Top Games from 2023: No. 2

By rbrown
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Updated: January 4, 2024

TOP 10 NHIAA GAMES FROM 2023
No. 2: Plymouth 21, Souhegan 20

Plymouth extended its season by scoring late and then finished strong on defense to post perhaps the most surprising victory in this year’s NHIAA postseason.

The win came in the Division II semifinals and earned the Bobcats a spot in the 2023 Division II championship game. Souhegan beat Plymouth 49-6 when the teams met earlier in the season.

Plymouth trailed 20-14 until quarterback Luke Diamond scored from one yard away with 2:35 to play. Caedon Manseau’s PAT put the Bobcats in front and capped the scoring. Plymouth began that scoring drive on its own 36-yard line with 8:51 to play.

Plymouth ran for 252 yards on 56 carries, an average of 4.5 yards per attempt. Ben Valenti led the Bobcats with 138 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries. Robbie Thorne had 99 yards and a score on 21 carries.

A 22-yard pass from quarterback Romy Jain to running back JJ Bright allowed Souhegan to move over midfield on its final possession, but the Sabers turned the ball over on downs and Plymouth ran out the clock.

Plymouth’s earlier touchdowns came on a Valenti 30-yard run, and a 2-yard TD run by Thorne.

Chase Knuckles broke a 14-14 tie when he caught a 45-yard TD pass from Jain with 4:27 remaining in the third quarter, but the extra point was blocked

The Sabers scored on their first two possessions to take a 14-7 lead, but two turnovers in the second quarter and a turnover on downs at the end of the first half prevented the lead from growing.

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