On the night of September 9th after the first week of school, fans gathered under the lights to show support for both the Mt. Greylock and Hoosac Valley football teams in the highly-anticipated opening game of the 2017 season.
Greylock had a phenomenal first half, matching Hoosac’s playing style and speed. Senior Captain Reece Gillette helped the Mounties recover from a faulty punt which allowed junior Quarterback Michael Wellspeak to score the game’s first touchdown, connecting with senior Sean McCormack in the end zone.
Hoosac scored to draw even with the Mounties, but Mt. Greylock pulled ahead with touchdowns from Junior Cal Messina and Senior Jude Rorke. Though Hoosac scored another touchdown at the tail-end of the first half, the game was looking hopeful for Greylock with the half time score of 22-16 in Greylock’s favor.
Hoosac Valley had a strong second half and kept Greylock from making any progress, ending the game with a score of 36 to 22. Despite their loss, the Mounties feel hopeful about the season’s outlook. Said senior Captain Cole Seaman, “That was one of the most physical games I have played in, even more physical than last year’s Western Mass championship. We knew Hoosac was going to play their hard-nosed style of football and we were able to grind it out and stay with them through the game. Our team showed a lot of grit and I think our team is going to have a good season.”