ORANGE — The Franklin County Technical School football team won its second straight game Friday night, handily beating Intercounty League North rival Mahar Regional School, 35-14, at the Woodward Complex.
Eagles head coach Joe Gamache was pleased with the win, and very happy to see his team return some veteran players to the on-field mix.
“I’m really happy with the way the boys played tonight,” said Gamache. “The line on both sides of the ball were winning the battles up front for most of the night, and it was great to have some of our key guys back.”
No one was a more welcome sight for the Eagles than senior running back Dylan Mailloux, who had missed several games with injury. Mailloux rushed for 159 yards on 15 carries including two touchdowns, leading the way for Tech.
The Eagles started the game on defense, and after the Senators earned two quick first downs, the Eagles clamped down, taking the ball back on downs at their own 45 yard-line. After a three-yard gain by Mailloux set up a second-and-7 at the 48, quarterback Seth Aldrich handed the ball to Spencer Telega, who broke through the middle of the line and rambled 52 yards for the score. Bailey young tacked on the extra-point kick, and with just five minutes gone in the first quarter, it was 7-0 Tech.
After another defensive stand, the Eagles again took the ball back at their own 45. Five plays later, Mailloux took the ball 19 yards down the left sideline for 6. Mailloux had 43 of the 55 yards on the drive. After another Young kick it was 14-0, and the Eagles were rolling as the first quarter came to a close.
The second quarter started no better for Mahar, which again turned the ball over on downs on the ensuing possession. Once again Tech would strike quickly. Mailloux rumbled 38 yards on the first carry of the drive, setting up a first-and-10 at the Mahar 31 yard-line. On the next play, senior running back Tyler Sakowicz took the ball right up the middle for 31 yards and the score and a 21-0 advantage. The Eagles would add another touchdown on a Mailloux 12-yard score for a 28-0 lead with just 1:22 left in the half, before Mahar struck back in the final minute.
Senators quarterback Sam Paul found receiver Jake Lacasse on two straight throws, the second of which went for 75 yards and a Mahar touchdown. Lacasse then kicked the extra point, and the Tech lead was 28-7 at the half.
Following a back and forth scoreless third quarter, Tech ate up a lot of time in the final frame as it drove from its own 28 to the Mahar six before being stopped on a fourth-and-1, handing the ball to the Senators.
After a 25-yard pass from Paul to receiver Hugo Frost improved field position for Mahar, Paul would again go to the air, but this time the ball was picked off by Young and returned to the Mahar 25. From there, Dalton Wesoloski would take a sweep left 23 yards to the two, setting up a two-yard keeper for Aldrich, and it was 35-7 with four and a half minutes remaining in the contest.
Paul would hook up one more time with Lacasse for a 20-yard score with 1:38 left and again Lacasse would add the point after, but it was too little to late as Tech ran out the clock for the 35-14 victory.
Both teams will play assigned games over the next two weeks. They’ll learn their respective first opponents on Sunday.