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Salem runs away in rout of Nashua South

Friday, September, 08 By Kyle Gaudette

NASHUA - Matt Soldano looked to be dead to rights in the open field. The senior Salem quarterback and co-captain took off on a bootleg to the right, but ran out of blockers at the 25-yard-line. Starring down two rushing Nashua South defenders, Soldano used his slender 6-foot-1 frame to split the middle, easily pushing one smaller safety out of his way, then simply outran a third defender into the end zone to cap a 47-yard touchdown run.

That was the story of Salem's season-opening 40-14 handling of a very game Nashua South team. On both sides of the ball, the Blue Devils were simply too big, too quick and too tough for the Panthers to bring down.

"I just got to the edge and had a blocker in front of me. He took one guy out of play and I just had to make a cut in and get to the end zone," said Soldano, who didn't complete a pass but ran for 124 yards on just four carries with two TDs.

Soldano made it sound simple, mainly because it was for Salem Friday night at Stellos Stadium.

There were plenty of mistakes, sure, most notably two flags that brought back long touchdown runs. But the Blue Devils couldn't be stopped on the ground (40 carries, 413 yards), and the defense made key stops early coupled with bruising hits that set a physical tone right from the start.

Salem had three rushers with 100-yard games. Returning Eagle-Tribune Offensive MVP Josh Sibanda led the way with 126 yards on 16 carriers and two TDs, and junior Domenic Paci burst onto the scene with 112 yards on just four carries to go along with Soldano.

Senior Adam Maroun chipped in as well, and little brother Josh scored on a three-yard run.

"We can do better as backs as we're progressing through the season. But we're alright right now," said Sibanda. "We need to work on our chemistry."

If there was any hope for South coming out of the half down 27-8, it was quickly erased when sophomore newcomer Brandon Wall took the kickoff 80 yards to the house.

Ballgame.

Salem was equally efficient on defense. Senior cornerback Jacob Emerson was a pest on the outside, laying out some massive hits, and 6-foot-2, 260-pound Jake Mullin didn't let much get by him up the middle of the line.

Even the Blue Devils' one glaring blemish, a fumble that gave South a first and goal from the six in just a 14-0 game at the time, was erased on a Soldano interception in the end zone.

"I actually grabbed it off of Aidan Holland's back," said Soldano, on a play resembling that of Julian Edelman's famous Super Bowl LI shoestring catch.

It was all smiles for Salem after the game.The Blue Devils will try to do more of the same with their first home game Friday at 7 p.m. when they host Keene.