AMHERST — A late second-half surge from Chicopee Comp came up just one yard short, as host Amherst was able to defend its home turf and pick up its first win of a shortened Fall II season, 24-20, on Friday night at Community Field.
For a young team that will return lots of talent next season, Amherst head coach Chris Ehorn said he cannot help but look ahead to next fall.
“It’s always nice to finish with a win and get the guys excited,” Ehorn offered. “The training for the fall starts right after this season with weight lifting, captain’s practices, and all that stuff. We have to take full advantage of that if we want to bounce off of this win into next season. It’s definitely going to take a lot of work.”
After being down by as many as 18 points Friday, the Colts stormed all the way back in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to 24-20. With a first-and-goal opportunity at the Amherst 1-yard line and under a minute left in the contest, disaster struck for the visitors. Senior starting quarterback Brennan Fields saw the snap fly well over his head. Trying to jump on the loose ball to retain possession, Fields was cut off by a swarm of Hurricane defenders who beat him to it, ultimately crushing the comeback bid for the Colts.
To start the sunny and windy Friday evening contest, Chicopee Comp received the opening kickoff and marched down the field. Using a heavy dose of his legs, Fields found classmate Jacob Leyda on a tunnel screen on the edge, where Leyda picked up blocks and maneuvered his way into the end zone from five yards out. The opening drive totaled nine plays, 58 yards in 4:50 seconds to jolt the Colts in front 6-0 early.
Success would come to a screeching halt over the next two quarters for Chicopee Comp. Amherst (1-4) responded with a touchdown on the ensuing drive, when junior quarterback Nate Mills called his own number from the one yard line, punching it in to temporarily tie the game. Mills’ short walk-in touchdown was set up by a physical tackle-breaking run on the previous play, when freshman phenom Jameson Dion dragged defenders on his way to a 20 yard gain giving the Hurricanes a first-and-goal at the 1. Cue Mills, who would also add the two-point conversion to give Amherst an 8-6 advantage.
Comp was unable to move the ball the rest of the first half, totaling a measly four yards on top of coughing up a fumble in the second quarter. Mills and company took advantage of the opportunities the defense was granting them.
Dion added a three-yard touchdown scamper early in the second quarter, taking the snap out of the wildcat formation and running right until he found enough space to squeeze past the goal line.
The very next offensive play for the Colts was the aforementioned fumble, which the Hurricanes would cash in on. The long, deflating touchdown drive accumulated 10 plays and 62 yards, lasting almost seven minutes, and was capped off by yet another powerful Mills keeper. Three unanswered Hurricanes scores responding to the opening Comp touchdown resulted in a halftime lead of 24-6.
The comeback bid began in the fourth quarter, when senior starting tailback Nathan Conde scored from five yards out, bringing the Colts within 24-14.
With the game approaching the five-minute mark, Mills committed a costly mistake. He felt the rush from the Colts defensive line, tried to throw the ball away at the last second, and found the hands of Giovanni Barbosa, Comp’s junior linebacker, who dashed the other way for the pick-six to pull the Colts to within 24-20.
After a quick three-and-out for the Hurricanes, the Colts set up for their final drive of the game, where the miscue at the goal line took place.
Mills led the way offensively for Amherst, tallying 151 total yards and two scores, and his backfield partner Dion finished the contest with 96 total yards and a touchdown.
Fields put up dazzling numbers for the Colts, adding 185 yards and a touchdown through the air. Conde was a force all game long as well, coming up with 116 scrimmage yards and a touchdown run. Junior Kaleb Kemp added 50 receiving yards in the loss.
