Throughout the season, Matt Benson and his players committed to never look back, only forward.

Now the Goffstown baseball coach has no choice but to glance into the past. He is, after all a state champion.

Benson and the thirdseeded Grizzlies captured the school’s first Class L title with a dramatic 4-3 victory over Salem on Saturday, June 14 at Manchester’s MerchantsAuto. com Stadium.

“It’s something we kind of thought when we got out of Class I it would just happen every year, but this league is just so competitive, it took awhile to earn it” said Benson. “Now we’re going to put the first Class L banner up on the wall.”

And the coach couldn’t have imagined it happening a better way.

Indeed, he watched his nine seniors - specifically Kory Kiro and Eric Badasarian - carry their teammates across the threshold.

While Kiro notched the game-winning RBI, it was Badasarian who came into the contest in the bottom of the seventh inning, with two runners on and no outs, and protected the Goffstown lead.

“Those two have had their ups and downs this year, and for them to keep their positive attitudes and say ‘Hey, I’m going to make it happen when it’s my time...’ well, they did that today,” said Benson. “That’s how you win titles, is with your seniors. “What a run. I tell ya, what a special group,” he added. “They’re good kids, they’ve got strong character, and they’re fun to be around.”

Benson said Salem - a squad that matched his in terms of talent and class - proved the toughest team he’s seen in his six years at the GHS helm.

Blue Devils’ coach Dan Keleher admitted if his top-seeded unit was to lose, he couldn’t think of a better rival to shake hands with following the game. “We’re pretty close, Matt and I. We talk a lot in the offseason, and watch a lot of Babe Ruth games together in the summer,” he said. “I know all those guys. They’re a good, solid ball club and they’re evenly matched with our guys. They’ve had some battles since they were in Little League."

In fact, Keleher said the most recent contest ranks among the most competitive title games in state history.

“It’s probably up there in the tops,” he said. “I mean, we had runners in scoring position in the seventh with less than two outs. We had a chance to do it and we didn’t.”

Indeed, Salem had many chances, but time and time again, the locals put a pitchfork in the Blue Devils’ momentum.

After Goffstown pitcher Tom MacDonald dueled with Salem’s Larry Weymouth for the first two innings, it was Goffstown that crossed home plate first.

In the top of the third inning, MacDonald lined a single into right field and Travis Rand reached on a bunt.

MacDonald came all the way home from second on a wild pitch and overthrow to third.

Steve Case’s RBI single plated Rand from third.

Goffstown padded its lead in the fourth inning when Josh Lafond reached and took second. Kory Kiro singled the runner to third and Eric Badasarian provided the RBI.

But the Blue Devils charged back.

In the bottom of the fourth inning Salem’s Joe O’Dell and Kyle Johnson led off with back-to-back singles, and Larry Weymouth walked to load the bases.

After two quick outs, Brad White came into the game and hit a pinch-hit single to score O’Dell and pinch runner Mark Bergeron.

Weymouth and Matt Hardy kept the Grizzlies at bay from the pitching mound, and in the sixth inning, Salem once again loaded the bases - this time with one out.

Junior Josh Jones took a free pass to first to bring Greg Bates home and tie the contest. But in the seventh inning, Goffstown notched a go-ahead run and put the pressure back on Salem.

Hickey singled to shallow center and was replaced by pinch runner Brad York. Ryan Allen singled York to second and Lafond moved him to third on a fielders choice that took Allen out at second. That’s when Kory Kiro stepped to the plate and brought the game-winning run home. “Pinch me because I must not be awake right now,” said Kiro. “I seriously couldn’t have dreamt this any better.”