NORTHAMPTON — The Northampton football team got its revenge on Wahconah in 28-16 win in the Route 9 Rumble, Friday.
The Blue Devils (4-1) had a strong defensive showing, forcing a punt or a turnover on seven of Wahconah’s nine possessions. The Warriors (5-1) kept it close for the majority of the game, but faltered late as Northampton scored two fourth quarter touchdowns to seal the victory.
The win snapped a five-game losing streak to Wahconah, which had won 10 of 11 against Northampton and leads the Rumble series 14-5. Hamp’s last win came in 2012.
“I thought it was gritty,” Northampton quarterback Tom Jacques said. “I thought we fought hard for four quarters and we just worked hard for it and we got the win.”
Wahconah went up early, scoring on a Zach Archambault 1-yard run. The two-point conversion was completed when quarterback Ryan Scott connected with Luke Hescock to make it 8-0 about three minutes into the game.
It didn’t take long for Northampton to cut the deficit. Jacques connected with Jake Delisle for a 30-yard touchdown and the extra point pulled the Blue Devils within 8-7.
Northampton’s defense then took control.
The Blue Devils forced and recovered a fumble on the ensuing drive after their touchdown, but ultimately punted the ball away.
After forcing a Wahconah punt, the Blue Devils took the lead when Breaden Tudryn ran the ball 34 yards for the score. The extra kick was good as Northampton led 14-8 two minutes into the second quarter.
The defenses shut each other out for the rest of the half and well into the second half. The closest either team came to scoring was with a minute remaining in the third quarter. A Wahconah runner was about to cross the goal line but was hit and fumbled the ball into the end zone. Northampton recovered the ball for the touchback.
On the following drive, Northampton charged 80 yards and Jacques scrambled to reach the end zone on a 6-yard run. The extra kick was good as Northampton led 21-8 with 8:48 remaining in the game.
“The biggest play of the game was that fumble in the end zone when they were ready to score,” Northampton coach Joe Kocot said. “We get it and now we get on the 20 (yard line) and we get to get another touchdown. On the way to that touchdown you’re taking seconds and minutes off of the clock and in a game like this it was huge.”
Northampton forced and recovered a fumble on the Wahconah kick return. The Blue Devils took the ball and Jacques found the end zone again, this time on a 1-yard run. The extra points gave Northampton a 28-8 lead with just under seven minutes left in the game.
Wahconah almost fumbled the kickoff again but corralled the loose ball. The Warriors charged down the field and scored a touchdown on a Scott completion to Hescock for 20 yards. Wahconah converted on the two-point attempt to pull within 28-16 with about five minutes remaining in the game.
On the following Northampton drive, Jacques was picked off and gave Wahconah great field position.
However, Tudryn picked off Scott’s throw on the next play to seal the win for the Blue Devils, who ran the clock down.
“They got that bunch to the right and I knew that they ran little slant earlier in the game so I just dropped back into my little hook zone, read the play and picked it off,” Tudryn said.