Thanksgiving football is a time to forget about everything else that has happened during the season and focus on winning one game.
That’s good news for Frontier Regional School and Mohawk Trail Regional High School, who have both had their shares of highs and lows over the past three months. Those two teams will be looking to end the season on a high note tonight when they meet at Pollard Field in Buckland at 7 for their annual Thanksgiving Eve showdown. The meeting is the 83rd all-time in the rivalry, and Frontier holds a 44-32-6 edge.
Frontier has had more highs than lows this fall. The Red Hawks seemed nearly unstoppable during the first month of the season, racing out to a high-scoring 4-0 start to the year, but a narrow loss to Athol High School in early October showed that the high-flying Red Hawks were not invincible. They followed that up with their fifth win of the season, but in their regular-season finale against Turners Falls High School, the Red Hawks lost two significant players to injury and neither has played since. Frontier went on to lose to Turners Falls, but still made the WMass Division IV playoff field as the fourth seed.
Without two of their three-headed monster in the backfield (and a pair of major contributors on defense), Frontier put up little resistance against Wahconah Regional High School in the WMass semifinals, losing 54-8. The Hawks followed that up with a 42-6 loss to Hoosac Valley Regional High School in its assigned game just over a week ago and enters tonight’s contest on a three-game skid. Frontier coach Don Gordon said that not having the injured players was a significant contributor to the team’s lack of late success, but he also wants his kids to get back to doing the fundamental things better.
“The last two games, we didn’t do our fundamentals well at all, things like blocking and tackling,” he said. “We’ve been blocking and tackling every day this week. In fact, the kids like it. I stop the drill and they want to keep going. We picked up the contact a little bit and we will see if it pays off (tonight).”
Mohawk coach Doug McCloud would also like to see his team do the fundamental things better in their season finale. The Warriors opened the season 2-0 and were 3-2 after five games, but they’ve sputtered since then, losing five straight games entering tonight with a 3-7 record.
McCloud said that during the five-game losing streak, his team has had some positive things to build off of, specifically the fact that of the five losses, three were games in which his team kept the score close.
“We were right there to beat Belchertown, we were right there to beat Drury and we played Pioneer tough,” McCloud said. “We just need to find a way to get it done at the end of games.”
McCloud is hopeful that his team will be in the position to possibly win tonight’s game because the Red Hawks come in as decided favorites, especially if some of the injured players are able to return. The three players in question, fullback/linebacker Seth Gewanter, running back/linebacker Steven Worthley, and quarterback Myles Freeman, are all listed as questionable, according to Gordon, who was keeping his cards close to the vest going into the game.
One of those players, fullback and linebacker Seth Gewanter, will be playing his final game for Frontier should he suit up; he is a difference maker, especially on defense.
“Not having Seth in there on defense the last two weeks really showed,” Gordon said.
Seth is not the only Gewanter playing in his final game with the team. Brother Kane is also putting on the Red Hawks jersey for the final time. Like his brother, Kane is a four-year starter for the varsity team, and he has spent his four years on both the offensive and defensive line.
“Seth and Kane Gewanter have meant so much to the program for the past four years,” Gordon said. “They are going to be missed next year.”
Another player who may suit up if healthy is Worthley, who joins Gewanter and Aaron Landry as the three-pronged attack in the Frontier backfield. Landry is the leader with 1,220 yards this season, marking the first time in his career he has rushed for 1,000 yards. He also leads the team in touchdowns with 13. Gewanter does most of his work between the tackles, where the fullback has piled up 385 yards and eight touchdowns. He is also looking to rush for over 100 yards for the second straight Thanksgiving eve, after he led Frontier with 110 yards and three touchdowns during last year’s 46-6 rout. Landry rushed for 73 yards last season, and Worthley, who has 452 yards and three scores on the season, added 54 yards against Mohawk last year.
“I’ve been saying it all year, but we are going to take what the other team gives us,” Gordon said about his backfield. “We have the depth that when you go into a game, you don’t know who the star is going to be. They can all pound it and they can all break away.”
McCloud agreed that stopping three backs can be a tall order, but he is quick to point out that his team runs a very similar-looking offense, and the Warriors have a star running back of their own in senior Jonny Herbert. The key, according to McCloud, will be to not fall too far behind because catching up will not be easy.
“The problem is that if you get behind to a team like that, it’s very difficult to catch up,” he said. “We run the same offense. They are just a little tighter running it than we are. Don has them doing a great job.”
If you haven’t seen Herbert play and are planning on going to the game, you are in for a treat. Herbert is small — he is listed at 5-foot-4, 140 pounds, but he is fast, and he may be one of the best backs in the area at hitting the hole quickly. Herbert has been the main offensive weapon for Mohawk this season and the durable senior has 1,129 yards and 11 touchowns.
Complimenting Herbert in the backfield as the season has progressed is Jordan Grenier, a sophomore seeing his first varsity action this fall. Grenier has quietly picked up 431 yards, all of that coming in the final six weeks of the season. Fullback Mason Biagini will also see some carries and has 196 yards this season.
As for the play of the quarterbacks, Frontier’s Freeman has a decided edge if he plays. Freeman is not asked to throw the ball very often because of the potent rushing attack, but when he does, he has a very nice delivery, completing 24 of 50 passes for 469 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. He spreads the ball around in the passing game, but his favorite target has been Cole Price, who has a team-high six catches and 157 yards receiving this season.
Landry (four catches, 94 yards), Joe Morawski (four catches, 40 yards) and Seth Gewanter (three catches, 97 yards) are other targets. Kiernan Freeman, who has four catches for 62 yards, is out with an injury.
Mohawk’s quarterback, junior Kameron Hoff, has been more of a game-manager. He has thrown the ball 39 times on the year and completed only 12 passes for 139 yards. He has one touchdown and seven interceptions, but McCloud said his guy has done a nice job managing the offense.
“What I give him credit for is that he has been in control,” McCloud said. “He doesn’t make huge mistakes. This is his first year being a quarterback and I think he has done a good job.”
Caleb Fitzgerald leads Mohawk with four catches for 92 yards.
For Mohawk to have a chance to beat Frontier, it will have to get a special performance out of its defensive line, which is anchored in the middle by Bruin Pratt and Brady McCloud.
“Frontier is a really tough team,” McCloud concluded. “We know that we need to do everything right to beat them, but my kids are ready to play.”
The recent series has been close, with both teams winning three of the past six meetings. Frontier won last year’s game 46-6 and Gordon said it’s the team’s goal to send the seniors out in style.
“Our goal is for everyone to play the best game of the year, and for the seniors to play the best game of their careers,” he said.