The boys of fall get underway tonight.
Two Franklin County teams officially kick off their football seasons, as an abbreviated Week 1 schedule features Lee at Greenfield along with Frontier at Belchertown.
Let’s start in the Emerald City, where Greenfield hosts Berkshire County foe Lee in a 7 p.m. contest at Vets Field. It’s a game that wasn’t on the original schedule, but when Turners Falls made the decision to suspend its program this fall, both Lee and Greenfield were left with a hole in their respective slates. The Green Wave are taking Turners’ spot in Week 1, and they’ll now get a bye in Week 4.
“Two weeks ago we didn’t have a game on September 6 and now we do against a pretty good football team,” Greenfield head coach Mike Kuchieski began. “Lee is probably one of the best teams in Division 8. We needed a game, they needed a game…. it’s good competition and great people up there so it was a no-brainer to pick them up. We want to try and play the best to be the best.”
The visiting Wildcats went 8-2 a year ago, opening the season with six straight wins. That included a 21-7 victory against Turners Falls in the 2018 opener. Lee reached the Division 8 playoffs, beating Ware in the semifinals before falling in the title game to Hoosac Valley, 16-14.
“They’ve got some athletes,” said Kuchieski of Lee. “And any time you play someone from the Berkshires, you’ve got to be ready to strap them up.”
There are some new faces for the Wildcats. Three-year starting quarterback Homer Winston graduated, and Lee now turns to junior Jimmy Purcell under center for head coach Keith Thomson. Jimmy’s brother, senior Jack Purcell, will be the team’s starting running back. Expect versatile Nick Nicotra to get his share of touches as well, either in the backfield or on the outside at receiver.
“We’re going to find out real quick what we’re all about,” said Kuchieski. “It’s kind of a ‘Throw them right in the fire’ kind of thing for us.”
Greenfield’s offense will look significantly different. The Wave, which went 7-4 a year ago, graduated two-year starting quarterback Owen Phelps, as well as three-year tailback RJ Byrd. Add in the loss of Franklin County’s top receiver in Danny Vega, and you’re certainly going to see some new faces at the skill positions tonight.
“You’re coaching them up and seeing how people are buying in,” said Kuchieski of the preseason grind. “We’ll see how these new kids react and go from there. It’s going to be a feel thing, hopefully they respond against a good team and we can build from there.”
Junior Jake Sak will make his debut as Greenfield’s starting quarterback. Kuchieski isn’t asking his new signal caller to overextend himself right out of the gate.
“We just want him to take care of the ball, be an athlete,” the coach said.
Senior Jared Hart and sophomore Bobby Provost should see the bulk of the carries, replacing Byrd — a 2,000-yard rusher last year. Players like Mason Meadows, Ryan Pulizari and Carlos Cardenales are others to watch on the outside.
While Greenfield is light on experience at the skill positions, that’s certainly not the case on the interior. The offensive line should be a source of strength this fall, easing the transition for the team’s new starters. Seniors Colby Avery, Kenny Adams and Cam Lackey are joined by juniors Brody Baird and Dylan Carlo as experienced linemen.
“You hope those guys are ready to go because you win football games with the offensive and defensive lines,” Kuchieski said. “Those guys start everything for us.”
Greenfield and Lee last met in 2015, when the Wildcats came to Vets Field and captured a 12-6 victory.
The other game on the local slate today won’t be under the lights. Frontier’s independent road trip to play at Belchertown is set for a 4 p.m. kickoff after the EEE risk level necessitated the move to an afternoon start.
The last time the two teams met the Red Hawks beat the Orioles 54-0 in 2015. Coach Don Gordon and Frontier Regional spent Thursday looking at film of Belchertown before a short practice session in South Deerfield.
“They run a similar formation as us,” Gordon said. “They do a little more spread stuff than we do. They have a good coach. Their kids will be prepared. They are Division 5, so if we can beat them it will be good for us for our playoff hopes.”
Garrett DeForest moves to quarterback for the Red Hawks after a very productive season at running back last season.
DeForest rushed for 1,368 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2018.
If DeForest isn’t tucking and running, the plan is simple through the air.
“When we do pass, I would like them to be complete,” Gordon said. “We don’t pass that often so when he does, he’s got to make good on it. But he can do a lot of things.”
Another added dimension to the Frontier offense in the threat of DeForest running opening up lanes for running backs Rearkeous McMillan, Josh Semaski and Alec Kirkendall.
“We just run and run and if we feel like we want to pass, we do,” Gordon said. “We don’t want those third-and-longs. Where everybody and the cheerleading coach knows you are going to pass.”
Both Belchertown and Frontier run the double-wing.
The Orioles went 7-4 last season and just missed the playoffs. Belchertown, coached by Ed Wyzik, is hungry to make the playoffs this season with a strong senior class.
Cameron Otto is a first-year quarterback with Belchertown. Otto is a big player at 6 feet, 3 inches and can throw accurately as well as gain yards on the ground.
Cal Daskam picked up over 800 yards last season as Belchertown’s featured running back.
Belchertown has two reliable receivers in Hunter Klingensmith and Jordan Lanue.
Daskam doubles as a starting cornerback for the Orioles. The second-leading tackler from last season, Ben Gatesman, returns at linebacker for Belchertown’s defense.
