EASTHAMPTON — A balanced rushing attack coupled with a swarming defense led the Easthampton football team to a 36-18 season-opening victory over Ware, Friday night at Mountain View School.
“We expected to come out with the win and we got the job done,” junior quarterback Patrick Larson said.
Larson scored two touchdowns, while Taylan McColgan, Zach Raffa and Martin Charron each added one for the Eagles.
“The line did a great job and it shows how deep we are as a team,” Larson said. “We’re missing a couple guys right now, everyone stepped up tonight.”
The quartet combined for 306 yards rushing. McColgan (94 yards) and Larson (92 yards) fell just shy of the century mark.
“We can run it efficiently when we have it going, and that’s what we did tonight,” senior captain and lineman Travis Carpenter said. “We’ve been trying to keep fresh legs as best as we can, to get as many kids reps as we can. I’m so proud of our boys.”
Dalton Marquis had first-half scoring runs of 40 yards and 55 yards for Ware, but the senior was held in check in the second half.
“Once the defense started to catch their stride, they were able to put a little more pressure on their quarterback, who is an amazing athlete,” Eagles first-year head coach Tom Hogan said. “There were some personnel adjustments in the defensive backfield that I thought were effective.”
The Eagles pulled away early in the third quarter, thanks to long drives and a stout offensive line of Carpenter, Brady Geffin, Owen Kakley, Liam O’Brien and Eli DeJesus.
Ware went three-and-out, and the Eagles answered with a 5-minute drive capped by McColgan’s 6-yard touchdown. The junior scampered wide and dove for the pylon.
Ware’s second drive crashed to a halt when a fumbled snap by quarterback Troy Jurczyk was recovered by Easthampton lineman Raemon Mathurin.
The Eagles took another 4:30 off the clock with a punishing drive, capped by Raffa’s 6-yard touchdown for a 36-12 lead.
Carpenter’s “a tremendous leader,” Hogan said. “The offensive line coach (Brendan Flynn) made some adjustments that I thought were effective. And that’s against a very tough front and linebacking group from Ware.”
Easthampton’s line went to work early.
The Eagles opened the game with a 68-yard scoring drive. Larson’s first touch of the game resulted in a 7-yard TD.
“We got to hit our assignments, we got to keep moving,” Carpenter said. “We can’t be complacent with the blocks we have. We got to keep the line moving.”
Ware and Marquis answered. The back’s two touchdowns went unanswered as the Indians took a 12-8 lead with 7:52 left in the second.
As soon as the Eagles went down, they took the lead. Less than three minutes later, Charron broke through for a 51-yard touchdown run.
Ware’s ensuing drive stalled after five plays and the Eagles responded with a 10-play, 3-plus minute scoring drive.
The Eagles picked up four first downs on the drive, which started at their own 35. Facing second-and-29 following a botched snap, Larson rolled out for a pass but kept it for 20 yards. He followed that run with a spinning jaunt for another 16.
Following a false start, Larson stepped up in the pocket, froze the two linebackers, then tossed a pass to Jackson Parmenter over the middle for 24 yards and a first down. Three plays later Larson scampered in for a 10-yard touchdown and a 22-12 lead.
“The work everyone is putting in is paying off,” Carpenter said.