Wahconah Hosts Agawam in Battle of Unbeatens

DALTON, Mass. — Last week, the Wahconah Regional High School football team thought the key to victory was shutting down its opponent's high-powered running attack.

 

For most of its sectional semi-final against South Hadley, Wahconah (9-0) just did that.

 

But it needed a fourth-quarter rally to overcome the Tigers' passing game.

 

This week, the opponent is Agawam, and the challenge is the same but different: another potent running game, this one predicated on power instead of motion.

 

And heading into Friday's Western Massachusetts Division 4 championship game, Wahconah coach Gary Campbell said the surprising performance of South Hadley does nothing to undercut the importance of scouting.

 

"Every animal is a different animal every week you play," Campbell said this week. "This opponent doesn't have the shifts and motions and various things South Hadley has. But they have a big line, good athletes.

 

"You still have to prepare for each team's best."

 

And the Brownies (9-0) might have the best -- and certainly the biggest -- offensive line Wahconah has seen this fall.

 

The right side of Agawam's line features 6-foot-6, 285-pound guard Chris Walles and 6-5, 275 tackle Jeremy Davis, Campbell said.

 

All the Agawam linemen weigh more than 230 pounds, he said, and all that beef paves the way for senior running back Steve Comee, who has run for more than 1,000 yards this season.

 

Last week against Northampton, Comee gained just 79 yards on the ground, but in a parallel to the other semi-final, Mike Vecchiarelli threw for 185 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead the Brownies to a come-from-behind win over the third-seeded Blue Devils.

 

When Agawam rallied from a 17-2 third-quarter deficit for a 29-23 win, it denied Wahconah and its fans a post-season rematch with Route 9 rival Northampton, but even though this week's opponent is less familiar, Campbell said he has no shortage of information on the Brownies.

 

"We have quite a few films, and according to MIAA rules, we have their last two films," Campbell said. "We have their South Hadley game. We both played Chicopee Comp.

 

"They're tough. They've beaten the Longmeadows of the world. They've beaten some really good teams."