by Kevin McCaskill Jr.
11/13/22 * 3:04 PM
(WEST BOYLSTON, MA) - Last Friday, the #8 seed Warriors from Wahconah Regional HS (Dalton, MA) made the journey east to West Boylston, MA to face the #1 seed Lions of West Boylston HS in the MIAA Division 7 Quarterfinal Round.
I was under the impression that game started at 7 PM; I was wrong. The game time was moved up to 6 PM “to avoid the rain”*. The game was at the start of the 2nd quarter. Wahconah’s Owen Salvatore was injured and there was a lengthy pause until he was able to be moved from the playing area.
West Boylston was ahead 8-0. Wahconah was at the goalline facing a 4th down play. The Lions stopped the Warriors and gained the possession.
(Wahconah stopped on 4th down)
On the next play, West Boylston RB Connor Muldoon caught the toss from QB Luke Foley and took the ball 95 yards for a TD. The Lions led 14-0.
Wahconah went three and out on their next possession.
West Boylston scored two more TDs in the 2nd quarter: RB Bobby Humphrey scored a 3 yard TD; QB Luke Foley scored a 3 yard TD. Both 2-point conversions after the TDs were successful.
(Bobby Humphrey run TD)
(Luke Foley run TD)
The Lions led at halftime 30-0.
The Warriors came out of halftime with a purpose. They still had two quarters to make a comeback. Wahconah RB Noah Poirer gave the Warriors a chance with a 70 yard TD run down the left side of the field. The 2-pt conversion was no good. Wahconah was down 30-6.
(Noah Poirer run TD)
Humphrey scored one more insurance TD in the 4th quarter, on a 10 yard run in the redzone. The 2-pt conversion was no good. The Lions were up 36-6.
The Warriors season ended in West Boylston 36-6.
After the game, Wahconah HC Gary Campbell said he told his Seniors, “I love you”. He went on to say,
“Football, you know, we think win and lose and…we want to win. There’s no doubt we worked our ass off to win. At the end of the day, its about [the] relationship with the kids…and teaching the game of life through football”
I spoke with West Boylston HC Mike Ross briefly. He has been the HC of West Boylston for 8 years. The Lions are a run-heavy offense so the rain didn’t change their plans to “grind it out”. He said Bobby Humphrey had “his best game of the year”against Wahconah. “He is a power runner and in this rain you need the power run”.
West Boylston moves on to play the the #4 seed Amesbury, at a time and place TBD.
*The rain wasn’t avoided.