By Roger Brown
MaxPreps.com
Perhaps no team appreciated Thanksgiving Day football more this year than Portsmouth High School.
The Clippers (10-2) recorded one of the best seasons in the program’s history, but that season did not end in a championship. Top-seeded Souhegan beat Portsmouth, 28-14, in the Division III championship game.
That’s why Portsmouth’s 35-28 triumph over Dover on Thanksgiving meant so much to the Clippers.
“This wasn’t the game we spent all season preparing for,” Portsmouth quarterback Mike Fransoso said. “The game against Souhegan is what we worked so hard for, but it was good to have this game. It’s good not to have losing the championship game as your last memory.”
Fransoso’s final game may have been his best one. He completed 19-of-28 passes for 298 yards and four touchdowns. Fransoso, a senior who will play baseball at the University of Maine, also ran for a TD. He completed the season with 19 touchdown passes in 11 games.
Junior wide receiver Mike Montville caught 11 passes for 196 yards.
Dover quarterback Matt Kimball was nearly as good as Fransoso. Kimball completed 16-of-24 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns.
Sophomore halfback Justin Dube scored three of Dover’s four touchdowns.
“This game was important because I don’t think the kids felt like they showed what they could do against Souhegan,” Portsmouth coach Bill Murphy said. “I think every team wants to end its season with a victory.”
Other Thanksgiving Day results:
Spaulding 30, Somersworth 20: Senior quarterback Ryan Smith and senior running back Dana Kirkwood each scored two touchdowns as Spaulding ended a 14-game losing streak and completed its season with a 1-10 record.
Nashua South 17, Nashua North 16: Cam DiCecca’s 31-yard field goal with 1:56 to play allowed Nashua South, this year’s Division I state champion, to avoid an upset against its cross-town rival. Nashua South improved to 4-0 against Nashua North on Thanksgiving.
Souhegan 28, Merrimack 21: Quarterback D.J. Petropulos threw two TD passes and junior fullback Steven Jellison ran for two more as Souhegan completed its first unbeaten season (12-0) in school history.
Keene 36, Monadnock 0: Senior tailback Ray Boulay scored on runs of 60 and 12 yards, and brought the second-half kickoff back for another TD to highlight Keene’s victory.
Manchester Central 47, Manchester Memorial 6: Six different players scored touchdowns for Central, which received two interceptions from Jake Tremblay.
Football: Mr. Football Finalists Announced
The five finalists for the seventh annual New Hampshire Mr. Football Award were released Tuesday. This year’s finalists are:
•David Zocco (Nashua South)
•Steven Jellison (Souhegan)
•Andy Vailas (Bishop Guertin)
•Derek Furey (Timberlane)
•Bruce Vieira (Pelham)
The winner of this year's award will be announced on Dec. 9 during a banquet at the Hilton Garden Inn in Manchester. The award is voted on by selected media members.
Past winners of the award are Souhegan's Jeff Farrington (2002), Plymouth's Mike Boyle (2003), Manchester Central's Dave Philistin (2004), Pinkerton Academy's John Sughrue (2005), Bishop Guertin's Mark Spinney (2006) and Londonderry's Alex Theodhosi (2007).
