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Londonderry 31, Exeter 28

EXETER – It’s a game that had more twists and turns than a mountain road, and it ended on Blake Thompson’s game-winning field goal.

Thompson made a 32-yard kick as time expired to hand third-seeded Londonderry a 31-28 victory over second-seeded Exeter in Saturday’s Division I semifinals.

After Exeter pulled even on quarterback Michael Caron’s 10-yard pass to Sam Dulac and John Adams’ PAT with 1:23 to play, Londonderry took possession on its own 35-yard line with 1:14 on the clock. After a holding penalty negated an apparent touchdown, the Lancers (8-3) threw an incomplete pass before sending Thompson on the field. 

“I knew it was good,” Thompson said. “I saw [Sam Odgen’s] hold, I visualized everything and it was just perfect. Psyched. There’s no other word.”

Londonderry coach Jimmy Lauzon said the goal was to get to at least the Exeter 25-yard line on the final drive to give Thompson a chance at a game-winning kick.

“We’re very lucky to have him and he came up big,” Lauzon said. 

Halfback Daniel Batstone had three touchdown runs for Exeter (2, 3 and 1 yard). The Blue Hawks (11-1) trailed 21-0 after one quarter and 21-7 at halftime before Batstone scored twice in the third quarter to help tie the game, 21-21.

“Back to Exeter football (in the second half),” Exeter coach Bill Ball said. “Felt like we could move (the ball). Also, we came out a little more determined, I’ll say that. If you’re going to play in this program you gotta be able to grind.”

Ogden, Londonderry’s starting quarterback, had two TD runs and tossed a 49-yard TD pass to Ethan Wheeler. The Lancers also scored on Jordan Ball’s 1-yard run.

Ogden’s 3-yard TD run plus Thompson’s PAT handed the Lancers a 28-21 lead with 6:56 to play, but Caron’s TD pass to Dulac capped a 13-play, 62-yard drive.

“Tough game,” Ball said. “Kind of a tale of two halves. Can’t say enough about this Exeter team. Wish it was a better fate for them.”

Londonderry will play fourth-seeded Pinkerton (10-2) in Saturday’s Division I championship game. The Astros beat the Lancers 38-15 during the regular season. It will be Londonderry’s fourth straight appearance in the title game.

“They’re a great team with some great players,” Lauzon said. “ They got the best of us the first time around. We’ll let the players enjoy this, but as coaches we’re going right to work on Pinkerton.”

KEY PLAYERS 

– Ogden’s rushing TDs came from 3 yards and 2 yards. He completed 3 of 5 passes for 58 yards on Londonderry’s final drive. One of the incompletions came on a spike. The other was when he threw the ball out of the end zone on first down to give Thompson time to attempt the game-winning field goal.

– Batstone ran for 112 yards and three TDs on 22 carries.

KEY PLAYS

– It appeared Mason Paquette would be tackled after catching a short pass on Londonderry’s final drive, but he rolled off the defender and turned the reception into a 30-yard gain that put the ball on Exeter’s  6-yard line.

– Exeter trailed 21-0, but began to mount a comeback when it stopped Londonderry on a fourth-and-one play from the Exeter 48-yard line. The Blue Hawks then drove 52-yard in seven plays and got on the scoreboard when Batstone found the end zone from 2-yards away.

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