By Matt Stout
Staff Writer
Following a 24-6
loss to Franklin on Friday, Oct.
20, Pelham football coach Tom
Babaian said he didn’t have any
answers for his team’s performance.
“A better team tonight,” he
called Franklin, a squad “more
ready to play.” The answers were
the norm for a coach following a
loss, but Babaian said he needed
to see tape to know exactly what
happened.
Despite the loss, which
came on a frigid night and
on a muddy, saturated field,
Babaian said he’s worried little
about his team’s confidence
entering the final two weeks of
the season, which will decide
the Pythons’ place in the Division
V playoffs.
At 5-2 and a sure bet for the
No. 3 seed if it can take care of
1-6 Winnisquam on Saturday,
Oct. 28, and 4-3 Gilford on Nov.
3, Pelham still has the running
game and defense to challenge in
the postseason, where it will undoubtedly
meet Franklin or Bishop
Brady, also at 7-0 and a 35-10
winner over Pelham on Sept. 29.
He also said he’s not worried
about how his team compares
to the league’s other top teams.
With two games left, it’s the
Pythons themselves he’s concerned
with.
“I don’t think there’s a confidence
issue,” Babaian said. “I
think we’re still in great shape.
We’re 5-2 and we have two
games left, and we have to win
both of them.”
That said, after lifting
weights and watching the game
film on Monday, Oct. 23, the Pythons
will go to work this week
to correct the mistakes Franklin
exposed.
Despite some flashes on its
lone scoring drive on Friday
– which ended with a David
Joyce quarterback sneak with
less than eight minutes to play in
the first half – Pelham struggled
the most with blocking, Babaian
said, especially when his team,
down three scores, was forced to
continually pass.
The Pythons also fumbled
three times, and they failed to
capitalize on any of their takeaways.
Yet at the same time, they
gave up three back-breaking
plays – a 28-yard run to make it
12-6, a 42-yard run to make it 18-6 and finally a 20-yard scamper
to finish the scoring.