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Pinkerton 27, Bedford 13

BEDFORD – Saturday has the potential to be an extra-special day for head coach Brian O’Reilly and his Pinkerton Academy football team.

The Astros will play for the Division I championship that day, and if they win O’Reilly will have more career coaching victories than any other NHIAA football coach, past or present. Former Plymouth coach Chuck Lenahan retired with a 356-70-1 record, and O’Reilly’s record improved to 356-130-0 with Friday night’s 27-13 victory over Bedford in the Division I semifinals.

“Our programs, football and lacrosse-wise, always have a goal every single year to win a championship,” O’Reilly said. “Never to have a good year – to win a championship. … So for us this is what we shoot for.”

Pinkerton’s Matt Morrison scored three touchdowns during the win over Bedford. Morrison, a halfback/defensive back, sustained a broken finger in the first quarter when top-seeded Bedford (10-1) beat fourth-seeded Pinkerton (10-2) 28-25 during the regular season. 

Jamie Isaac, another halfback/defensive back, added a 53-yard touchdown run for the Astros, who led 21-0 after one quarter. Issac didn’t playing in the first meeting with Bedford because of an ankle injury.

“Defense did a great job,” O’Reilly said. “Everybody talks about Matt and Jamie and their offensive capabilities … but they are rock-solid in our secondary.” 

Bedford scored on each of its first two second-half possessions to slice Pinkerton’s lead to 21-13, but Morrison sealed the win on a 50-yard TD run with 6:48 to play.

“The first half we really had trouble adjusting to their speed offensively and defensively,” Bedford coach Zach Matthews said. “To be honest they just took it to us.”

The loss ended Bedford’s 26-game winning streak. The Bulldogs were chasing their third straight Division I championship. 

“I was proud of our kids, but (Pinkerton) deserved to win tonight,” Matthews said. “There’s no doubt about it.

“It’s heartbreaking for our seniors to lose in the semifinals, but the reality is only one senior class ends the year happy. It’s not going to be us every year.” 

Pinkerton will be playing in its first championship game since it lost to Bedford, 28-14, in the 2018 title game.

“It’s been awhile,” O’Reilly said. “A lot of losses in the semifinals, so it feels good to be back.”

KEY PLAYERS

– Morrison rushed for 155 yards on 26 carries. He scored two touchdowns in a 67-second span late in the first quarter.

– Bedford running back Brody Helton scored on runs of 6 and 55 yards. He rushed for 132 yards on 17 carries.

KEY PLAYS

– Morrison’s second TD came on a 32-yard interception return. The PAT following that TD put the Astros up 21-0. The interception came on Bedford’s second play from scrimmage after the Astros took a 14-0 lead.

– Pinkerton was leading 21-13 and facing a fourth-and-two situation from its own 39-yard line with 9:05 to play. The Astros left their offense on the field and Morrison gained 3 yards to pick up a first down. Three plays later he scored on a 50-yard run. 

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