Xaviah Bascon's breakout game fuels Harvard's upset of No. 16 New Hampshire

Bascon, a Swampscott High graduate from Nahant, rushed for 66 yards on 16 carries and scored on two 1-yard plunges. The sophomore, who spent a post-graduate year at Phillips Exeter after leading Swampscott to two state championships, could have scored a third touchdown but went down in the final two minutes, running out time.

“It was just a dog fight,” Harvard linebacker Eric Little said. “We knew it would be this way and I’m just so proud of our guys’ performance tonight.”

After a bye week, New Hampshire (3-1) got off to a fast start, with Morgan going 8-for-8 passing on a 10-play drive to open the game, which led to a 14-yard touchdown pass to Caleb Burke midway through the first quarter . Nick Mazzie, a Boxford native and 2021 graduate of Central Catholic University, hit the extra point and then hit a career-long 52-yard field goal early in the second quarter to make it 10-0. Guide.

The Crimso answered 42 seconds later when Jaden Craig found Scott Woods, who got behind the Wildcats secondary for a 65-yard touchdown. Dylan Fingersh's extra point made it 10-7. Mazzie gave New Hampshire a 13-7 lead with a 29-yard field goal.

Harvard took its first lead with 4:08 left in the second quarter when Craig Cooper found Barkate for a 51-yard connection. Two plays later, Bascon jumped over the pile for a 1-yard score. Kieran Corr, a freshman from Winchester, drilled the point after the win, giving the Crimson a 14-13 lead.

Mazzie, who had made two field goals in New Hampshire's first three games, scored his third of the first half from 43 yards as time expired in the first half, sending the Wildcats ahead 16-14 into the changing rooms.

On the first play of the third quarter, Harvard's Jacob Psyk forced a fumble and Eric Little jumped on it, giving Harvard the ball at the New Hampshire 13-yard line. But the Crimson couldn't capitalize as Bascon was stuffed on a four-and-1 rush from the 4.

After the Crimson defense forced a three-and-out, Bascon's second touchdown, another 1-yard plunge, capped a 10-play, 55-yard drive that took nearly six minutes of the third quarter. Corr's extra point made it 21:16.

Harvard got some breathing room in the fourth quarter when Charles DePrima capped a nine-play, 58-yard drive with a 16-yard touchdown run and Corr's third extra point made it 28-16 with 11:23 to play .

New Hampshire made things interesting when Seth Morgan hit Logan Tomlinson coming out of the backfield for a 3-yard touchdown pass with 5:54 left. Mazzie's extra point put the Wildcats up 28-23, but Harvard converted a third-and-14 after Craig escaped pressure and found Seamus Gilmartin to earn its eighth straight home win.

“I wasn’t surprised in the least,” said Aurich. “After the game last week we had a staff meeting and I asked the guys, 'How do you think we're going to respond and react?' They said, “Coach, there won’t be a problem.”

New Hampshire senior Isaac Seide, the 2017 Globe Division 4 Player of the Year at Melrose before finishing his career at Everett, ran 15 times for 49 yards. Morgan completed 34 of 47 passes for 267 yards and two touchdowns.

In the second quarter, Milford High School graduate Sean Lehane, the Wildcats' senior punter, completed a 6-yard pass on a fake, completing his third career punter.

Brendan Kurie can be reached at [email protected].