By Kevin McCaskill Jr.
9/11/21 * 1:58 PM
(EAST LONGMEADOW) - The East
Longmeadow Spartans opened the 2021 Regular Season with a home game against Taconic HS (Pittsfield, MA).
In the Fall 2 season (played earlier this spring), the Spartans played two quarterbacks: Conner Robidoux and Shane Becker. EL HC Mike Morrissino gave them both the opportunity to get game repetitions which would help decide who would start in the fall.
The Fall 2 season, traveling football camps and summer practices have all concluded.
Sophomore Shane Becker won the starting QB spot.
The Spartans other “primetime” player is Johnny Ferrentino. He picked up where he left off in the spring as one of the best two-way players in Western Mass.
The game was only close at 0-0 and 7-0. East Longmeadow dominated the game from the 1st to 4th quarter. EL stuffed Taconic’s run offense. EL also got pressure on Taconic when the Braves were trying to pass.
The first TD was scored by Conner Robidoux. He got the ball on a jet sweep going left, got to the outside and dove in for the TD.
Johnny Ferrentino was all over the field, as usual. He caught an interception in the 1st quarter. In the 2nd quarter, he connected with Becker and caught a pass for a TD. If you go to any EL game, you will hear the announcer say Ferrentino’s name a lot.
EL RB Preston Longo ran for a TD in the 2nd quarter.
In the 1st half, Taconic couldn’t move the ball. All their drives stalled until the last drive before halftime. The Braves got all the way to the goal-line. The clock was winding down and they had no more timeouts. There was a bad exchange between the Center and QB, the ball was loose and EL recovered it.
EL was up 21-0 at halftime.
EL controlled the second half. They scored 3 TDs in the third. Becker ran for one TD and threw 2 TDs.
Becker’s rushing TD came on a run straight up the middle after faking the handoff to the RB.
Becker connected with Ferrentino again to put EL up 35-0. Matt Griffin caught a Becker’s last TD that gave EL a 42-0 lead.
On Taconic’s last drive, they finally scored. QB Matt McIntosh threw a bomb to WR Sean Harrigan. Harrigan caught the ball, broke a tackle and sprinted to the end-zone.
Taconic went for 2 but they didn’t convert the attempt.
The last few minutes of the game ran out.
EL won their season opener at home 42-6.
Scoring
EL:
Shane Becker - 3 pass TDs; 1 run TD
Preston Longo - 1 run TD
Conner Robidoux - 1 run TD
Johnny Ferrentino - 2 rec TDs
Matt Griffin - 1 rec TD
Taconic:
Matt McIntosh - 1 pass TD
Sean Harrigan - 1 rec TD
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After the game I talked to Johnny Ferrentino.
How did you feel coming in to your season opener?
“We felt very confident. The coaches prepared us the best they could. We knew we were gonna come out here and execute; that’s what we did. After tonight, we are gonna forget about it and keep moving on to South Hadley”.
What does it feel like to hear your name after you’ve made a great play?
“It’s the best feeling in the world, nothing better”.
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🏈
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