PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Wahconah Regional High School football team beat Pittsfield High, 32-12, in the season opener for both teams on Friday at Berkshire Community College.
"Today, we missed so many assignments; we did so many things," Wahconah coach Gary Campbell Jr said. "But if you look, the silver lining is we scored 29 in a half, and then we hung on."
The game started slowly, with neither team scoring in the first 10 minutes of play. The Generals were held scoreless in the first quarter, with the Wahconah defense forcing three interceptions in the first 12 minutes.
Wahconah finally cashed in the third interception with just two minutes left in the period, but it missed the two-point conversion to keep the score at 6-0 to end the quarter.
Campbell called the team's play in the game sloppy, but said it was the kind of game he wanted to start the season. He said the rivalry between the two teams kept the players on edge.
"Pittsfield is good," Campbell said. "They got some good kids, and they got some good size, and they're a good team.
"And then you add to that we know each other so well. Football, basketball, baseball, lacrossee."
Wahconah wide receiver Owen Salvatore quickly scored his team's second touchdown just minutes into the second quarter. Just minutes later, Wahconah got a safety.
Pittsfield scored its first touchdown of the game with just less than five minutes left in the quarter, but two more touchdowns from Wahconah put the score at 29-6 going to half-time.
Both teams were scoreless in the third quarter, with numerous flags thown as both teams drove up and down the field. Pittsfield was able to score its second touchdown early in the fourth, but were scoreless the remainder of the game.
While Wahconah did not score a touchdown in the fourth, a field goal with 5:41 left in game put the final score to 32-12.
Campbell said the team's defense was the difference maker and helped the team keep the lead.
"No doubt that helped our offense with that short field and stuff," he said. "And it also kept us in the ball game because, if they score a couple there, now it's a whole different world. So the turnovers are huge, we probably had four or five, and that helps for us."
Wahconah (1-0) goes to Lee on Friday. Pittsfield (0-1) will look for its first win on Friday when it goes to Amherst-Pelham.
