NORTHAMPTON – Despite trailing 20-6 at the half, Smith Vocational looked like it might be able to tie things up late against Pathfinder. 

With just under six minutes left in the game, John Majewski snagged a 12-yard throw from quarterback Alex Martinez to pull the Vikings within 27-20.

But despite the late push, the visitors answered just 20 seconds after Majewski’s touchdown with a 60-yard touchdown run from Pathfinder quarterback Hunter Griswold. That touchdown stopped any momentum that Smith Voc had been able to generate in its tracks, and Pathfinder secured a 40-20 Tri-County League victory on Friday night.

While the loss dropped the Vikings to 0-4 on the season (0-1 in the TCL), Smith Voc head coach Alex Subocz emphasized after the game that there’s a lot of games left to play. 

“Four games is like a third of the season, like we’re not even at the halfway point yet. So if anyone’s packing it in now, they’ve got a long time before we get to the finish line,” Subocz said. “Even though the scoreboard wasn’t how we wanted it to turn out – getting beat by 20 never feels good… but each week something looks better, we’re moving in the right direction. As coach that’s really all I can ask for as long as they can continue to keep their heads up.” 

Smith Voc is a very young team this year – the squad is mostly comprised of sophomores – and some of that inexperience showed against Pathfinder. The Vikings took a lot of “aggressive” penalties, according to Subocz, and also threw two pick 6’s, including a dagger interception in the fourth quarter. Though the team had some highlights – a fumble recovery in the second quarter that led to their first touchdown, a dynamic diving catch from Bryan Leton late in the third quarter that set the team up for an 18-yard touchdown pass from Martinez to Majewski, quarterback Martinez breaking tackles left and right, a big block on Pathfinder’s extra point attempt from Kyle Brenes – Pathfinder’s offense was tough to stay with. 

Besides the two pick 6’s, the Pioneers passing game proved difficult for the Vikings to stop. Though Griswold didn’t always connect on his throws, he had the firepower to launch the ball far and accurately when he needed to.

“We tried to man up with them, and I would say it was about 50-50 on being able to break up their pass,” Subocz said. “But when they did have success, they were long plays, those always hurt.”

After a scoreless first quarter, Austin Lagimoniere scored a 41-yard touchdown to open the scoring for Pathfinder. After adding the extra point, Smith Voc struck back to pull within a point (the two-point conversion wasn’t successful), but the Pioneers struck a devastating blow late in the second, scoring two touchdowns just 22 seconds apart with less than a minute and a half left in the half. It was 20-6 at intermission.

After trading touchdowns in the second half, Pathfinder scored another pair of touchdowns on back-to-back possessions, this time a minute and 45 seconds apart. For the most part, the Vikings were able to keep pace with the Pioneers – it just came down to playing against older and more experienced players. 

“We have talent — they’re just young talent right now. So they’re figuring it out, they’re getting their feet wet, but we’re kind of throwing them in the deep end to get their feet wet, which is always a little bit harder,” Subocz said. “We’re seeing that when we can help them, they can execute. As they get more game experience, they’re going to be able to make those adjustments on the fly as a unit. That’s really that next step. I can’t wait to see that from them, and they’re so close, they’re about to break through.” 

Next up is a trip to the Berkshires to play Monument Mountain on Friday night in Great Barrington.