The Upper Cape Tech Rams defeated the Nantucket Whalers in a hard-hitting game that had both tenacious teams fighting for every yard on Saturday, September 28.

The Rams are now 1-0 in the Mayflower Small Conference, and 1-2 overall.

The Rams won the Division 5 State Championship last year, despite only having had a football program since 2010. Prior to that, Upper Cape Tech football players played in a co-op arrangement with the Bourne Canalmen.

Before the game, head coach Mike Hernon said of Nantucket: "They're always one of the better teams in our league, but we'll be ready for them."

Were they ever.

Nantucket was the first to get on the board in the first quarter, but the Rams soon took the lead, scoring a touchdown and getting the extra point to make the score 7-6.

Nantucket took the lead back in the second, but the Rams answered back with a touchdown of their own, bringing the score to 14-13 Whalers.

A fumble by Nantucket in the third was recovered by Joe Fisher of Wareham, setting the Rams up to score another touchdown which, after getting the two point conversion, gave them a lead of 21-14.

Rams quarterback Richie Semple of Wareham played well, hitting his targets most of the time and battling the Whalers on defense as a safety.

"Richie's got off to a great start," says Hernon. "He's played well on both sides of the ball."

When the Rams kicked off in the fourth, Nantucket couldn't keep their hands on the ball, and it was recovered by Ram Dylan Derby. The Rams took full advantage, snagging another touchdown to make the score 28-14.

The Whalers came alive later on in the fourth, scoring two touchdowns to tie it up at 28-28, sending the game into overtime.

The Rams defense stopped the Whalers just short of the goal line, and when the ball was in their hands, they wasted no time in scoring a touchdown to end the game at 34-28.

"That's a good football game. That's what you expect when you play these guys," said Hernon. "They played their butts off."

The Rams played just a little bit harder.