Courtesy of Dan Doyon/Union Leader

NASHUA – From the opening kickoff, Bishop Guertin quarterback Nate Bowen delivered a masterclass in efficiency, leading Bishop Guertin to a dominant 42-14 victory over Exeter High School.

The senior quarterback was virtually flawless, completing 19 of his 20 pass attempts for 314 yards and five touchdowns in the win.

Bowen found his rhythm early by spreading the field and connecting with his top targets. Senior wide receiver Rocco Roy hauled in six receptions for 118 yards, catching three of Bowen’s touchdown passes. Sophomore wide receiver Jake Bowen was equally effective on the outside, matching Roy with six catches of his own for 87 yards and two touchdowns to keep the Exeter secondary back on its heels all game.

Bishop Guertin Coach Anthony Nalen was pleased with his team’s performance overall.

“I am very proud of our players. To play against a Bill Ball coached team on a short week, it took our guys a huge mental week to get this one done. Our offense was consistent tonight and the defense settled in as the game progressed.”

While the passing attack generated the highlight plays, Bishop Guertin balanced the offense with a physical ground game. Senior running back Logan Curran made the most of his limited touches, breaking free for 59 yards and a touchdown on just four carries. Sophomore running back Will Adams provided the heavy lifting between the tackles, grinding out 68 yards on 10 carries to keep the offense on schedule and sustain long drives.

Bishop Guertin’s defense matched the offense’s execution, slamming the door on Exeter by forcing three crucial turnovers. Those defensive takeaways repeatedly shifted momentum, handing the ball back to the offense that capitalized on the extra possessions. Combined with Bowen’s surgical precision in the passing game and a balanced running effort, Bishop Guertin rolled to a convincing 28-point win.

The Cardinals improved to 2-0. Nalen says that’s a good thing but acknowledged that things will only get tougher from here.

“Anytime you are 2-0 after 2 weeks that’s a good thing. We have a huge game this upcoming week against Nashua South. We are healthy and excited to keep getting better each and every week,” Nalen added.