Souhegan Shuts Out John Stark 41-0 in NHIAA Division II Quarterfinals

“We were running low on depth and playing with the injury bug after a hard game with ConVal,” John Stark head coach John Daley said.

The Generals’ season ended Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, in the NHIAA Division II quarterfinal as the No. 2 Souhegan Sabers secured a 41-0 shutout at Souhegan High School, according to a report from the Concord Monitor.

John Stark entered the matchup as the No. 7 seed with a 5-5 record, but the team faced personnel shortages. The Generals played without their starting quarterback and several other key players following a physical regular-season finale against ConVal.

The Sabers’ defense dominated the game, recording an interception, a fumble recovery, and 11 tackles for loss. The Souhegan defensive line controlled the trenches, a physical struggle that resulted in multiple injuries for the John Stark roster.

The Sabers take control

Junior Cole Brandt opened the scoring for Souhegan with a 13-yard touchdown run with 10:03 remaining in the first half. Later in that same quarter, Brandt caught a 15-yard pass from senior quarterback Luke Fallon to extend the lead.

Senior running back Jacob Bryan added a 6-yard touchdown run to give the Sabers a 21-0 halftime advantage.

Souhegan’s momentum continued immediately after the break. On the first play of the third quarter, Liam Bright caught a 67-yard touchdown pass from Fallon, breaking a tackle before running an additional 30 yards into the end zone. This play pushed the score to 28-0.

Souhegan Shuts Out John Stark 41-0 in NHIAA Division II Quarterfinals

The scoring continued as sophomore Owen Mobley caught Fallon’s third touchdown pass of the day during the third quarter. Junior Cam Foley finished the afternoon with a 33-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

Luke Fallon finished the game completing 15 of 21 passes for 254 yards. His primary targets included Liam Bright, who recorded 86 yards on three catches, Kobe Morin, who had 63 yards on four catches, and Cole Brandt, who tallied 56 yards on four catches.

John Stark battles through injuries

Despite the lopsided score, the Generals showed flashes of resilience early in the game. They forced a turnover on downs during Souhegan’s opening possession and managed to keep the Sabers scoreless throughout the first quarter.

Junior Baker Telgen took over at quarterback, making his first varsity start after starter Jack Sheppard was sidelined by injury. Telgen completed one 8-yard pass to senior halfback Cooper Twombly on seven attempts.

The Generals’ offense nearly found momentum late in the second quarter. Senior lineman Phineas Twomey executed a fake punt on fourth and 10 from the team’s 40-yard line, finding Twombly for a 14-yard gain. The drive moved the ball to the 25-yard line with 14 seconds left in the half, but Bright forced and recovered a fumble on the final play of the period.

The defense also provided brief highlights. Senior Dawson Palmer forced a fumble that was recovered by fellow senior William Arnold III, giving the offense a chance to respond just three plays after a turnover.

The statistical output for the John Stark offense was led by the following players:

Player	Rushing Yards	Carries	Receiving Yards	Receptions
Cooper Twombly	56	25	22	2
Dawson Palmer	32	4	—	—

A season of resilience

While the playoff run ended abruptly, the Generals’ season was defined by a late-season surge. John Stark won its final three games and four of its last five contests to qualify for the postseason.

The team’s success often relied on narrow margins. Three of the Generals’ five wins were decided by three points or less, including a 28-27 victory over ConVal that secured their playoff berth after the Cougars missed an extra point.

Cooper Twombly emerged as a playmaker during the campaign. After transitioning to halfback in week five, Twombly finished the regular season with 1,112 rushing yards, ranking fourth in Division II, and 610 receiving yards, which ranked second in the division.

Coach Daley noted the unconventional nature of the team’s victories throughout the year.

“The coolest part of this football team this season was how we won games. It was never pretty. It was a blocked extra point, a PAT from (far) out, a 50 yard field goal could be the difference maker,” Daley said.

The season also marked the final games for 18 seniors, including captains Twombly, Camden Towles, Arnold III, and Parker Hamel. Daley praised the character of the departing class.

“They had a lot of heart and were willing to learn as fast as they could,” Daley said. “I was just telling them, the only bummer was that I only had one year with them. They’re a great group of guys.”