Lee Dominates in Battle of Unbeatens

LEE, Mass. -- In its 6-0 start this season, the South Hadley football team gave up just 14 points.

 

Lee equalled that number in the first quarter on Friday night.

 

By the time Senior Night was over, the Wildcats had a 52-6 win, a 7-0 record and a league championship.

 

After holding the Tigers to a three-and-out on their opening possession, Lee marched 61 yards in 11 plays, all on the ground. Jaydee Reber capped the drive with a 4-yard touchdown run, and the Wildcats were off to the races.

 

"We came out, we came out hot, we came out firing," Reber said. "The first drive, we punched them in the mouth. And we never really looked back.

 

"It's a great feeling."

 

Lee won its 23rd straight regular season game, dating back to the 2024 season, and recorded its second statement win of the season.

 

The Wildcats went into the game as the second-ranked team in the commonwealth in Division 8. South Hadley was ranked No. 11 in Division 7. Back on Sept. 18, Lee beat Wahconah, currently ranked No. 8 in D7, 18-14.

 

"This was a statement win," Reber said on Friday night. "We put the work in all week in practice. We came out, and we got the job done."

 

A short punt on South Hadley's second possession gave Lee the ball at the plus-43, and the Wildcats needed just four plays to get in the end zone, finishing on a 33-yard run by Bryce Hoff.

 

South Hadley generated its first first down on its third possession of the night. But it could not move the sticks a second time, and Lee got the ball on its 40 after a punt.

 

Its third drive ended in a 23-yard throw from David Kirchner to Mason Lucy and a 20-0 lead.

 

Lee coach Tom Salinetti agreed with Reber that the Wildcats came out hot.

 

"Senior Night, there's a ton of emotion," said Salinetti, who thought his team played its most complete game of the season. "I thought they handled their emotions incredibly well. They didn't try to run from it or hide from it. Feel the emotions, but then they compartmentalized incredibly well and just went out and handled business.

 

"They came out out very fired up. There was a vibe around this team right in pregame that was very focused and very energetic."

 

And the Wildcats were efficient in all three phases of the game.

 

Reber ran for 131 yards. Kirchner threw for 163 yards and three touchdowns. The defense held an opponent to one or fewer scores for the fifth time this year; that South Hadley score came on the last play of the game with Lee's seniors all watching from the sideline.

 

And the special teams turned in one of the biggest plays of the night.

 

With Lee up, 20-0, late in the second quarter, South Hadley's defense finally forced a punt with the Wildcats at the plus-44. Kodie Mendoza booted the ball to the 1. And, on the next play, Blake Hoff hauled down a South Hadley runner in the end zone for a safety.

 

"[Mendoza] has made a ton of those really, really big-time plays, especially [Friday] against a very dangerous punt returner in [Noah Hambley]. [Mendoza] just steps up in those moments and makes really winning plays.

 

"We talked this week about the fact that they have a very good special teams unit, and we needed to make winning special teams plays. I think that was the one right there that made a huge difference."

 

After the free kick, Lee got the ball at its 46 and drove to the end zone, scoring on a 13-yard completion from Kirchner to Gabe Ranzoni. Reber's two-point conversion made it 30-0 at half-time.

 

Bryce Hoff's 73-yard kick return opened the second half, and Lee was in the end zone again with 10:10 on the clock on an 8-yard run by Seamus Cooney.

 

South Hadley then gave its fans something to cheer about with a 45-yard pass play to the 8-yard-line. But Lee's defense refused to break, getting the ball back on downs after Lucy's tackle for a loss on first down set the tone.

 

Lee's drive started from its 12, and it ended quickly, just needing the time it took for Kirchner to hit a wide open Lucy, who raced 88 yards for his second touchdown of the night and a 42-0 lead. Mendoza's PAT made it a 44-point game, and running time was in effect.

 

The final Wildcats score came early in the fourth quarter when Blake Hoff went in from the 1-yard-line. Another Mendoza two-point run made it 52-0.

 

Lee next Friday will look to complete its third straight perfect regular season when it goes to Ware.