By Michael James LeClair
The Nashoba Regional football team welcomed Fitchburg High last Friday night and shook off the pesky Red Raiders to remain unbeaten on the season with a 28-7 victory.
Nashoba is now 7-0 overall and 5-0 in Mid-Wach A on the campaign and completes the Twin City sweep after knocking off previously unbeaten Leominster last Friday night. Fitchburg drops to 2-5 on the year with the loss and 1-3 in the league.
The two squads traded first quarter touchdowns as the Chieftains drew first blood on its very first possession of the night. A little more than midway through the opening quarter the hosts found paydirt with a 10-yard touchdown run from Jake Benjamin before Matt Allaire added a successful kick to make it 7-0.
The Red Raiders answered on their next possession when Isaul Figueroa took a handoff and found the end zone from 23-yards out. Facundo Isas’s extra point kick knotted the score at 7-7 after one quarter of play.
Nashoba reclaimed the lead in the second quarter with the lone points of the stanza, a 14-yard touchdown run by Nathan Mansour (8 carries, 71 yards, 2 TD’s) and an Allaire kick made it 14-7 hosts with 9:44 to play before halftime.
The game remained a seven-point Nashoba advantage the remainder of the quarter as the two teams headed into halftime locked in a close battle.
The Chieftains added some insurance in the third quarter and created some separation on the scoreboard with two more touchdowns that would cap the scoring on the night as the Nashoba defense did not allow a single point over the final three quarters of action on Friday.
Mansour struck again on the opening kickoff of the second half when he found a seam in the Red Raiders special teams coverage and broke free for an 83-yard kickoff return. Allaire remained perfect with another extra point kick to make it 21-7.
The final touchdown of the evening came courtesy of the arm of quarterback Robert Atwood. The Nashoba signal caller connected with Benjamin for a 24-yard touchdown toss. Allaire made it 4-for-4 as his kick was true to make it 28-7.
Nashoba takes its unblemished record on the road this Friday night when it visits the Clinton Veterans Athletic Complex where the Gaels of Clinton High School will be waiting. The Gaels enter Friday night’s battle with the Chieftains fresh off a 40-13 pummeling of host Quabbin Regional in Barre. The Gaels have won two straight games having knocked off Gardner the week before back on October 16. Clinton is currently 4-3 on the season.
Following Friday’s contest with Clinton the Chieftains will prepare to take part in the Central Mass. Division 2 Playoffs. Nashoba’s first round opponent will not be known until the conclusion of next week’s games. Currently Nashoba is the top seed in Central Mass. Division 2 and a victory over the Gaels will solidify the first seed for the Chieftains.