By Kevin McCaskill Jr.
Friday, March 19th, 2021 was a night of firsts.
The game was Amherst and East Longmeadow’s first game of the season.
Friday was Mike Morrisino’s first game as East Longmeadow HC; Friday was also FP SPORTS first time covering a football game.
Friday night was brisk and slightly windy. It was about 40 degrees at kickoff.
The HC for Amherst opened the game with an odd kickoff. It wasn’t an onside-kick but it also wasn’t a full kickoff. It seemed like the kicker was intentionally kicking to a spot, maybe for one his players to run under it...I don’t know. Amherst tried the same kick after they scored their only touchdown on a running TD on the goal-line.
In the second, possibly third, quarter, Amherst starting QB Freshman Jameson Dion injured his leg, possibly his knee. He didn’t re-enter the game. The backup QB for Amherst is Junior Nathaniel Mills. He is a running QB. I imagine the original game-plan, with Dion, went out the window once he was injured.
The passing attack for the Spartans of East Longmeadow is running smoothly already. They scored 3 TDs on Friday. The first TD was on the first drive of the game. Sophmore QB Conner Robidoux threw a great pass and Johnny Ferrentino caught the ball, secured it and scored the first TD of the season for the Spartans 🗡. The next 2 TDs were thrown by Freshman QB Shane Becker. The first Becker TD was to Senior WR Jakob Rabidoux. The 2nd was to Freshman WR Preston Longo.
Coach Morrisino says that he will play both QBs all season.
On the defensive side, for both teams, these players stood out to me:
Amherst: Landen Worgess, Zayd Sadiq and Isa Mahal Castro-McCauley
East Longmeadow: Johnny Ferrentino
East Longmeadow controlled this game from the start. They scored a touchdown early. They only gave up one touchdown. Their defensive line, as a unit, played well. They stopped the run at the line of scrimmage, for the most part. After Dion went down for Amherst, Amherst became a running team only. They weren’t having great success in the passing game when Dion was out there but with Mills in the game EL knew the run was coming.
Great win for the young men and coaching staff for East Longmeadow HS.
🗡
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