When last the Blue Devils played under the lights at Grant Field, they were forced to say goodbye to 26 seniors after Manchester West came to town and handed them a 17-14 loss in the regular-season finale that kept Salem from the playoffs.

On Friday, Sept. 19, the Salem football team returned to the scene of the crime for the first time in 10 months to face another Queen City foe.

Though Memorial put an early scare into the locals, going ahead 6-0 on the first drive of the game, it quickly became apparent it was SHS doing the bludgeoning on this night.

So when Salem’s Chris Hale recovered a high punt snap in the end zone with 0:00 remaining on the game clock, the touchdown meant nothing in terms of result, but everything in regards to history.

The Blue Devils hung 65 points on the visitors, setting a team scoring record that stood since a 64-0 victory against Somersworth in 1971.

The boys also set new marks with eight touchdowns and five two-point conversions.

More important than records, however, was the play of the team’s offense in the 65-20 victory, said head coach Jack Gati.

“We needed something like this,” he said. “We needed our backs to hold onto the ball and protect the ball and run, and the linemen needed to block, so things were really put together tonight, as far as I’m concerned.”

In the backfield, the four-headed monster of sophomore speedster Max Jacques, junior Darren Brown and seniors Kyle Kenney and Chris Najem ate up the Memorial front seven all night.

The quartet combined for 338 of Salem’s more than 500 yards from scrimmage. Jacques tallied 90 yards and found the end zone once on 11 carries, and a 48-yard touchdown run was called back on a holding penalty. He also compiled in excess of 100 yards on kickoff returns.

It was the forceful running of the 200-pound Najem that gives Gati hope for the team’s chances this season.

Najem carried the ball nine times, earning 143 yards on the ground. He found pay dirt three times, not including a two-point conversion.

“He’s the one I needed to step up tonight, and he did,” said Gati. “He had a long week of practice and didn’t have the best game last week, so we needed a little more consistency out of him, and we got it tonight.”

First-year starting quarterback Matt Cannone, meanwhile, hit the passes he needed to. He connected twice for long scores with his favorite target, Cory Lavallee, once on a 52-yard bomb that caught the senior wide open along the left sideline in the second quarter and again on a similar 40-yard play exactly four minutes later, three seconds before the half.

“He does a nice job, doesn’t he? Boy, he’s really matured in the last couple weeks,” said Gati of his sophomore signal caller. “I was really pleased with the way he threw the ball. He’s very composed ... I’d say that’s his best quality right now. For a sophomore, that’s impressive.”

Still, while the Blue Devils gained much-needed momentum heading into their contest with rival and three-time defending state champ Pinkerton, Gat said his defense must play better if Salem’s to contend.

“Really, we were only 22 points ahead (against Memorial), and the way they were throwing the ball, I was concerned going into the third quarter,” said Gati of his squad’s 36-14 halftime lead. “Offensively, we did what we wanted to, I have no complaints. Defensively, we have a couple things to work on still.”