SACO – An early lead had been cut in half and early momentum was starting to slip away, but the Thornton Academy football team still appeared to be in good shape to go into the halftime break Saturday with a seven-point against New Hampshire powerhouse Bedford.
And then a poorly-timed breakdown caused the scales of the game to tip for good.
Bedford scored a touchdown on the final play of the first half, then rode a dominant second half to a 35-21 victory in a matchup of reigning state champions. The Bulldogs (2-0) are two-time defending Division I champions in New Hampshire, and Thornton (1-1) won Maine’s Class A title last year.
“They played harder. … They made some adjustments at halftime, we tried to make some adjustments at halftime,” Thornton Coach Kevin Kezal said. “It’s hard. You can’t get real big plays against them because they’re so athletic. … The minute you get behind the stakes, it’s really hard to generate offense against them.”
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It was the third matchup in as many years between the two programs, and Bedford has won all three. This one required some fortitude, however, as Thornton, aided by Bulldogs mistakes, held a 14-0 lead midway through the second quarter and a 21-20 advantage in the third.
“Starting down 14-0 is never easy, so we just told the guys that we needed to bounce back and put that in the past,” said Bedford quarterback Jack Maye, who was 15 of 18 passing for 234 yards and two touchdowns while running for a third score. “And getting that ball back with 30 seconds to go obviously helped us to score in that last-second drive. … It was a great momentum shift.”
The game started in ideal fashion for the Trojans, who came up with some opportunistic plays. Stevo Jones had an interception and Dominic Hussey recovered a fumble to end promising Bedford drives, and a 13-yard screen pass from Wyatt Benoit to Jackson Paradis and 88-yard run from Mauricio Sunderland (13 carries, 162 yards) propelled Thornton to a 14-0 lead.
After a 16-yard run from Helton cut the lead in half, Thornton was forced to punt with 26 seconds remaining. Bedford had no timeouts but put together a perfect drive, as Maye connected with Noah Cassamassino for 18 yards and Bennett Matthews (seven catches, 76 yards) for seven before hitting Peter Suozzo (four catches, 106 yards), who got behind the defense, for a 28-yard touchdown as time expired.
“Huge. Momentum in these games is everything,” Bedford Coach Zach Matthews said. “The fact that they could have gone in, they should have gone in to halftime up 14-7, and now it’s a tie game, I think is absolutely deflating for them. … It got our kids thinking ‘All right, this is our game now to win.’ ”
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It wasn’t Thornton’s last time with the lead. After Maye scored on a 15-yard keeper to open the second half, Bedford missed the extra point. Jones then returned the ensuing kick 81 yards for a touchdown and a 21-20 lead.
But the Bulldogs had found their rhythm. Maye completed 11 passes in a row, and his 56-yard pass to Suozzo put Bedford back in front, 28-21.
Helton (18 carries, 180 yards) used his bruising style to batter the Trojans on the ground. His 6-yard score made it 35-21 with 3:23 left in the third quarter.
“Our mentality is, no matter the score, we can win the game,” Helton said. “We’re a third-quarter team. … We came out at half and were like ‘We’ve got to punch these kids in the mouth right from here.’”
Connor Ayoob ran 15 times for 56 yards for Thornton, which was facing perhaps its toughest test on the schedule.
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“We kind of broke down right before the half,” Kezal said. “But I liked the way our kids responded. We went out, they scored again, and we returned a kick. Our kids battled. It’s a great game for us. Bedford is the best in New Hampshire, so it’s a great opportunity for our kids to test themselves against a really good, quality opponent.”
Sunflowers are my absolute FAVORITE flowers. I truly feel like they have magical uplifting abilities. Hence, why I’ve always kept fresh sunflowers in my house, brightening up my kitchen table or even my TV stand.
Obviously, it was a dream of mine to have my maternity photos taken in a sunflower field. They reflect sunshine and exude happiness.
Not to mention, one of my favorite quotes is about sunflowers! “Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. It’s what sunflowers do.” Helen Keller
A beautiful reminder to keep an optimistic outlook on life and not dwell on the negative.
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So, you can imagine the joy I felt when I learned that New Hampshire had its very own Sunflower Festival at Coppal House Farm in Lee!
Coppal House Farm via FacebookCoppal House Farm via Facebook
About the Sunflower Festival:
During the summer, the farm transforms into a sea of golden blooms, giving visitors the chance to wander through thousands of sunflowers, snap photos, enjoy local food vendors, artisan crafts, listen to live music, and experience one of New Hampshire’s most beautiful summer traditions.
