Ryder Aubin throws for four TDs, runs in another as Dover improves to 3-1 on season

DOVER – Two weeks ago, the Dover High School football team lost its first game of the season, a two-point setback at rival Portsmouth/Oyster River.

Since that loss, the Green Wave have played two games on their home turf at Dunaway Field. In both games, Dover scored at least 40 points and came away with a pair of wins – the most recent being a 40-20 win over Manchester Memorial on Friday night.

“It’s great to come out here and take care of business,” Dover head coach Eric Cumba said. “Across the board, from top to bottom, I think everyone competed like we asked them to. There’s something to build off of tonight.”

Dover is now 3-1 on the season, and will return home next Friday against undefeated Bedford (5-0).

“I see us ending the season well, and hosting a playoff game,” said senior quarterback Ryder Aubin who threw for 175 yards, four touchdown passes, and ran in another against Memorial. “I think we can definitely make a run in the playoffs, and I think it’s Dover’s chance to. It’s been awhile since we made that far. This senior class, the team we put together is special, and I am never going to say a championship is out of sight.”

Here are five takeaways from the game

Aubin continues to be a dual-threat quarterback

Aubin completed 10 of his 18 pass attempts for 175 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran in a touchdown from 11 yards out.

Aubin connected with freshman Amari Lewis for a pair of touchdowns in the final 3 minutes of the half.  The first for 54 yards, the second for 27.

The two teamed up for a 54-yard scoring strike with 3:03 left in the half, giving Dover a commanding 27-0 lead. They hooked up again with 8.8 seconds left in the half, this one a 27-yard score. Lewis was lined up in the slot to the right of Aubin on a third-and-10, went across the,middle and leapt in traffic, pulling down the football at the goal-line for the score.

Lewis finished the game with three catches for 83 yards. Aubin also had a 13-yard touchdown pass to Bryce Carberry on Dover’s first possession of the game, and then hit Jackson Brock for a 19-yard score with 7:12 left in the game.

Dover’s defense shines

Yes, Memorial scored three touchdowns in the game, but none came against the Dover’s starting defense.

The Crusaders’ first score was a 37-yard interception return from defensive lineman Nicholas Young, and the other two touchdowns came late in the game against Dover’s reserves.

“We’re very aggressive on our defense, specifically our front six,” Cumba said. “Our defensive line and linebackers have been great at playing downhill and understanding how teams are going to try and attack us. We’re making plays on the ball. We’ve been bend but don’t break for a large part of the season.”

Carberry was flying around the field all night with several tackles for a loss.

“He’s been great for the last month at linebacker,” Cumba said. “Our defensive line of (Orion Jennison, Toby Desroches and Evan Cain) are eating up blocks, and plugging up holes. I am happy with where we are right now, but I think as we progress further on, we have to make sure we tie up a lot of loose ends.”

Green Wave get off to a quick start

Lewis appeared to have given the Green Wave a quick lead on the first play, returning the opening kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown. However, a block in the back nullified the score, and gave Dover a first down at its own 14.

Aubin and Samuel Grube connected for a 13-yard pass, and Aubin followed with a 46-yard run down the Memorial sideline, giving the Green Wave a fresh set of downs at the Memorial 20.

Lewis gained 7 yards on first down on a sweep around left end, and then Aubin and Carberry connected for the first of three times (36 yards) on the night, this one on a 13-yard score.

After going three-and-out on its next drive, Dover scored on three straight possessions and four of its next five, taking a 33-6 lead into halftime.

McInnes runs wild on limited carries

Dover senior Brady McInnes only carried eight times, but gained 147 yards, scoring on a 17-yard scamper which gave Dover a 20-0 lead.

“You never really expect eight carries for 147 yards, but if you expect it from anybody, it’s going to be him,” Aubin said. “He works his butt off. We know when he gets the ball he’s going to do something good with it. We trust our offensive line out there; they get him the first five yards, and Brady does the rest.”

Up next

Dover will play its third straight home game on Friday when it hosts Bedford, a team which has yet to allow a touchdown all season, and just one field goal. Bedford improved to 5-0 on Friday with a 45-0 win over Nashua North; it was the fourth straight shutout for the Bulldogs, who previously beat Nashua South (21-0), Keene (35-0) and Goffstown (61-0).

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Dover football beats Manchester Memorial as Aubin has five touchdowns