Walpole Rebels Breeze by Braintree

The Walpole Rebels varsity football team won their first game of the season on a windy Saturday on the road against Bay State Conference foe Braintree.

The Rebels score almost matched today’s wind speed as they beat the Wamps, 47-0.

With the wind at his back in the first quarter, sophomore kicker Jack Lavanchy was able to boot three kickoffs out of the back of the endzone, pinning Braintree deep in their own territory on their first three possessions of the game.

The poor field position for the Wamps led to two 3-and-outs in their first two possessions, both ending in punts. Walpole fielded each punt at their own 49-yard line and went on to score two touchdowns, taking a 14-0 lead.

“The biggest move in the beginning was to try to get them down deep, 3-and-out and make them punt into this 40 m.p.h. wind, and it worked like a charm. We were up 21-0 before you could say ‘Hello,’” Walpole Head Coach Barry Greener.

Senior running back Mike Rando led the way with three touchdowns in the game, including a 51-yard catch and score from quarterback Will Bolster on their first offensive play of the game.

“That was a great throw because I figured that thing was going to go 10-yards too far. I figured he’d hit the end zone with it. But he hit Rando right in stride, Rando made a great catch and we’ve been working on that all week,” Greener said.

Walpole scored touchdowns on their first five possession of the game, taking a commanding, 34-0, lead at the half.

The Rebels were able to rest their starters for much of the second half as their defense stifled Braintree on their way to a shutout.

Next Friday, Walpole will take on Framingham at home at 7 p.m.

“Next week we have a very tough game. Framingham is very, very good. I just reminded the kids last year we went over there, we went down 20-0 at the end of the first quarter. First play of the second quarter Rando goes down with a season-ending knee injury and it looked pretty bleak. We came back and scored 30 points and won, 30-20,” said Greener.

“But next Friday night at Walpole is going to be a barn burner. How well we play will depend upon how well the kids believe that scenario."