Other unique activities on the itinerary? Sip-n-snip! Guests can enjoy a cocktail or mocktail of their choice and cut their own fresh bouquet of flowers.
Coppal House Farm via FacebookCoppal House Farm via Facebook
Or maybe you’re a yoga fan? You can join a 60-minute sweat session from Lee, New Hampshire yoga instructors right in the heart of the flower field.
And because the farm grows oilseed sunflowers for culinary oil (which they harvest in the fall months), the flowers only stay at their peak for a brief window, making the festival a limited-time experience, according to the festival organizers…
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What makes this event even more special is the reason behind it. The festival started as a way to share the beauty of the sunflower fields, but it has grown into something much bigger. Organizers say the event has raised more than $90,000 for Make-A-Wish New Hampshire over the years and now shares a portion of its proceeds with several local nonprofit organizations serving the Seacoast community.
Anyone who knows me knows that paying it forward is something that’s incredibly important to me. It’s right up there with my love of sunflowers because both fill my cup in the best way. So, when I found out this festival celebrates my favorite flower and gives back to the community, I knew I had to share it.
Sunflower Festival Details:
This festival only runs from Saturday, July 25th until Sunday, August 2nd. You can get the full list of activities and more on the Coppal Farm website.
Daily Field Hours
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10:00 AM – 6:30 PM (last admission at 6PM because fields close at 6:30) Weekend Tickets (prepurchased online – day before) $12 per person ages 13 & older $10 per person ages 5-12 $10 per person Seniors (65+) & Military 4 yrs & under are always free Weekend Tickets (purchased day of – online or at farm): $16 per person ages 13 & older $14 per person ages 5-12 $14 per person Seniors (65+) & Military 4 yrs & under are always free includes: access to sunflower fields, craft fair, food vending area, tented shade area, picnic area, farm animals, & live music
Weekday Tickets (prepurchased online – day before) $8 per person ages 13 & older $6 per person ages 5-12 $6 per person Seniors (65+) & Military 4 yrs & under are always free
Weekday Tickets (purchased day of – online or at farm) $12 per person ages 13 & older $10 per person ages 5-12 $10 per person Seniors (65+) & Military 4 yrs & under are always free
What tickets include: Access to sunflower fields, food vending area, tented shade area, picnic area, and farm animals
READ MORE: A Classic Fairy Tale Comes To Life At Portsmouth’s Prescott Park This Summer
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This festival might just leave you smiling long after you leave the fields!
What Flowers Thrive in New England
See what flowers thrive in New England weather: Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.
Gallery Credit: Logan
14 of the Best New Hampshire Farms Offering Locally Grown Strawberries
14 of the Best New Hampshire Farms Offering PYO Strawberries
Ed. Note: If this was you and you are interested, please email [email protected] so I can put you in touch with OP.
“Dear PoPville,
I was biking home from a doctor appointment a little before noon on Friday, and stopped at a red light on New Hampshire & L st nw. There was a woman across the street who was looking fine in her dark blue (I think they were) scrubs. I might be crazy, but it felt like we kept checking each other out. By the third time,
if we were in a romcom, one of us would have waved. Sorry I didn’t, but if you are reading this and date men, reach out to the Prince if you are interested in that man on the bike. Have a great weekend!”
Ed. Note: If this is you, please email [email protected] so I can put you in touch with OP. PoPville is not affiliated with either party, please proceed with any potential connection at your own risk using caution as you would any online encounter. For those curious about past missed connections, many have been made and when possible I’ll try to update when/if more are made.
A New Hampshire motorcyclist who had been missing since the Fourth of July was found dead in Shelburne late Thursday night.
State police say they received a request from the Berlin Police Department just after 7:30 p.m. Thursday for help locating 41-year-old Wesley Grondin — the Berlin man was last seen riding his motorcycle on Saturday, July 4, and had been reported missing.
Troopers received a call a couple of hours later, around 10:10 p.m. Thursday, from a concerned resident who had been out looking for Grondin along Route 2 in Shelburne. The person told police they had found Grondin dead, along with his Harley Davidson.
According to state police, a preliminary investigation determined that Grondin was riding his Harley on Route 2 westbound in Shelburne when, for reasons that remain under investigation, he crossed over into the opposing lane, struck a post, and came to a final rest in the wood line.
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The crash is believed to have occurred just before midnight on July 4. At this time, police say there’s no indication that another vehicle or person was involved.
All aspects of the crash remain under investigation, however. Anyone with information that may assist investigators is asked to contact Trooper Hunter Newsham at Hunter.P.Newsham@dos.nh.gov.
