BB&N got a wake-up call about the new NEPSAC alignment.
The Knights, now in Class B, lost 48-14 to Avon Old Farms (Conn.) in Watertown in a matchup shaped by this season’s realignment, which put BB&N in Class B and Avon Old Farms in Class A (Group 1).
“We played a lot better last week [a 42-2 win over fellow Class B school Trinity-Pawling] than this week, and we also played a better opponent than last week,” BB&N coach Mike Willey said. “It’s a bad combination when you play a really good team and don’t play your best.”
Despite opening the scoring with a 66-yard touchdown run from Owen DeSalvo, the Knights (1-1) couldn’t slow down Avon quarterback Matthew Baer, who had five total touchdowns.
“His maturity, leadership, and consistency day-in and day-out is really unbelievable, and I think it’s expected,” Avon Old Farms coach Jon Wholley said.
Advertisement
The Winged Beavers (3-0) put up 28 unanswered points in the second quarter to blow the game open.
In a matchup of two star-studded lines, Avon controlled the line of scrimmage.
They stuffed the Knights’ run game, forcing three-and-outs and a crucial fumble early in the game. Baer rushed for three touchdowns — all in the second quarter — threw for two scores and nearly caught a touchdown on a trick play where he was brought down at the 1-yard line.
Regardless of the final score, there were bright spots for the Knights. Along with DeSalvo’s long run, Christian Flores dove to the pylon for a score and quarterback Damon Taylor “played as hard as he possibly could,” according to Willey.
Advertisement
The schedule doesn’t ease up for the Knights, who travel to Lawrence Academy (Class C) next week (3 p.m. on Oct. 4) for another high-stakes NEPSAC matchup.
“We have to flush this as fast as possible and go on to the next game,” Willey said.
Barnstable 41, Amherst-Pelham 0 — Jayson Dyer (7 carries, 78 yards, TD) and Dan Franklin (7 carries, 52 yards, TD) led a balanced ground game for the No. 12 Red Hawks (3-0) in a dominant nonleague home win. The defense stymied the visitors, allowing a total of negative-24 yards in the shutout.
Tri-County 57, Southeastern 0 — Nick O’Brien (18 carries, 210 yards) ran wild for five rushing touchdowns and scored on a 66-yard pass from Declan Walker as the host Cougars (4-0) pounced on a MAC Vocational Large win.
Cathedral 43, Lynn Classical 14 — Xavier Roman did it all for the Panthers (2-1), throwing five touchdowns, nabbing an interception, and rushing for another touchdown in the nonleague win. Ta’Qaire Bell added four TD catches.
Dexter Southfield 20, Taft 0 — Quarterback Rory Funke completed 10 of 11 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns to secure a NEPSAC Class A win. Josh Berglund caught four passes for 100 yards and a touchdown.
Medfield 44, Nipmuc 22 — Brady McCormack had four rushing scores of 61, 51, 38, and 1 yard for the visiting Rams (3-0) in a nonleague win. Josh Giancola played well for Nipmuc (1-1), connecting with Ryan Zanchi for a 69-yard touchdown through the air and running one in from 4 yards out.
Roxbury Latin 35, Groton 14 — Five players scored in a NEPSAC Class C Group 2 win for the Foxes (2-0). Auden Duda kicked off the scoring with a 6-yard rushing touchdown, quarterback Jacob Strojny found Nitin Muniappan on a 40-yard TD pass in the second quarter, Declan Bligh rushed for a 50-yard touchdown, Finn Leary added a 10-yard rushing score, and Michael DiLallo’s pick-6 in the fourth quarter rounded out the scoring.
Advertisement
Thayer 27, Brooks 14 — Andrew St. Pierre led the way for the Tigers (1-1) with 118 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, he added a forced fumble and recovery in the NEPSAC Class C win.
Toby Moses can be reached at toby.moses@globe.com.