted quarterback, gained 53 yards.

The game was scoreless at halftime, and neither team entered the red zone in the first two quarters.

“The defense played well all game,” Vermont coach Chad Pacheco said. “It was more the offense that didn’t hold up their end.”

Ellis opened the scoring with 4:48 left in the third quarter with a 4-yard touchdown run, and on the first play of the ensuing possession Newport’s Josh Sharron intercepted a pass and returned it 20 yards for New Hampshire’s second TD.

New Hampshire’s final TD came on a 1-yard run by John Stark’s Thomas Johnston.

Lightning forced the game to be called with 52.9 seconds remaining.

“We played really sound defense — that was apparent by the scoreboard,” New Hampshire coach Paul Landry said. “I said earlier in the week that the team that tackles better usually wins these types of games. It was great for all the kids to participate in this game.”

The victory gave New Hampshire a 49-17-2 advantage in the all-time series.