His team’s 24-9 semifinal loss to Nashua South two weeks earlier was tough to swallow, but Ryan Ray and the Central Little Green had little trouble feasting on Memorial this Thanksgiving. CHS served up a 47-6 stuffing in the most recent edition of the Manchester Turkey Bowl on Thursday, Nov. 27.

After the contest, Ray said he was thankful for the opportunity to take back the coveted Queen City championship, which his team lost to West in last year’s contest.

“The playoffs were disappointing, but ... it’s great to end the season on a winning note and send the seniors off the way they deserve to be sent off, and send our underclassmen into the weight room for the offseason with some good thoughts,” said Ray.

On the opposite sideline, Memorial’s Peter Colcord found himself equally appreciative of his squad’s final placement. Despite the bad taste left by the basting, the first-year head coach left the Gill Stadium table with a loose belt and a smile.

Sure, his team finished the season 1-10, but Colcord knows reaching the Manchester title game for the first time in six years – by defeating West, 31-12, on Oct. 10 – is step one in a process he soon expects to come to fruition.

“We knew going in we didn’t have a senior-laden team, so we knew the goals were short, but getting into the Turkey Bowl was obtainable, and I absolutely expect to be back here every year, and I expect the score to be different,” said Colcord. “Obviously we’re not where Central is yet. They’re a great program that’s done extremely well over the years, but I think ... I know we’ll get there. I’m not sure if it’ll be next year or the year after, but you can see it in the young kids. You can see it in their eyes. They want it.”

Colcord has good reason for excitement.

After three years of winless football, Memorial’s freshman team went 8-2 and won the state title, and the JV team finished 7-3. While the youngsters eye future varsity success, Colcord credited the current group of veterans for turning the program around.

“These seniors, they’re the building blocks to this program and our future here at Memorial. They exhibited great leadership and really helped some of these younger kids along,” he said. “I told them, when you come back next year from college and come to this game on Thanksgiving, that score’s going to be different, and you’re a big reason for that.” Colcord knows the team remains young, and it’s going to make mistakes. But he said the playoffs, with the right breaks, are possible. And he said he’ll be a fixture.

“I told the kids at our first meeting, you’ve gone through three or four different coaches over the last 10 years, and I told them this is where I want to be,” he said. “I know the record hasn’t been good here, but this is where I want to retire, and that’s not going to be for a long time.”

For his part, Ray is acutely aware Central’s Queen City perch, as stable as it appeared this season, is still very much up for grabs each year.

“You’ve got three programs that are working very hard, and if we can be the best program in the city, well, we’re really excited about that, but you can never get too happy about anything like this because obviously the other teams are working hard to come in here and knock us off our throne,” said Ray. “Right now, our expectations are to reflect on our season and enjoy this win. But starting Tuesday we’re right back in the weight room working toward 2009.”

Excuse the Central seniors if they revel in the accomplishment a little longer.

“To be a part of bringing the Turkey Bowl trophy back to (Central) was huge for us,” said senior quarterback Pat Tatro of Candia. “For me and the rest of the seniors, it was really important to us that we go out the right way. We wanted to go out as winners.”

Game notes
Memorial freshman Steve Dwight, playing in his first varsity contest, notched one of two sacks on the first play from scrimmage, part of a handful of highlights for the Crusaders.

Central’s stable of thoroughbred underclassmen running backs was on full display in the first half. Mike Cavanaugh, Khari Haliburton and Daveon Watley all scored to help build a 20-0 halftime lead.

In the opening minutes of the second half, Central’s Jake Tremblay, a Hooksett standout, intercepted a pass and returned it 58 yards to pay dirt, and with 2:13 remaining in the quarter, Tatro found fellow-senior Brett Parenteau for six points on an 11-yard pass-and-catch.

Then, with 7:58 left in the fourth, Tatro hooked up with Graham Conforti, and Kevin Regan followed with the extra-point kick to increase the lead to 40.

Memorial finally found the end zone with 6:36 remaining in the contest. Sophomore quarterback Fred Rogers hooked up with Sebastian Cassanova on a 59-yard touchdown, but the extra point was blocked.

Memorial attempted and recovered an onside kick, but couldn’t advance the ball and handed it back to Central. With 5:05 remaining, Haliburton broke a 43-yard run to cap the scoring.