DALTON — Top-seeded Wahconah Regional took care of business on Friday night as it defeated No. 4 Frontier Regional, 54-8, in Western Massachusetts Division 4 semifinal football action.
On the opening drive, Frontier had four players carry the ball, but the Warriors kept them contained and senior Max McIlquham made a stop for Wahconah, forcing a fourth down.
After a false start on the first punt attempt, the Warriors (8-1) started their opening drive from their own 36-yard line. Wahconah’s offensive line was physical from the opening play, pushing running back Tanner Hastings 8 yards.
Will Genaway followed the first-down run with a completion to Connor Washburn, moving the chains for the Warriors. A few plays later, Wahconah found itself in third-and-long, but Hastings broke off a run that put the Warriors into the red zone.
From the 12-yard-line, Genaway found Tom Burris in the end zone. Patrick Butler added the extra point, giving Wahconah a 7-0 lead.
On their next drive, after converting a fourth-and-long, Hastings put the Warriors in the red zone for the second time in the first quarter with a 17-yard run. With three minutes remaining in the first, Connor Noyes punched the ball into the end zone from 2 yards out. Butler added his second extra point, giving the Warriors a 14-0 lead.
A good return from Frontier’s Matt Hildreth on the following kickoff set the Red Hawks up on Wahconah’s 49-yard line. But on fourth-and-14, a failed fake punt ended the Frontier threat, giving Wahconah the ball at Red Hawks’ 46.
The Warriors offense marched down the field as Genaway found Burris for a 35-yard catch, setting up the offense at the 1-yard line. With eight minutes left in the half, Hastings punched the ball in. Butler then tacked on the extra point to make the score 21-0.
On Wahconah’s next drive, Hastings broke a 43-yard touchdown run, his second of the night, and Butler made it 4-for-4 on extra points, giving the Warriors a 28-0 advantage with five minutes remaining before halftime. Genaway’s 35-yard touchdown pass to Sam Henderson made it 35-0.
With 25 seconds remaining in the half, Genaway added a 21-yard strike to Washburn to give the Warriors a 41-0 lead at the break.
Wahconah’s Matt Fortins scooped up a fumble and returned it 60 yards for a touchdown, giving the Warriors a 47-0 lead with eight minutes left in the third quarter.
PJ Pharmer scored the final Wahconah TD on a 19-yard run.
Frontier got on the board when Myles Freeman found Hildreth for a 15-yard touchdown. Freeman added the 2-point conversion on a quarterback keeper.