Undefeated Lee jumps on Belchertown, 28-7

The undefeated Lee Wildcats took an early lead and never relinquished it, beating Belchertown, 28-7, in a high school football game Friday night.

Tight end Ben Harding scored two touchdowns, and the Wildcats defense swarmed the Orioles’ ball carriers in a dominant victory.

Wildcats quarterback Homer Wilson threw three touchdowns and rushed for one more. Harding was his favorite target, logging four receptions for 49 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Nik Nicotra caught a ball tipped by a Belchertown cornerback and took it to the end zone for a 61-yard score.

Belchertown (3-3, 2-3 Intercounty South) tried to establish its running game early on, but the Wildcats (6-0, 4-0) defense did not budge.

“We lost a battle in the weight room out here,” Belchertown coach Ed Wysik said. “They executed a couple long plays there, a couple that were unexpected where we got beaten deep.”

The first score came on a drive that started at the Belchertown 30-yard line with 1 minute left in the first quarter. Running backs J.J. Jimenez and Andrew Ruef carried the Wildcats into the red zone, where Winston found Harding on a 7-yard TD pass with nine minutes left in the second.

Belchertown tried to establish its run game, but couldn’t break Lee’s defensive line.

“I thought we hung with them for most of the first half, but they run a blitz that’s tough and we couldn’t move the ball against it,” said Wysik.

Trailing 14-0, Belchertown came out of the half with an onside kick attempt, but the Wildcats recovered it. Lee then scored a touchdown on the tipped ball that found the hands of Nicostra, who put the Wildcats up 21-0. Lee scored again in the third quarter on a 13-yard run by Winston.

The Orioles started to throw the ball more, and used shifty wide receiver Cal Daskam a lot in the second half. Daskam had 8 rushing attempts for 63 yards, and one reception for 10 yards. He scored the Orioles’ lone touchdown on an 8-yard run with 16 seconds left in the third quarter.

“It was a little misdirection. I got the handoff, made a guy miss and dove for the touchdown,” Daskam said.

Lee 28, Belchertown 7

Second quarter

L-Winston 9-yard pass to Harding (Consolati kick) 9:20

L-Winston 16 pass to Harding (Consolati kick) 0:48

Third quarter

L-Winston 61 pass to Nicotra (Consolati kick) 7:10

L-Winston 13 run (Consolati kick) 2:09

B-Daskam 8 run (Klingensmith kick) 0:16

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—Belchertown: Doullard 6-14, Fournier 1-0, Daskam 8-63, Wysik 4-1, Englert 1-0, Flink 1-(-3), Otto 1-3; Lee: Nicotra 3-5, Winston 4-34, Ruef 6-40, Jimenez 7-33, Purcell 2-5, Kelley 1-7

PASSING—Belchertown: Flink 3-8-58, Otto 1-2-10; Lee: Winston 4-10-120

RECEIVING—Belchertown: Winston 1-(-5), Klingensmith 2-63, Daskam 1-10; Lee: Harding 4-49-2, Nicotra 1-61, Ruef 1-18