WINDHAM – Concord had done everything right despite the circumstances. They had run a Wildcat formation with running back Colin Savard receiving the snap for most of the game after sophomore quarterback Rhys Craigue was injured. And they managed to go ahead by 14 points in the fourth quarter.
No. 6 Windham found a way to storm back to beat No. 11 Concord, 20-14, in overtime in the first round of the Division I football playoffs.
Savard did it all for the Tide (4-4). He finished with 203 yards from scrimmage, two touchdowns and multiple well-placed punts.
“I just wanted to do whatever I could to put the team in the best position as possible. I think we all played our hearts out. We left everything we could out there and I’m proud of everyone,” Savard said after the loss.
The match-up was not entirely favorable for Concord, as the Jaguars’ staunch defense had neutralized the Tide attack in their matchup just two weeks ago, in a 13-7 Windham win.
Despite losing that regular-season game, the tight margins left hope and promise for Concord to learn from its mistakes and turn the game around to win its first playoff game since 2014.
For most of the game, it appeared that Windham’s offense would be shut down by the Concord defense. The Tide’s Ethan Dunbar led the defense as a linebacker and picked off two passes.
With 10 minutes remaining in the game, Windham went for deeper passes downfield. After Savard’s second touchdown, Windham’s sophomore quarterback Jackson Wright aired one out to his junior receiver Brandon Jacobs for a 53-yard touchdown to draw the Jaguars closer, 14-7.
After another short drive by Concord, Windham got the ball back and once again drove downfield with big chunk plays to tie the game up. The Jags produced two big pass plays, a 22-yard catch and a 37-yard touchdown reception.
Concord had four minutes to win it in regulation, but was stopped short of its field goal target line.
Overtime was a similar story. Each team would receive the ball at the 10-yard line with four downs to gain, and they would keep going until one team had an edge.
Savard rushed three times, and Concord decided to kick a field goal, but missed it wide. When Windham finally received its chance to go ahead, it didn’t falter. They scored the game-winning touchdown and sent the Tide home.
Concord head coach Jim Corkum said he thought his boys played the best they could.
“I’m just so proud of them. … You lose your quarterback in the first quarter and you’re able to hang with a team like Windham and almost squeak one out,” Corkum said.
With much of a passing game, Concord could only draw from so many plays. Corkum said they only had seven plays in the Wildcat formation, and Windham found a way to stop the run.
The Tide will return a large core of its group next year, with key positions like quarterback Rhys Craigue and Colin Savard, as well as many pieces on defense.
“I’m hoping that the future is bright, but I’m really gonna miss this senior class. They’re a really special group,” Corkum added.
