Marquis' interception, fumble recovery lead Concord to rout of Central
· Yahoo Sports
CONCORD — Nick Marquis is known around Concord High School as Mr. Move Them Chains.
In the Concord football team’s 40-0 NHIAA Division I Central Conference triumph over Manchester Central, Marquis was Mr. Turnover.
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The 6-foot junior cornerback/wide receiver made an interception and recovered a fumble in the first half on Friday night — the Crimson Tide’s homecoming game and first back at Memorial Field. Both turnovers led to touchdown drives for Concord (3-1), the No. 6 team in last week’s Union Leader Power Poll.
“He kind of does it all for us,” first-year Crimson Tide coach Mike Leonard said of Marquis. “He’s a great, reliable corner. He’s a great receiver, so we can count on him on both sides of the ball and it really helps us out.”
Marquis hauled in a tipped ball by the Concord defensive line to make his interception with 3:17 left in the first quarter. The Crimson Tide took over at their own 24-yard line, then, on the 11th play of the drive, scored on a Colin Savard 2-yard touchdown run. After an Owen Patrick point-after kick, the Tide led 14-0 with 8:36 left in the first half.
On the third play of Central’s next possession, Marquis recovered a fumble by Little Green senior Kingston Patten. Taking over at the Central 45, the Tide took 6:36 off the clock over 12 plays, scoring on a Rhys Craigue 2-yard quarterback keeper with 15 seconds remaining before halftime.
“On the tipped (pass), I was in the right place at the right time, honestly,” Marquis said. “Then the fumble recovery, they were all bobbling it around on the ground and I just scooped that, picked it up and I had it.”
Marquis lived up to his original nickname, too.
Craigue, a junior, and Marquis connected for a 7-yard third-down pass for a first down on the opening drive of the second half. On the next play, Savard scampered 39 yards down the right sideline for his second of three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving).
Marquis’ other two catches — for 7 and 4 yards — also came on third downs. Both set up fourth-and-1 plays that Concord turned into a new set of downs on scoring drives.
“Me and Rhys, we’ve been best friends for a while, so we just have that chemistry,” Marquis said.
Marquis and his teammates were happy to be back at their true home field.
Concord played its first home game — a 31-28 loss to Windham on Sept. 4 — in Pembroke at the Edward Cross Training Center, a New Hampshire National Guard facility. It marked the Tide's only home opener not played at Memorial Field since it opened in 1929.
Memorial Field is Concord's third home field since the program started in the early 1890s.
The football stands and middle baseball bleachers at Memorial Field were removed in the summer for safety reasons. The track around the football field is also currently unsafe to use.
There were small sections of bleachers at the football field and many fans brought lawn chairs. Students lined an area behind the far end zone.
After scoring his first TD, Savard ran over to celebrate in front of his fellow students.
Concord’s two remaining home games – against Haverhill (Mass.) on Oct. 9 and Londonderry on Oct. 30 — are scheduled to be played at Memorial Field.
“We like the National Guard (field) but this is our home,” Marquis said.