NEWPORT — Marius Edwards scored four touchdowns to lead the Newport High School football team to a 43-0 win over Fall Mountain in Saturday’s NHIAA Division IV semifinals at Maryn Field.
The quarterback made a statement both with his dominant performance against the Wildcats and during a post-game interview.
“I’m just ready to show them that we dropped down to D-IV,” Edwards said, “and we’re ready to bring it to the house.”
The senior not only brought it to the house four times against Fall Mountain, he also ran for a pair of two-point conversions and kicked three extra points.
“I’ve been waiting for this since freshman year,” Edwards said. “Eighth grade, we went undefeated. I knew this team had potential as seniors.”
The Tigers (6-1), who were eliminated from the D-III tournament in the first round a year ago, will face Somersworth in the title game next Saturday at a location to be determined.
Edwards (77 rushing yards) got Newport on the board with a 1-yard quarterback keeper nearly six minutes into the contest. His ensuing pass to Ryder Lovely on the two-point conversion attempt was incomplete, but it would prove inconsequential.
The Tigers contained the Fall mountain offense — led by quarterback Luke Gay — on its next possession, then immediately pounced again when Jagger Lovely ran for a 62-yard touchdown on first down.
Lovely had a field day against the Wildcats defense, amassing 139 yards on the ground.
Tyler Obin added a TD for Newport with a 5-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Saturday’s semifinal yawner, the lopsided nature of which set up running time for the entire second half, was a rematch of a regular season-game the Tigers won, 46-0, on Oct. 10.
“They are stingy,” Newport coach John Proper said after his squad shut down the Wildcats. “The kids hate to have teams score. They love the defensive aspect. They love to swarm, (make) stops and then let our offensive firepower take its chances out there.”
Proper, in his second year as the Tigers’ head coach, said he anticipates hosting the Hilltoppers in the title game, although NHIAA hadn’t officially announced the venue as of Saturday night.
Newport will be highly motivated, regardless of where the fall’s final game is played.
“There was a different newspaper, a couple of them, that were talking about Somersworth as being the most talented team in D-IV,” Proper said. “So we had been hoping all week that they’d win so we would get a chance against them.
“Our game plan is not going to change at all. We’re going to just line up and run the football ’til you can stop us. I want to pass, but like I tell the kids, ‘If it’s not broke, we won’t fix it. We’re going to keep pounding and pounding and pounding.’ ”
Pigskin Postlude: The Tigers’ last appearance in the championship game was in 2015, when they defeated Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough, 48-14. … Josh Sharron chipped in 53 yards to the rushing attack for Newport on Saturday. … A plane with the words “Go” and “Tiger” on the bottom of its wings made several passes above Maryn Field.