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West 27, East 14

NEW HAMPSHIRE EAST/WEST ALL-STAR GAME

GOFFSTOWN – No one thing allowed the West to beat the East 27-14 in Friday night’s New Hampshire East-West All-Star Game at Saint Anselm College, but having Nashua South quarterback Cody Jackson running the offense certainly helped.

Jackson received the Bo Dickson Award as the game’s Most Valuable Player after he ran for a touchdown and passed for another TD in the win. Jackson completed 19 of 28 passes for 238 yards and rushed for 39 yards on 20 carries. 

GAME STATISTICS

“Keeps plays alive with his feet, throws a great ball,” said Souhegan’s Robin Bowkett, who served as the West head coach Friday when Merrimack’s Kip Jackson attended a graduation ceremony. “You saw his confidence right from the get-go. He’s a winner, man. He’s a winner.”

Jackson gave the West a 6-0 lead when he scored on a 1-yard run with 7:59 left in the second quarter, and tossed a 4-yard TD pass to Merrimack’s Cayden Dine with nine seconds remaining in the first half. Jackson ran in the two-point conversion that extended the lead to 14-0.

The West was without two quarterbacks originally selected to its roster, so Jackson was the only QB his team used.

“Knowing that I was the only one to play made me more comfortable because I was getting all the reps in practice and they did a great job of coaching me,” Jackson said. “It’s only been a week of practice, but it felt like I’ve been here longer than that.

“(The victory) means a lot, because our last game (South lost to Bedford in the Division I semifinals) didn’t go exactly the way we wanted it to. This is a good way to go out on top.”

The West led 20-0 after Nashua South running back Sam Levine scored on a 1-yard run with 10:09 left in the third.

The East got on the scoreboard when Portsmouth quarterback Andy Brown scored on a 22-yard run with 9:18 left in the third, but it was 27-7 after Merrimack’s Shea Scott scored on a 1-yard run and Trinity’s Connor Bishop added the PAT with 30 seconds left in the third.

Londonderry running back Adrian Cruz scored the game’s final TD on a 52-yard run with 9:34 to play. Winnacunnet’s Sullivan Duffy made the point-after kick. 

Jackson’s teammate, wide receiver Josh Tripp, caught seven passes for 99 yards in the victory, which extended the West’s winning streak to six games. The West leads the series 11-3-0.

“The difference was Jackson and Josh Tripp, and their continuity,” East head coach Steve Abraham said. “It was 1A and 1B. We were down to 31 players, so I would also say their depth was a factor. I think we had seven linemen.

“Loved coaching these kids. From that standpoint it was a great experience.”

Cruz rushed for a team-high 70 yards on seven carries. Brown completed 7 of 16 pass attempts for 93 yards, and Timberlane’s Michael Santosuosso had two receptions for 51 yards.

Windham’s Rob Durkin, a defensive end/outside linebacker for the East, was credited with 18 tackles (eight solo), including three sacks. Memorial defensive back Jacob Schuff led the West defense with nine tackles.

The West, which went largely with a two-platoon system, had a 394-231 edge in total yards.

“Keeping guys fresh into the fourth quarter when it mattered – that was key,” Bowkett said. “They played for each other. They played really, really hard. Super proud of these guys.”

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