Westford secured a narrow 14-13 victory over Chelmsford in the eighth annual Battle of Route 110 football game held in North Chelmsford. The win improved Westford’s record to 6-1 while Chelmsford fell to 5-2 in a nonleague matchup between the neighboring schools.
Trailing by 13 points late in the third quarter, Westford mounted a comeback fueled by a 70-yard kickoff return from senior Brett Moran. The decisive moment came in the fourth quarter when junior Sam Bramanti caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Joey Guthrie with 3:39 remaining, tying the game. Following the score, senior kicker Tyler Kane successfully converted the extra point to give Westford the lead.
The touchdown drive featured a critical play on fourth-and-eight from Westford’s 40-yard line, where a fake punt was executed with a direct snap to senior Declan Hevey. Despite initial indications that Hevey was short of the required yardage, officials adjusted the spot, awarding Westford a first down. Four plays later, Bramanti secured the catch that leveled the score.
In the closing moments, Westford junior Nolan Kropp intercepted a pass in the end zone with 37 seconds left to seal the victory. Chelmsford coach George Peterson expressed frustration over the officials’ decision to move the ball on the fake punt play, stating, “There’s no explanation for it... We feel like it was taken from us tonight.”
Chelmsford’s scoring came early with two short touchdown runs by quarterback Skyler DeJesus, who finished with 19 carries for 101 yards. Despite the narrow loss, Chelmsford led most of the game before Westford’s late rally.
The win narrowed Chelmsford’s advantage in the series to 5-3 since the introduction of the 110 Challenge Trophy in 2019. Westford coach Bruce Rich noted the rivalry’s significance, especially given his family’s ties to Chelmsford, saying, “Half our staff’s from Chelmsford. My dad coached there for 35 years, so it means something to us. But we’re all in with Westford.”
The Battle of Route 110 continues to be a high-stakes contest marked by intense competition and local pride between the neighboring high schools.