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MONTAGUE — Five different players scored for the Franklin Tech football team in a 45-0 win over Smith Vocational on Thursday.
For the Eagles, everybody got to eat on Thanksgiving.
Franklin Tech (8-3) enacted some revenge on the Vikings (4-7), who beat them last year on Turkey Day. Using a trick formation, the Eagles began the game with a touchdown on their first game from scrimmage.
With the entire offensive line except the center across the field, Franklin Tech quarterback Mason Bassett threw a quick screen to Hunter Donahue. Using his offensive lineman to find a seam, Donahue scored on a 65-yard touchdown down the sideline.
“It’s Thanksgiving,” Franklin Tech coach Joe Gamache said. “You got to let loose a little bit.”
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The ‘swinging gate’ formation worked to perfection.
“You can line up in it,” Gamache said. “You can shift back to a regular formation if they adjust. If they don’t adjust you sit in it and do exactly what we did.”
The seventh iteration of the rivalry was never close. The Eagles led 38-0 at halftime.
“Top to bottom, this is the most talented team I’ve coached here during my tenure,” Gamache said. “Defensively, we have some guys that like to fly to the football and they did that today.”
Maxon Brunette closed out a spectacular senior season for the Eagles. Brunette scored on a 52-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter.
“I never played football before high school,” Brunette said. “But I always watched it. It was really awesome for the coaches to trust me.”
Brunette sat behind Josiah Little for most of his high school career before bursting onto the scene as a senior.
“Playing my last game is tough,” Brunette said. “I don’t think it’s hit me yet. Knowing that tomorrow I won’t have practice. Just have to live in the memories.”
Senior defensive tackle Dillon Laffond was an absolute menace for Franklin Tech. Laffond picked up a sack and ran in two conversions for the Eagles. Laffond did not need any extra motivation for his effort.
“Just knowing this is the last time we put on these jerseys as a team,” Laffond said. “It wasn’t just me, everyone around me created plays for me to make. But just come out and play your best and let the game do the talking.”
Lost in a sea of big plays was a third quarter touchdown by Franklin Tech’s Jared Currier. The senior broke his collarbone in the preseason and missed the entire season. He was cleared to play this week for one final game with Franklin Tech.
“We say family,” Currier said. ” Me coming back and them all supporting me really cemented that. We mean that. We don’t just mean that we are playing together, we are actually part of a family. I’ve never started a game or never gotten a touchdown. That was my one goal was to get a touchdown. They helped me do that. They all supported me and I am grateful for that.”
Currier was around the team all season despite the injury.
“Jared has done everything the right way,” Gamache said.
Smith Voc had trouble moving the ball throughout. Jet Sabourin rushed for 59 yards on nine carries. Lineman Yadiel Poppie rumbled his way down the field for a 34-yard carry in the second quarter. The Vikings’ roster consists of mostly underclassmen.
“Obviously the outcome is not what we wanted,” Smith Voc coach Alex Subocz said. “So many of the guys that were contributors this year are coming back. This group we’ll see, time will tell, but they seem they will commit to the weight room. They will commit to the offseason training. It can make this group better than any group we’ve ever had.”
Jacob Johnson had a 46-yard kickoff return for the Vikings.
Nathan Sabolevski scored on a 21-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter for the Eagles. Just a few plays later, Brady Gancarz returned a punt 65-yards for another touchdown for the Eagles. Sabolevski added a sack for the defense. Nolyn Stafford had three catches for 68 yards.
Donahue registered another explosive play for his second touchdown. With three minutes, 38 seconds left in the second quarter, Donahue rushed for a 72-yard touchdown.
Laffond won the award for outstanding lineman, while Donahue took home the MVP award. For the Vikings, quarterback Spencer Warner was MVP while George Gutierrez won outstanding lineman.
Donahue had 150 yards of total offense and a sack for the defense. Lucas Laclair and Axel Richardson had sacks for the Vikings’ defense.
