NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Two games into the 2024 season, the Lee High football team has allowed just two scores.
And on Saturday afternoon at Drury, the Wildcats were pitching a shutout until their starters were on the sidelines watching the Blue Devils get a fourth-quarter touchdown in a 56-8 Lee win.
Those starters allowed just 7 yards of offense and took the ball away three times in a dominating first half that saw Drury generate just two first downs – both on penalties – and Lee take a 49-0 lead into the break.
“That’s where we hang our hat,” Lee coach Tom Salinetti said of his defense. “Putting pressure on guys, not giving up plays, not giving up yards. The first half we did a really incredible job on defense. Right from the jump, we were far more physical today.
“That’s where, at the end of the day, regardless of score, that’s what I want to see out of these guys: We are the more physical team.”
Lee (2-0) was doing plenty of scoring as well.
Lee found the end zone on six of its first nine plays from scrimmage. Its longest “drive” came on its first possession, when it needed four plays to find the end zone.
After Zack Nicotra’s 19-yard punt return three minutes into the game, Devin Schwab carried twice for 27 yards to get the ball to the 24 before Omari Smith hit Scwab deep down the right side for a 6-0 lead.
Luke Gamberoni made the first of his six extra points to give Lee a 7-0 lead.
Lee got the ball back in the red zone on a Nicotra interception, and Gamberoni ran 13 yards on the first snap to make it 14-0 midway through the first quarter.
The Wildcats scored two more times before that quarter ended: a 22-yard pass from Smith to Thomas Lucy and a 51-yard run by Schwab.
Lee’s defense got its second interception and third turnover of the quarter when relentless pressure against Drury starter Jameson Bayliss contributed to Bryce Hoff’s pick and 41-yard return to the 9 on the last play of the period.
“Honestly, the bottom line is we didn’t have the will,” Drury coach Al Marceau said of his team’s offense in the first half. “I don’t know that we’re super talenged up front, becuase we’ve got young guys plugged in there. But one thing that we’ve always prided ourself on at Drury is we alway out hit opponents – even when they beat us and they beat us good, we always out hit people.
“That’s what we’re lacking. We don’t have that. … Like I told them, I can’t teach aggression. You could teach them X’s and O’s. You could teach them all the techniques. But you cannot teach heart, and you cannot teach aggression.”
Jaydee Reber ran the ball in from the 9 on the first play of the second quarter, and Gamberoni’s kick made it 35-0.
Reber then ran 70 yards for a score the next time Lee touched the ball, and he caught a 45-yard pass from Smith for a touchdown to close the first half scoring.
Gamberoni ran back the opening kickoff of the second half 85 yards to give Lee a 56-0 lead.
The clock did not stop after that run, but Drury’s defense did not stop trying to salvage something against the Wildcats’ second unit.
After a 12-yard kick return by Hudah Levy to get the ball to the 35, Drury marched 65 yards in 15 plays on a drive that took the teams into the fourth quarter.
Caelan Briggs had 30 yards on six carries, including a 2-yard run to give Drury its first touchdown of the season. Bayliss found Zayne Kaley in the end zone for the two-point conversion to round out the scoring.
Drury (0-2) will look to get its first win next Friday night when it visits Ware.
Lee will be back on the road on Friday to face Athol, the second of four road games in the first five weeks of the season.
So far, the Wildcats have given Salinetti all he could hope for coming off a 5-5 campaign in 2023.
“We used the ‘maturity’ a lot this week, and we’re definitely mature,” he said. “This is a team of veterans right now. And they’re not content. They’re not going to rest on their laurels. They’re not going to lack discipline because they had a big win over a rival last week.
“We come in this week, and we blow doors off [Drury] early, but they’re still with it. They’re still on each other about fixing problems that we have. I’d say we’re very mature. We have our eyes on the prize right now, and I’m very excited about that.”
