By Kevin McCaskill Jr.
9/17/21 * 8:29 AM
(AGAWAM) - On Thursday night, the Purple Knights from Holyoke HS travelled south to take on Agawam HS. Both teams were coming off big wins to open their seasons.
These two teams played in the Fall 2 season earlier this year. Agawam won that game.
Both teams returned most of their best players.
The game in the spring was close; yesterday’s late summer game wasn’t close. Agawam dominated the game from their opening possession.
In the first 1st quarter, Agawam Senior RB Jermaine Norfleet scored two of his three total running TDs 💪🏽. On the first TD, Norfleet took the hand-off from Agawam Senior QB Griffen Levesque and sprinted up the middle, past all the Holyoke defenders, to the end-zone. Norfleet’s 2nd TD was in red-zone, near the goal-line. He powered through and scored another TD. Agawam led 14-0.
(2nd TD by Agawam RB Jermaine Norfleet)
Agawam’s defense played a great game. They bottled up Holyoke RB Dylan Lubold on most plays. They also got consistent pressure on Holyoke QB Quinn Cauley. He didn’t have much time in the pocket. When he rolled out, the lanes to run were cut off.
Holyoke did have a shot to turn the game around in the 2nd quarter. Levesque threw an INT, caught by Holyoke’s Dymetri Gonzalez.
Cauley finally connected with WR Jael Cabrera and the Purple Knights scored. They narrowed the score 14-7.
Agawam got the ball and engineered another TD drive capped off by another Norfleet TD. On his 3rd TD, he caught a toss from Levesque, followed his blocks and ran in for another 🏡 📞. Agawam led 21-7.
Before the end of the 1st half, Agawam K/DB/WR Josiah Bass-Collins kicked a FG to increase Agawam’s lead to 24-7.
Agawam tacked on 2 more TDs in the third quarter. Levesque hit Jovaun Smith for a TD after Smith got past the CB defending him. The 2nd TD was scored by Agawam Freshman RB Jaedyn Perez on a running play, out of the shotgun.
Agawam has a very strong running game. Their defense is also very tough. I heard DB Vinny Wallace all night. On the field, he was telling his teammates where to be and what to look out for. When he was on the sidelines, he was cheering for his teammates on offense, “coaching-up” his defensive teammates and keeping himself motivated. Coach John Benjamin told me “Wallace is one of the smartest players” he has been around.
(Agawam DB Vinny Wallace)
Holyoke couldn’t stop the run. They got some modest plays on offense and one big play for a TD but they could never build consistent TD drives.
Agawam trampled the Purple Knights 38-7. According to Masslive/Advance Local, Agawam gained over 300 yards on the ground 😯.
