EASTHAMPTON — When the Deerfield Academy and Williston football teams met last season it was a shootout – won by the Wildcats, 49-41. 

When the two teams squared off on Saturday in both teams’ season opener, it was the defenses that turned into the story during the closing moments of the game. 

Deerfield held a 20-10 lead in the fourth quarter and looked like it was about to put the game away with a touchdown after driving to the Wildcats goal line, but the Williston defense came up with a stop with 5 minutes, 54 seconds to go to get the ball back with a chance to get back in the game. 

Davian McDonald hit Nathanial Ellis for a 73-yard gain to put Williston on the doorsteps of tightening the DA lead, but two plays later Big Green safety Caden True jumped a route in the end zone and returned it 100 yards for a score, helping Deerfield seal a 26-10 victory at Sawyer Field. 

“Our programs are so familiar with each other,” DA coach Brian Barbato said. “It took me forever to get through the handshake line with the amount of kids I respect on that team. These programs are built on similar kids. We have some western Mass. kids, some Vermont kids. Last year they got us and this year we got them. It’s going to be a battle any way you cut it.” 

Turnovers plagued the Wildcats throughout, with Williston throwing two interceptions and losing a fumble while getting stopped on fourth down three different times. 

“Definitely a tough one,” Wildcats coach Tom Beaton said. “Brian does a great job with that team. That’s a great team with a heck of a lot of players. They’re a good team but we didn’t have our best today.” 

Both teams were stopped on fourth down on their opening drives. Williston was driving on its second possession but DA;s Will Machnik skied up for an interception on a deep ball down the middle thrown by McDonald. 

DA took advantage of the momentum gained by the turnover. Taking over at their own 10, the Big Green went on a seven-play drive that was capped off by a 12-yard touchdown run by Zell Lassiter. Deerfield missed the extra point but still led 6-0 with 8:55 to play in the half. 

Lassiter had receptions of 38 yards, 24 yards and 16 yards on the drive. 

“We have great kids,” Barbato said. “So do the other teams. We’re still figuring out how the chess match works. Zell Lassiter is dynamic. My opinion, I think he can be one of the best — if not the best — players in New England. He’s fun to watch and is a great kid.” 

DA forced a fumble on the ensuing possession, taking over at the Wildcats 45. Eight plays later running back Malachi Costello barreled into the end zone from eight yards out, with Nick Gold making the extra point to put the Big Green ahead, 13-0, with 4:25 to go in the half. 

Williston responded with a long drive of its own to get points on the board before intermission. 

The Wildcats went through a 10 play drive, set up by a trio of passed from McDonald to James Elliott, to take the ball down to the DA 20, where Declan Baxter came on and made a 36-yard field goal with 11 seconds in the half to cut the Big Green lead to 13-3 at the break. 

Williston got the ball to start the third quarter and went on a 15 play drive that sapped 6:24 off the clock, but ended in Baxter missing a 41-yard field goal wide left. 

DA went three-and-out on its next drive and the Wildcats made the most of it, with McDonald hitting Elliott for a 32-yard gain before connecting with him for a nine-yard touchdown. Baxter made the extra point to cut the lead to 13-10 with 1:20 to go in the third. 

The Big Green quickly regained their two-score lead, and took over at the Wildcats 48. Three plays later Deerfield quarterback Cole Geer found his tight end, Willem Thurber, wide open downfield, with Thurber running through a defender into the end zone. Gold’s extra point put DA up 20-10 with 11:53 to play. 

“Williston was executing so well,” Barbato said. “We didn’t have the ball. When that’s happening you need to make every play count more. You can’t have a three-and-out because you might not get the ball back for six minutes.”

The Wildcats drove it down to the Deerfield 34 on their next drive but McDonald was stuffed on a quarterback sneak on a fourth-and-one, giving DA the ball back. 

Lassiter broke off a 36-yard run to open the drive before a pair of penalties helped set the Big Green up at the Williston 1. A delay of game pushed DA back and the Wildcat defense stood tall, coming up with a stop to get the ball back. 

True’s pick-six all but put the game away, as DA forced a turnover on downs and was able to run the clock out to get the win. 

“He’s a great kid,” Barbato said of True. “He gets run by, heck of a play by their kid, but that’s why you chase people down. The ball finds you when you’re trying hard and doing the right things. After getting stopped on the four, that made me feel much better after not executing down there.”

Lassiter finished the game with 82 yards on the ground and 94 yards receiving for the Big Green. Elliott was Williston’s top weapon, catching 11 passes for 109 yards and the touchdown. 

“I thought our defense did a good job hanging in there,” Barbato said. “Especially our corners – they have some of the best receivers in New England. Elliott, he’s been one of the best players in our league for years now. It was great to compete against them and our guys did a great job running to the ball.” 

The DA defense did its job holding the Wildcats rushing game down, limiting them to 45 yards on the ground in the first half and 40 in the second half. 

“They wanted it more up front,” Beaton said. “That was it. They were able to get some movement up front and there was nothing we could do about it.” 

Deerfield Academy will host Suffield Academy next Saturday at 3 p.m. while Williston heads on the road to take on Phillips Andover next Saturday at 5 p.m.