A determined Grizzlies football team committed early turnovers against their unbeaten hosts, and Souhegan High School took advantage on Saturday, Nov. 8, winning the Division III semifinal- round contest, 42-18.

Despite the loss, which ended Goffstown High’s season with a 5-4 mark, the Grizzlies’ second postseason trip included some strong efforts for head coach Rob Cathcart.

Following an interception on the Grizzlies’ opening drive, the Sabers answered with a touchdown, then added another for a 14-0 edge in the first quarter. A fine drive that chewed up nearly 12 minutes of the clock – covering some of the first and much of the second quarter – moved GHS at the Souhegan 9-yard line, but a missed handoff ended that drive.

After a defensive stop, Tyler Ellis kicked his way into the school record books with a 47-yard field goal that cut the deficit to 14-3, but Cathcart said a golden opportunity to scare the unbeaten Sabers, who crushed the Grizzlies in the season opener, 41-0.

“If we hadn’t (botched that handoff) when we were driving down in the second quarter – I was very pleased with the team then, I think we drove 25 plays in 12 minutes going the length of the field – then we would have been going in for a score that would have made it 10-7,” said Goffstown’s head coach. “If we didn’t give up that other touchdown, it would have been 10-7 us, which would have changed the whole complexion of the game.”

Instead, the Sabers added a third TD just before intermission, then opened the second half with an 85-yard kickoff return. Moments later, it was 28-3 Souhegan. The Goffstown offense produced two second-half touchdowns, led by Jamie McGarry and Jim Waller.

McGarry rushed 31 times for 110 yards, and Waller added seven catches for 61 yards. “I’m always dog tired after the games,” said McGarry, who took some punishing hits. “I carried the ball more than I normally do, but it really wasn’t any worse than other games.”

“They made the playoffs, which is the second time we’ve done that since we’ve had the program, so that was a significant accomplishment, “ said Cathcart.

But with 11 seniors leaving, the sixth-year mentor is counting on young players to bring the energy necessary to continue earning playoff trips.

“We’ll have a yearly expectation of making the playoffs at this point, and we’ll see if we can go the next step,” said Cathcart. “We’ve got a good solid group of kids at each level and that’s what it takes. If you look at JV, freshman and junior high, the players are developing by learning the techniques and the positions.”