H.S. football: Northampton finds its run game, shuts out Ludlow, 42-0

NORTHAMPTON — As a former offensive line coach and a lineman himself, Northampton football coach Rocco Fernandez takes a lot of pride in how the Blue Devils perform in the trenches.

In the team’s loss against Wahconah last week, the Blue Devils rushed for less than 100 yards. If Northampton wanted to see any improvement, the offense needed to become less one dimensional and build a run game. In order to do that, the offensive line needed to create some space.

The front line had its best game in two seasons according to Fernandez at home against Ludlow on Friday night. Three different players rushed for a touchdown as the Blue Devils ran for over 200 yards in a 42-0 complete effort win.

“I couldn’t be happier with way these guys played on all three phases of the ball,” Fernandez said. “We had some kids have some breakout performances today.”

Running backs Aidan Jost, a junior, and Byamungu Shukuru, a sophomore ran the ball for 66 and 35 yards, respectively. Each guy also found the end zone in the first half. Shukuru ran 16 yards as time expired in the first quarter to put Northampton up 10-0 after a successful 2-point conversion.

Midway through the second quarter, the Blue Devils managed to block a low punt and gain possession on Ludlow’s 14-yard line. Jost made quick work by pounding the ball up the right side of the fielding, knocking a defender as he lunged into the end zone. With another successful 2-point conversion, the Blue Devils were up 18-0.

Senior Gerald Lopez contributed with 51 yards of his own and a score to open the second half. All three running backs scored their first touchdown of the season on Friday and had season-highs in yards.

“We’ve been really hoping for him to have that breakout game for us,” Fernandez said. “That’s going to help his confidence. And now that’s going to give me a nice little stable of running backs to utilize in the backfield.”

Starting late in the second quarter, the Blue Devils let quarterback Dion Cadiz air the ball out to his wide receiver duo of Brayden Nichols-Staples and Bradyn Rios. One hundred of his 130 pass yards came in the second half.

Sitting at the Ludlow 30-yard line with less than 20 seconds left in the half, Cadiz threw a deep ball to the end zone for Nichols-Staples to grab. Shifting around his defender, the receiver snagged the ball to extend the team’s lead to 26-0 before halftime. He finished with 45 yards on four catches.

“It was a mismatch, for real,” Nichols-Staples said. “I knew I could burn him. I got under him, caught the ball, touchdown. Easy.”

On the team’s next drive, Cadiz threw another long pass up the left side line. This time, the ball feel right into Rios’ hands, then he made his defender miss a tackle for a 45-yard touchdown pass. He ended the night with three catches for 85 yards.

“I got two of the best receivers in the league,” Cadiz said. “They get open every play.”

Having two strong targets running down the field forces defense to “pick their poison” as Fernandez says.

“Who do you want to double cover? Do you want to double cover Rios? Well you’re going to get torched by Staples. You want to cover Staples? You got Rios,” Fernandez said.

While the offense was giving the home crowd plenty to cheer for, it was the defense that set the tone throughout the game.

After a turnover on downs in the red zone, Northampton had Ludlow pinned at the 11-yard line on the second possession of the game. Back-to-back penalties brought the ball back to within the 5-yard line. On the next play, Ludlow quarterback Connor Slyvestre handed the ball off the Ludlow’s running, who got immediately taken down by Aiden Hamler.

The result was a safety to give the Blue Devils their first points of the game.

“Just had to execute, had to tackle him in the zone,” Hamler said. “Just to get that push for me team.

That score was the beginning of a fantastic day for the defense. The unit allowed just three first downs all game and two completions.

“Our secondary shut them down,” Fernandez said. “And them trying to get a run game going against us, we shut down that pretty quickly. Overall I could not be happier with how these guys played.”

Four weeks after a brutal loss to South Hadley to open the season, Northampton showed what they look like when they play to their potential. Now 2-2, the team has already matched its win total from 2025.

Next week the Blue Devils go on the road to play SICS.

Other Area Scores

Belchertown 37, Monument Mtn. 8

Lee 50, Holyoke 6