Turnovers cost Easthampton football in loss to Pittsfield

PITTSFIELD — It was going to feel like a longer ride home from The Berkshires than the Easthampton football team had hoped for. But it did give the Eagles time to think.

Pittsfield broke a tie with 22 straight points in beating the Eagles 30-8 in the season opener for both teams at Wahconah Park Friday night.

Pittsfield outgained Easthampton 349 yards to 137. There were nine turnovers in the game as the Generals and Eagles each lost three fumbles. Easthampton senior quarterback Max Weir was intercepted three times, including one pick by linebacker Shawn Morgan for a 60-yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter.

“It’s frustrating. The only reason it’s frustrating is because we think we beat ourselves,” Weir said. “I think there were (six) turnovers, unforced errors that we made. Take those away, and we’re right in a game against a good team in the first week.”

Edwin Rodriguez ran for a game-high 145 yards and scored two touchdowns — one on a 47-yard punt return, while Tyrell Boire rushed for 106 yards and scored a touchdown for Pittsfield.

“It feels great” to get the opening-night win, said Boire, who also completed two passes to his brother Terrick. “The coaches have been going at us hard all week in practice, making sure that we learned everything and were comfortable on the field.”

For the Eagles, Tyler Perrone had a team-best 48 yards rushing on nine carries. Nick Tausenfreund led Easthampton with 13 carries, gaining 43 yards.

Weir was sacked once and ended up with minus-16 yards rushing. He also had two picks in the first half. He finished the night 3-for-10 for 47 yards and one touchdown – a 30-yard toss to Camden Kelly with 5:40 left in the second quarter.

Pittsfield had its share of turnovers, but none of the Generals’ turnovers impacted the game.

“We’re a young team, and that’s part of being a young team. With a veteran team, you can talk to them and talk them through things,” said Easthampton coach Matt Bean. “Being a young team, we’re emotional and the emotions showed up, especially later in the game.”

It was a Pittsfield turnover, however, that ended up giving the Generals the lead, and the momentum, for good.

Pittsfield and Easthampton had traded second-quarter touchdowns and the game was tied at 8 when Pittsfield took over on its 19-yard line.

Nine plays later, the Generals had the ball third-and-goal on the Easthampton 7. Rodriguez got the call, but fumbled the ball into the end zone. The ball rolled out of play and Easthampton had the touchback.

The Eagles were forced to punt and David Helems boomed the ball from his 11 to the 47 where Rodriguez caught it. He was virtually untouched into the end zone. So the senior got back the touchdown he thought he had a few minutes earlier.

“That was a little ironic,” said the Easthampton coach. “We didn’t cover that one good. We had good coverage on most of the other special-teams plays. That one, we didn’t cover. We didn’t give 100 percent effort on that one.”

Easthampton only made it into Pittsfield territory once in the second half, and that drive was stopped when Perrone fumbled and Deonte Young recovered.

“That was the difference in the game today,” said Weir. “They made mistakes and we made mistakes. When they made mistakes, they kept their heads up and continued to play.”

Pittsfield 30, Easthampton 8

First quarter

No scoring

Second quarter

P—Edwin Rodriguez 3-yard run (Griff Manns pass from Tyrell Boire), 9:31.

E—Camdel Kelly 30 pass from Max Weir (David Helems pass from Weir), 5:40.

P—Rodriguez 47 punt return (Run failed), 0:07.

Third quarter

No scoring

Fourth quarter

P—Tyrell Boire 9 run (Rodriguez run), 9:38.

P—Shawn Morgan 60 interception return (Manns run), 5:30.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—Easthampton: Nick Tausendfreund 13-43, David Helems 1-12, Camden Kelly 3-3, Max Weir 3-(minus 16), Tyler Perrone 9-48. Pittsfield: Tyrell Boire 24-111, Edwin Rodriguez 18-145, Terrick Boire 3-7, Griff Manns 2-8, Trevon Taylor 3-38.

PASSING—Easthampton: Weir 3-10-3 47. Pittsfield: Tyrell Boire 2-4-0 40.

RECEIVING—Easthampton: Damien Diluzio 1-5, Helems 1-12, Kelly 1-30. Pittsfield:Terrick Boire 2-40.