LACONIA, N.H. — Karter Pollari described himself as exhausted and ecstatic Saturday afternoon, despite his Newport High football team losing the NHIAA Division IV title game to Somersworth, 14-6.
The Tigers scored their lone touchdown as time expired, leaving the Hilltoppers to celebrate their second consecutive title while a few hundred fans in orange and black filed solemnly away from Laconia High’s Jim Fitzgerald Field. Pollari, however, wasn’t downcast.
“We left it all out there, so I’m not upset,” said the running back and linebacker. “It was a dogfight, but I’m tired and happy and grateful.”
Sidelined by a broken bone in his forearm since the preseason, Pollari was unexpectedly cleared to play Friday, giving Newport a jolt of excitement. The senior carried nine times for 54 yards, played defense and punted, but top-seeded Somersworth (9-0) was simply too strong and deep for the second-seeded Tigers (7-1).
“I told the kids they’ll be back here next year and to remember this taste of the championship atmosphere,” said fourth-year coach John Proper, whose team’s two losses this fall were both to the Hilltoppers. “They don’t have to question whether or not they gave it all they had.”
Somersworth boasted superior size and athleticism, but its 14 points were its fewest of the fall. The Hilltoppers beat visiting Newport, 35-7, on Sept. 30 and hung at least 40 points on every other opponent. Proper was unsparing in his postgame assessment of the competition.
“It’s tough because we play in a division where Newport and Somersworth are here and the rest of them are here,” he said, holding one hand up and one hand down. “It’s not even close. I’d rather play Somersworth seven times in a season than any of the other teams.”
Perhaps, but after a few such clashes, it’s doubtful either side would be able to field enough healthy players. Saturday’s game was a hard-hitting affair that featured remarkably few injuries, but it doubtless left the participants bruised and gimpy.
“They’re a great team, and every play they were down and ready to go,” Pollari said of the Hilltoppers. “I don’t know how I survived out there today. I should have been tapping out, but I stayed in. I knew the team needed me.”
Newport hurt itself early and often. Tyler Gobin lost a fumble on the visitors’ first play from scrimmage, and the next drive ended with a 13-yard Pollari punt that handed Somersworth the ball at Newport’s 45-yard line.
The Hilltoppers ran the ball five consecutive times to open the scoring on Calvin Lambert’s 21-yard run and Dominic Starr’s extra point.
Newport drove to the Hilltoppers’ 21-yard line on its next possession, but Aaron Fellows’ pass was intercepted by Jeff DeKorne. Three plays later, Fellows picked off a DeKorne toss and returned it 22 yards. The Tigers were soon at Somersworth’s 9-yard line, but quarterback Kyle Ashley was sacked on fourth down with intermission looming.
The Tigers received the second-half kickoff but went three-and-out, Pollari kicking his second punt just 10 yards. Again, the Hilltoppers took advantage of the bad boot, driving 50 yards in eight plays and scoring on a 19-yard DeKorne pass to Dante Guillory, who broke two tackles before dragging two other Tigers to paydirt. Starr made his second conversion kick.
“They were going for the ball instead of tackling,” Proper said of his defenders. Guillory is “a big kid, much bigger than our secondary, but you have to tackle, and can’t let yourself be carried into the end zone.”
Newport turned the ball over on downs during its next two drives. Ashley later caught fire and completed four passes while driving the Tigers 85 yards during the final 2 minutes and 18 seconds. The big junior ran for a 4-yard touchdown as the horn sounded.
Newport’s substitutions and alignment too often appeared chaotic, and the Tigers had no timeouts remaining for their final drive. Proper took responsibility, noting that Pollari’s return led him to alter longstanding patterns.
“I was scrambling, trying to run personnel back and forth and we had guys switching positions, and I lost a little bit of feeling for the game,” the coach said. “We were close, but I just didn’t dial up the right stuff.”
Although Pollari’s return caused lineup changes, Proper was thrilled to see his standout back in action.
“He was a spark and gave everything he’s got,” said Proper, whose program is 14-3 the past two seasons. “He’s a gamer, and I was glad to at least see him out there one more time.”
Ashley completed five of 14 pass attempts for 74 yards. Gobin carried 12 times for 30 yards.
Notes: Proper said Ashley had been punting this season but that No. 11 had a terrible warmup while Pollari was booming his boots, leading to a switch. … Ashley, who also played linebacker, suffered a deep cut between his eyebrows and atop his nose after being speared during last week’s semifinal victory over Bishop Brady. Assistant coach Todd Fratzel tended to him between series Saturday, but gauze, a medical version of Super Glue and the wearing of a head gaiter didn’t help. Asked why the gash wasn’t stitched, Proper chuckled and shook his head. “There’s nothing to stitch because there’s just a chunk (of flesh) missing,” he said. “He is one tough kid.” … Pollari took initiative to run a fake punt 14 yards for a first down from Newport’s 18-yard line during the first quarter. … Laconia High is the alma mater of 1973 Dartmouth College graduate Steve Stetson, a standout quarterback for the Big Green from 1970-72. He helped the program go 24-2-1 with three consecutive Ivy League titles during his three varsity seasons. ... Herb Hatch has resigned as Lebanon High’s football coach after going 0-9 in his one and only campaign.
Tris Wykes can be reached at twykes@vnews.com.