WINTHROP — The Wells football team made good on coach Tim Roche’s plan of running the ball down Winthrop/Monmouth’s throat Friday night in the season opener for both teams.

The defending Class C state champions made an impressive debut in Class D by amassing 340 rushing yards in a 46-0 victory.

“I thought what we showed was how physical and strong we are,” Roche said. “We have a fairly large group of kids that lift all the time, so they’re strong kids.”

The Warriors were equally strong on defense, holding the Ramblers to 100 total yards.

“We saw that on film,” Winthrop coach Dave St. Hilaire said. “They run the wing-T very well, they throw a lot at you and their fullback’s a horse.”

Senior fullback Nolan Potter scored four touchdowns while finishing with 93 yards on 12 carries.

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“I think we can go far,” Potter said. “We’ve got to prove ourselves obviously.”

The Warriors led 20-0 at the half pushed the lead to 34-0 at the end of three quarters. The clock went to running time after they scored their next touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

Potter wasn’t the team’s only weapon. Chad Fitzpatrick rushed for 114 yards on 12 carries while junior Tyler Bridge broke a couple of big plays including a 35-yard punt return. Quarterback Michael Wrigley completed all four of his passes for 58 yards.

“We don’t like to throw but I’m telling you that kid can throw the ball,” Roche said. “He’s a good quarterback.”

Winthrop’s highlight came on the game’s first play when sophomore quarterback Keegan Choate tossed a screen pass to Dylan Boynton that carried for 31 yards. The Ramblers fumbled on the next play and Wells assumed control of the game.

“It’s just youth in some positions and we’ve got to get better,” St. Hilaire said.

The Ramblers were banged up coming into the game and lost two key defensive players during the game in Zac Wallace and Morgan Bellemare. Wallace was carried off the field with an apparent knee injury.

“It’s not looking good right now,” St. Hilaire said. “He’s one of our most physical players. He’s a kid that would be an all-conference type of player as a D-end.”


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