ATHOL — It was going to take a power outage to stop Drury running back Louis Guillotte.
Literally.
The junior gave the Athol defense fits on Friday night, rushing for 246 yards in the first half. He added one carry for seven yards in the second half, but the lights went out midway through the quarter and the game was ultimately called with the Blue Devils coming away with a 28-0 victory at O’Brien Field.
Despite the loss, Athol coach Bill LaRose was pleased with the performance by his undermanned squad.
“The game was close in the first half,” LaRose said. “We’re starting four freshmen and four players who have no prior football experience so I’m happy with the way this game went. We have lots of things to work on. If we were able to put the ball in the end zone once or twice in the first half when we got down deep, it might have been a different ball game. I can’t be disappointed with my team. They’re learning.”
Guillotte did most of his damage in the second quarter. The opening drive of the frame saw him carry the ball on five of the Blue Devils’ six plays, ending in a three-yard touchdown run. Guillotte converted the two-point try himself to put Drury ahead, 8-0.
Athol drove it to the Blue Devils 29 on the ensuing possession, but quarterback Caleb Cox was picked off by Jayshawn Moore.
Once again, Drury pounded the ball with Guillotte, who converted a third-and-19 with a 36-yard pickup, eventually running it in from the six yards out to extend the Blue Devils advantage to 14-0 with 4:31 to play in the half.
A Bears three-and-out gave the Blue Devils the ball at midfield. A penalty put Drury in a third-and-23 from the Athol 46, but Guillotte picked it up, broke a tackle and sprinted into the end zone from 46 yards out and suddenly the Blue Devils held a 20-0 lead going into the half.
“Louis runs hard,” Drury assistant coach Robert Jutras — who was coaching on the sideline while head coach Al Marceau was in the press box with an injury — said. “We like to get him the ball and that’s part of the gameplan to be physical up front.”
Guillotte’s big game didn’t just come on offense. The Blue Devils defense forced a three-and-out to open the third quarter and Guillotte made Athol pay with a nearly 70-yard punt return that set Drury up at the Athol 16.
Two plays later Blue Devils quarterback Anthony Pettengill connected with Trey Lepecier for a 10-yard score in the back left corner of the end zone. Guillotte ran in the two-point score to put Drury ahead, 28-0.
“That was a very big team,” LaRose said of Drury. “They weren’t a very fancy team but they played old school football. They came at you and hit you hard. I have to tip my cap to them, they were big and strong and played well.”
Athol punted on the next possession, and the lights went out after just one Drury play with seven minutes to go in the third quarter, ending the game.
An impressive first drive by the Bears — with Cox hitting Dilan Fountain for a 41-yard gainer to set Athol up at the Drury 25 — was derailed by an illegal man downfield penalty. Cox’ pass on fourth-and-17 was incomplete, as he was pressured and forced to throw the ball away.
Cox finished with 65 yards through the air, 59 going to Fountain. Fountain also had 53 yards on the ground.
Athol looks to get into the win column next week when it travels to play at Pathfinder in Week 2.