ATHOL — The Greenfield football team found itself in the end zone early and often on Sunday.
In a battle of the last two unbeaten teams in the area, the Green Wave offense proved to be too much, scoring touchdowns on seven of its eight possessions in the game.
Greenfield’s Marcus Sanders ran for four touchdowns — three in the first half — while David Carey scored a touchdown in all three phases as the Green Wave came out with a 58-0 triumph over Athol at O’Brien Field.
“We were wicked fired up going in,” Sanders said. “We were 2-0 and they were 2-0 so we wanted to be the one that was 3-0 at the end of the game. I think we wanted it more than they wanted it. We came out heavy and were executing.”
Following a three-and-out on the Bears’ first possession, the Green Wave (3-0) took over at the 50. A 24-yard scamper up the middle by Cam Lococo set Greenfield up at the Athol 4, where Sanders ran it in untouched off the left side. Quarterback Sean Davenport ran in the 2-point try to put the Wave up 8-0.
The Bears (2-1) once again went three-and-out on their next possession and Greenfield made them pay. Davenport rolled to his left and connected with a wide-open Carey, who then used his speed to go 84 yards into the end zone to put the Green Wave up 14-0 with 2:37 to play in the first quarter.
The game broke open in the second quarter. After a failed fourth down conversion by Athol, Greenfield found the end zone three plays later off an 11 yard run by Sanders, with Lococo’s 2-point try bringing the Green Wave lead to 22-0.
The Bears coughed up the ensuing kickoff, setting Greenfield up at the Athol 36. Two plays later Sanders took a toss to the left 25 yards for the score, with Lococo once again tacking on the 2-point conversion to put the Green Wave up 30-0 midway through the second quarter.
“Our line is excellent,” Sanders said. “They do a great job. Our fullback [Lococo] is a great blocker as well as a great runner. As long as I’m behind them I’m enjoying my day.”
Greenfield put the game away in the third quarter. Carey took the opening kickoff of the second half 90 yards to the house, with Lococo’s conversion putting the Green Wave up 38-0.
On their next possession, Sanders went in 54 yards untouched. Davenport’s two-point try made it 46-0.
Carey added a defensive touchdown on the next possession, picking off Keegan Lutz and retuning it nearly 50 yards to give him an offensive, defensive and special teams touchdown on the day. The pick-six put his team ahead 52-0 in the third quarter.
“We played hard,” Green Wave coach Mike Kuchieski said. “We made some plays and guys got going. It’s a good bunch of kids. They’re hard working and they love to play the game. I hate the way that happened, it hurts me to score that many points against a team I have a lot of fondness for. I wish [Athol] the best.”
Greenfield sophomore Ryan Pulzari scored the final touchdown of the game, running it in from three yards out to put the Wave up 58-0.
While the Greenfield offense was in a groove, its defense was equally impressive, holding Athol to just 50 yards from scrimmage in the game.
With just one game now left on the schedule, both teams are trying to enjoy every last bit of the season.
“Our goal is to have fun, enjoy each other and play the game we love,” Kuchieski said. “The last three days of practice this year are going to be bittersweet thinking about what could have been during a normal season with these kids. We’re happy to be able to play the game and I’m happy our seniors have been able to get something out of their last year.”
Greenfield will host Franklin Tech Friday night while Athol closes with an away game at Frontier.