NORTHAMPTON — For the first time since 1996, the Northampton football team beat Longmeadow, and it did it emphatically.
“I think we are going to go celebrate tonight,” Northampton coach Pat Sledzieski said. “But the bottom line is we want our kids to expect this and act accordingly.”
Hamp’s Elijah Davis dominated Longmeadow, rushing for 247 yard on 24 carries in a 36-14 win Friday night.
Davis’ runs were varied, sometimes running past defenders and sometimes running through them. With the clock winding down, the fans at David Wright Field got a little louder than usual after the victory that a snapped an 18-game losing streak to the Lancers.
“It feels great to do something like that,” Davis said. “Watch out for Hamp.”
Davis scored one of his three touchdowns on Hamp’s first possession. A three-play opening drive finished when Davis galloped 54 yards for the score.
The ease of the drive set the tone for Hamp’s offense. While the running game proved unstoppable against Longmeadow, the defense made every single yard a struggle for the Lancers.
Will O’Connor had a sack and an interception for the Blue Devils.
“The coaches put us in position,” O’Connor said.
The Hamp team knew about the losing streak going into the game.
“We were talking about that all week,” O’Connor said. “The twenty years. It’s really something special. This group of guys has played together since freshman year. We’ve talked about it since we got beat that year.”
With two wins over two very good teams, the Blue Devils now are a legitimate force.
“Look at our past two games against perennial powerhouses in western Mass.,” O’Connor said. “Just look at the scores.”
Bryan DeJesus was all over the field for the Blue Devils, making five tackles and on one play flattening Longmeadow quarterback John Bouvier on a pass attempt that fell incomplete.
Hamp’s offensive line played well against a much bigger Longmeadow team.
“Both our guards are less than 180,” Sledzieski said. “Tim Berniche and Alex Sylvester. Our center, Jared Leavens, is maybe 170. To do what we are doing, those guys have to be smart.”
Longmeadow had 79 total yards in the first half. The bulk of Longmeadow’s yards came with the game decided in the fourth quarter.
After showing flashes last week, the passing game played a part even with Ryan Bredin attempting only three passes. A corner and a safety followed Andy Grygorcewicz out wide on every play.
“They were very conscious of Andy,” Sledzieski said.
One less defender in the box against Hamp’s duo of Davis and Nik Smith (seven carries, 54 yards).
Bredin had a 2-yard score on a quarterback keeper in the second quarter.
A Davis 5-yard run in the second quarter capped a six-play, 29-yard drive. O’Connor’s interception gave Hamp the field position.
Longmeadow scored its first touchdown in the third quarter on a 1-yard run by Clay Moseman (nine carries, 92 yards). Carlo Calabrese added a score for the Lancers in the fourth.
The Blue Devils put Longmeadow away late when Davis scored from 6-yards out with 5:18 left in the fourth quarter.
