NORTHAMPTON — Andy Grygorcewicz put defenses in western Massachusetts on watch Friday night.
When covering the 6-foot-4 wide receiver, it might take two players to slow him.
In the first ever meeting between Northampton and Smith Vocational, Grygorcewicz caught seven passes for 178 yards and four scores in a 49-18 win.
“We just play for the person next to you,” Grygorcewicz said. “Coach told us to do that.”
Smith Voke had single coverage on Grygorcewicz throughout the game.
“I was surprised,” Grygorcewicz said. “They had nobody deep.”
Grygorcewicz dazzled the Northampton crowd with yards after the catch, and on multiple occasions he hurdled tacklers to get in the clear.
Jake Brittain also had a big night for the Blue Devils (2-0), with a 37-yard receiving touchdown and a 40-yard interception return.
Smith Voke (1-1), a week removed from a win over Drury, watched the Hamp Blue Devils amass a 28-0 lead before Parker Affhauser returned a kickoff 75 yards to get the Vikings on the scoreboard.
“I dropped it and picked it,” Affhauser said. “I ran around a kid and stiff-armed him. It was open from there.”
After Affhauser’s return, the Vikings made a run at the Blue Devils and got to within 28-18 in the third quarter.
“It set the tone,” Affhauser said. “It was our first score. It got some momentum going.”
Quarterback Jake Erali had 16 rushes for 88 yards for the Vikings.
With the game decided in the fourth quarter, Erali had his helmet pulled off while he fought for extra yards. The play opened a gash above his eye.
“They haven’t stopped from day one,” Smith Voke coach Ryan Burnett said of his team. “They showed it tonight playing a team like that. Northampton is a great football team.”
Erali left the game immediately to get stitches.
“The boys’ hearts are enormous,” Burnett said. “(Erali) will be alright. I am proud of them. We gave them a scare.”
After an Erali 3-yard rush, and a 65-yard touchdown pass from Erali to Troy Benedict, the Vikings were within 28-18.
The Blue Devils scored the next 21 points to put away the Vikings.
The ball was almost exclusively in the air for Northampton. Running back Devontay Edmonds missed the game with an injury.
“We still have a lot to work on,” Northampton coach Eddie Jewel said.
Tom Jacques, who just missed on throws last week, improved his accuracy in his second start. He went 8-for-20 for 233 yards with five touchdowns.
The Blue Devils dropped a few early passes that could have improved his overall accuracy.
Nicolas Sandoval once again played well in the middle of Northampton’s defense. A Sandoval sack in the first quarter briefly knocked Erali from the game.
Kyle Gido shared a sack with Sandoval as well, which forced an Erali fumble.
Braeden Tudryn had an interception for the Blue Devils in the second quarter.
Lennie Brown had a sack and a pass defensed for Northampton.
Smith Voke’s Jack O’Connell had two sacks while Benedict sacked Jacques to force a fumble in the first quarter.
Jacques capped Northampton’s first drive with a 5-yard rushing touchdown to make it 7-0.
Late in the first quarter, Jacques hit Grygorcewicz for a 51-yard touchdown to make it 14-0.
Grygorcewicz caught a 3-yard score before Brittain’s 37-yard score to make it 28-0 with 40 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Vikings scored the next 18 points, before the Blue Devils closed them out with three straight scores.
Grygorcewicz returned a kickoff in the first quarter 64 yard down to the 1-yard line but the Blue Devils could not convert.
Grygorcewicz caught a 22-yard touchdown and a 55 yarder in the fourth quarter.
Northampton 49 , Smith Voke 18
|
Smith Voke |
6 |
6 |
6 |
0 |
—18 |
|
Northampton |
28 |
0 |
0 |
21 |
—49 |
First quarter
N— Tom Jacques 5 rush, (Natnael Walton kick), 7:46
N—Jacques 51 pass to Andy Grygorcewicz, (Walton kick) 3:15
N—Jacques 3 pass to Grygorcewicz (Walton kick) :57
N—Jacques 37 pass to Jake Brittain (Walton kick) :36
SV— Parker Affhauser 75 kick return, (run failed) :22
Second quarter
SV—Jake Erali 2 rush (run failed) :22
Third quarter
SV—Erali 65 pass to Troy Benedict, (run failed) :08
Fourth quarter
N—Jacques 22 pass to Grygorcewicz (Henry Doherty run) 4:18
N—Brittain 40 interception return (kick failed), 4:01
N— Jacques 55 pass to Grygorcewicz (Walton kick) 3:51
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Smith Voke: Erali 16-88-1; Troy Benedict 1-37; Blakesley 1-5; Affauser 6-6. Northampton: Gavin Bullock 2-8; Jacques 3-18; Doherty 3-36.
PASSING—Smith Voke: Erali 5-9-79-1-1; Northampton: Jacques 9-21-233-5
RECEIVING—Smith Voke: Benedict 2-65; Affauser 3-14; Northampton: Grygorcewicz 7-177-4; Brittain 1-37; Doherty 1019
