AMHERST -- Nashua South clearly found a remedy for whatever plagued its offense during the final game of the regular season.
One week after being held to six points in an upset loss to Goffstown, South put forth what may have been its best offensive performance of the season in a 59-26 victory over Bishop Guertin in the first round of the Division I playoffs.
Sixth-seeded South (8-2) scored three touchdowns in each of the first two quarters and led 40-20 at halftime. The game was played at Souhegan High School since Stellos Stadium is getting a new playing surface and is where each team usually plays its home games.
"We got out of the gate pretty good, like we intended," South coach Scott Knight said. "I thought their kids played hard. We just had to keep scoring.
"(Last week) we weren't playing disciplined on defense and they held the ball. They had the ball for almost a whole quarter (on one drive). You get in games like that you can get a little desperate on offense. You start dropping passes ... things like that."
South quarterback Cody Jackson passed for three touchdowns and ran for two others. Running back Sam Levine also had two TD runs (11 and 4 yards).
Justin Fish caught two of Jackson's TD passes (24 and 11 yards), and Diego Cabrera had a 67-yard TD reception. The Panthers also scored on Kyle Emmons's 4-yard TD run, and Bruno Goncalves's 31-yard run.
Fish scored on a 4-yard run in overtime when the Panthers beat the Cardinals 21-15 in Week 1.
BG, the 11th-seed, received two TD passes from sophomore quarterback Nate Bowen, both of which were caught by Ryan Connelly. Bowen also connected with Sam Fayad for a 22-yard TD pass. BG's other TD came on a 52-yard run by running back AJ Holmes.
The 11th-seeded Cardinals (5-5) ended the season with three straight losses.
South will face third-seeded Londonderry (6-3) in Saturday's quarterfinals. That game will be played at Londonderry High School (1 p.m.). The Lancers had a first-round bye.
"They're dynamic on offense," Londonderry coach Jimmy Lauzon said. "They have a lot of speed on both sides of the ball. Their quarterback was great (against BG). He poses a lot of issues. I think it will be a tough matchup."
The Panthers and Lancers did not meet during the regular season.
"They got a couple dudes up front," Knight said. "Guys who can grab you and fold you in half. We're gonna have to deal with that and play well up front.
"I know Bedford's going for its third (championship) in a row, but when the season began I thought Londonderry was the team to beat. I watched them against Exeter and I know some teams have had some success throwing it on them, but they're a good team. We'll have to draw up a good game plan this week. I think we have a good chance."
Key plays
- BG surrendered the game's first 20 points, but was within six, 20-14, after Connelly caught a 37-yard TD pass from Bowen with 9:24 remaining in the first half.
- BG scored with 59 seconds to play in the half, but South regained the momentum on Levine's 13-yard TD run with 13 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
Key players
- Bowen's two TD passes gave him 13 for the season.
- Jackson helped the Panthers build a 20-0 lead by figuring in South's first three TDs. After scoring on runs of 9 and 38 yards, he tossed a 24-yard scoring pass to Fish. Each of the three TDs came in the opening quarter.