HOLYOKE — A last-second fourth-and-goal on the 6-yard line featured desperation mode for the Chicopee Comp football team. The Colts trailed Holyoke by five points, and a touchdown on the final play of the game would secure a road victory.
With both teams fighting tooth-and-nail for their first win of the season, it all came down to who wanted it more Friday night at the Roberts Field Complex.
Comp tried to run the ball straight up the gut, but was immediately met by a brick wall of Holyoke defenders, who held strong to preserve the win.
The Purple Knights were able to secure their first win of the season via an 18-13 final that saw them improve their record to 1-4.
“It’s a confidence builder for sure,” Holyoke head coach David Guzman said. “We got a really young team, so we can see that improvement and that we’re getting better every day. These kids give me everything they’ve got, regardless of who’s out there.”
Proving their coach right, Holyoke played intensely from the opening kickoff as the team’s defense shut down Comp’s first drive in just four quick snaps.
Holyoke struck quickly, and within three minutes Jayderson Lugo rushed into the endzone from 9 yards out to give the hosts a 6-0 lead with 6 minutes, 39 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
Soaking up the next four minutes, Comp looked to make its way up the field in hopes to get on the board, but fumbled the ball away to set up another Purple Knights possession.
Bleeding 58 seconds into the second quarter, Holyoke scored its second touchdown as quarterback Martin Phillips fired a 15-yard pass to his wide receiver, Jayden Cauley Guzman, giving the hosts a 12-0 lead with 11:52 remaining before halftime.
The two-score cushion early showed that Holyoke came to play.
“We had to start strong,” said Phillips. “We haven’t won a game this year and with this being our last home game until Thanksgiving, we knew we had to come out here and get one.”
Comp (0-5) rallied with a late score before halftime, cutting the deficit to 12-6 at intermission.
Holyoke answered without hesitation, as Phillips fired a pass from midfield to Lugo, and he ran the rest of the way to the house for a 50-yard touchdown just 17 seconds into the third quarter to extend the lead to 18-6.
Although Comp was able to sneak one more touchdown to make it 18-13 late in the third quarter, Holyoke’s defense proved to be too strong as the purple and white held strong on the goal line for the last-second victory.
“Our interior defense played fantastic,” said Guzman. “We’ve given up a lot of big runs throughout the year, but today, we made the effort to close those down.”
Holyoke now looks to keep up the intensity as it faces Minnechaug (2-2) on the road Friday at 7 p.m.