TURNERS FALLS — After a pair of frustrating losses to open its season, Franklin County Technical School got well in a number of areas Friday night, scoring on both of its first two possessions to set the tone and pitching a 34-0 shutout of visiting Monument Mountain Regional High School.
The Eagles (1-2, 1-0 IL North) got 154 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Ryan Bergmann, two passing touchdowns by Owen Bashaw, and a rushing and receiving score by Hunter Wozniak. Meanwhile, the Tech defense squashed the Spartans, who managed only one first down.
Monument (2-2, 1-2 IL North) held the ball for eight possessions, ending in five three-and-out series, two losses on downs and a lost fumble on a backward pass. The Spartans managed 65 total yards, 56 of them on the ground from Nick Henderson, who snapped off a 53-yard gain in the first quarter that gave the visitors their best scoring chance.
“In Week 1 and Week 2, we had a lot of turnovers and a lot of costly penalties. We didn’t fully clean that up tonight, but defensively we continued to play well,” said Eagles coach Joe Gamache. “On the offensive side, we finally started putting some things together and got a little more consistency. We’re into our league schedule and all these games really matter now, and we’ve just gotta continue to improve.”
Tech used numerous chunk plays to move the sticks quickly on its first two drives, going 57 and 58 yards, respectively, on six plays. Wozniak got the hosts started with a 13-yard TD run on a jet sweep just 2:19 into the action. After a Monument punt, the Eagles were back in the end zone only 2:07 later, this time on Bergmann’s five-yard scoring scamper, good for a 12-0 Tech lead.
Henderson’s 53-yard burst then gave the Spartans a first down at the Tech 13, but the Eagles fended them off from there, forcing a turnover on downs at the 7.
Monument took over in plus territory once again when Tyler Kibbe covered a Tech fumble at the Eagles 29, but quarterback Hunter DeGrenier was stopped a yard short on fourth-and-5, allowing Tech to take over again.
The Eagles extended their lead shortly before the half when Noah Fuess jumped on a backward pass that was initially ruled incomplete, before the officials gave the ball to Tech at the Monument 8. Two plays later, Bergmann was back in the end zone from a yard out, followed by Bashaw’s two-point conversion pass to Wozniak, to make it 20-0 with 1:44 on the clock.
On its first possession of the third quarter, Tech took advantage of a short punt to begin at the Monument 31. Bashaw (7-of-12 passing, 131 yards) hit “birthday boy” Colby Mailloux for 25 yards on first down, then connected with Mailloux again on a four-yard TD swing pass that built the lead to 26-0 with 6:14 to go in the third.
Tech wrapped up the scoring inside the final minute of the quarter, getting a 38-yard completion from Bashaw to Wozniak on a wheel route down the right sideline, followed by a two-point pass to Mailloux for the game-set-match 34-0 lead.
“We had an opportunity to punch one in, we weren’t able to, and then things kind of turned on us,” said Monument coach Dennis Martin. “We’re a young team, but we’re getting there. I’m pleased with the effort and excited about the young kids we have. We’re gonna take our lumps from time to time, but I think we can compete in this division.”
Bailey Young added 71 yards on the ground for Tech, part of the Eagles’ 228-yard rushing attack on the night.
The Spartans next get a bye week to lick their wounds before returning to Franklin County on Oct. 11 to face Mahar Regional School, while Tech is back in action Friday night at Easthampton High School.