Derry fights back for victory against host Deer Lakes

By: Josh Rizzo
Friday, September 5, 2025 | 10:47 PM

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Noah Stough catching an 11-yard touchdown pass with 7 seconds remaining was a shining example of what Derry football coach Mike Arone knew all week.

The Trojans long ago put behind them the 43-point beatdown against Freeport last week, enabling them to score a dramatic win on the road against Deer Lakes.

Derry battled back to take the lead twice in the fourth quarter during a 24-21 nonconference win Friday night.

“I think we were reset last Monday,” Arone said. “They realized they got their tails whipped. They know that isn’t the kind of team we want to be and how we want to play.”

The Trojans (2-1) needed all of their moxie against Deer Lakes. Derry turned the ball over twice in the red zone and couldn’t capitalize on a blocked punt. The Trojans also had two passes intercepted by Deer Lakes junior Colby Borowski, including one in the end zone.

“That’s the ups and downs as a football coach — it’s fun to watch as a fan, but not as a coach,” Arone said.

Derry defensive lineman Dylan Pitzer said the Trojans were effective at figuring out the Deer Lakes’ run game. Derry limited the Lancers to 98 rushing yards, and no ball carrier had more than 48.

“I think it was a good week of practice,” Pitzer said. “We really worked on our hand motions. Fighting hands up front and shutting down the running game.”

Stough, who finished with 140 receiving yards and two touchdowns, had 103 in the first quarter. Derry quarterback Anthony Sacco found him for a 45-yard touchdown on the Trojans’ second drive.

Stough said the Trojans were successful at moving on from mistakes.

“We had to forget about that,” Stough said. “We can’t let those things affect us. We put it in the past, and we play our hardest.”

Deer Lakes (1-2) had tremendous success in its passing game. Luca Mangieri finished with 172 receiving yards and caught three long touchdown passes.

Mangieri’s 79-yard touchdown catch late in the third quarter put Deer Lakes ahead 14-9. The Trojans responded with a long drive that ended with a 5-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-5.

Deer Lakes answered the bell again when quarterback Dante Mangieri, who finished with 234 passing yards, found Luca for a 55-yard touchdown that put the Lancers ahead with 94 seconds remaining. But the Lancers couldn’t find a way to stop Sacco and the passing game.

Stough broke open on second-and-10 from the 11-yard line for the winning score.

Lancers coach Tim Burk was frustrated with how open the Trojans receivers got.

“They shouldn’t have been open,” Burk said. “With the coverage we called. The defenses we called. Those guys shouldn’t have been open. Our guys got caught looking in the backfield, and inexperience hurt us.”

Stough believed when the go-ahead touchdown play was called that he would score.

The Trojans were too prepared to lose.

“We lived with the mistakes in the past,” Stough said. “We don’t stop fighting.”

Tags: Deer Lakes, Derry Area