PITTSFIELD – On the postseason bubble, South Hadley football traveled to Pittsfield with a job to do.
And by the time the Tigers boarded their bus at Berkshire Community College Friday night, it was a job well done.
South Hadley defeated Taconic 52-12, finishing the regular season at .500 and likely securing a spot in next weekend’s MIAA Division 6 state tournament. The Tigers were 15th in the power rankings released earlier in the week.
“Very pleased. We talked about getting off the bus, do what we do and get back on it and go home,” said South Hadley coach Scott Taylor. “I thought we executed really well.”
The ground was thoroughly pounded on Gene Dellea Field, as South Hadley was flying on the artificial turf, rushing 25 times for 361 yards and seven touchdowns. Of those seven, five were on carries of more than 20 yards. The Tigers didn’t punt until there were about 4 minutes left in the game.
Owen Dawson had the most carries with eight, and he turned those into 109 yards and two scores. Evan Piquette carried five times for a game-high 117 yards and two touchdowns, while Brock Fitzell went 95 yards on six carries, two for touchdowns.
“It was a good game, but another one next week,” said Piquette. “If we lose, we’re probably out. If they lose, they’re out. So this was a must-win for both teams. It’s a good win for us.”
Taconic (2-6) received the opening kickoff and went to the air to try and pick up some chunk plays and get on the board first. A fourth-and-7 completion by quarterback Matt McIntosh to freshman Ryan Burchard went for 12 yards. However, while Burchard was falling to the turf, South Hadley’s Marty Loughrey ripped the ball out of his hands. Instead of first-and-10 from the Tigers 45-yard line, the ruling was a fumble turnover and South Hadley took over near midfield.
Just four plays later, Piquette broke through the right side of the line and went 34 yards for the game’s first touchdown.
“[Taconic’s Sean Harrigan] is special. He’s a really good athlete, and he was the focus of our week,” said Taylor. “It’s tough to judge on film until you see it on the field, but I thought coach Kerry and coach Kuchar did a good job with the defensive gameplan and coach Harrington had a perfect offensive plan ready. That’s why you have good people around you.”
Harrigan got hurt on Piquette’s first touchdown run, and didn’t return until the second half.
A false start backed Taconic up on the ensuing possession, and a fourth-down incompletion turned the ball over on downs on the home 43.
That was the story all night for the Green and Gold, as South Hadley had prime field position throughout.
The visitors needed only 57 yards to score again for the 14-0 lead, with Dawson going in from 3 yards out.
The Tigers next possession started on the Taconic 33, and Dawson rushed twice to score again.
“The line has been playing great, they’ve really been rolling these last two weeks,” said Piquette, who also scored on a 56-yard run in the second half. “They’ve been playing their butts off and I can’t really ask any more of them.”
Taconic’s best chance at a meaningful score came next, trailing 22-0 early in the second quarter. The hosts got a 32-yard reception from senior Dez Merced, which set them up at the Tigers 20. A roughing the passer penalty moved Taconic to the 10, but on second-and-goal, Jake Jackson sacked the QB to push THS out to the 19. A pair of incomplete passes followed and South Hadley took over on downs.
Dawson responded with a 49-yard pickup on the Tigers’ first play, and then Fitzell had a big first step through the line and scored from 32-yards out for the back-breaker and a 30-0 lead.
It was a busy stretch for Fitzell, who intercepted a Taconic pass two plays later. That led to a short scoring drive capped by a 10-yard TD run by Collin Mailhott.
South Hadley led 44-0 at halftime. Harrigan scored twice in the fourth quarter for Taconic, with the game out of reach.
The Tigers (4-4) will now await the MIAA’s seeding meeting for football this coming week.
“It means a lot to me. The people before us got it done, and we’ve continued to do it,” said Piquette of making the postseason. “We can be a really dangerous team in the playoffs. We really believe that.”