Holyoke High football kicked off this past Friday at home against South Hadley High, and the Purple Knights started right where they left off last year. The Knights won 55-30 over the Tigers to jump-start their season with a 1-0 record.

The first touchdown of the game came early in the first quarter when quarterback Andrew Peltier ’16 threw an absolutely beautiful 40-yard pass right to the gloves of Masslive Super 7 wide receiver Devante Wardell ’16. After converting the two points, Holyoke was up 8-0. However, South Hadley was quick to answer back with a touchdown and two-point conversion  of their only own minutes later, tying the game at 8-8.

The rest of the quarter seemed to be a show put on by Andrew Peltier. He threw three more touchdowns (two passing and one rushing), ending the first half 26-8 and putting Holyoke squarely in the lead. Holyoke’s offense continued to dominate after the first half, but South Hadley managed to stay in it through the third quarter making it a one-possession game at one point.

Going into the fourth quarter, the Knights held the lead at 39-24, but it was still a game with the Knights in only a two possession lead.

The nail in the Tiger’s coffin came when Holyoke’s Adrian Ortiz intercepted the ball at South Hadley’s twenty yard line and ran it in for a touchdown making the game 47-24 Holyoke. The Knights proceeded to notch on one more touchdown after a beautiful 65 yard catch by Tim Girard before the game was over.

After the game, Holyoke’s quarterback Andrew Peltier #7, who had seven touchdowns in this exciting season opener, told The Herald simply, “That’s seven for ya.”