EASTHAMPTON — The Lee football team took command early and ran away with a 41-0 victory over Easthampton on Friday night.

The Wildcats scored on their first three possessions, converting on fourth down once during each drive. On defense, they contained the Eagles’ rushing attack and prevented Easthampton from building any momentum off big plays.

“We struggled right from the beginning,” Easthampton coach Kyle Dragon said. “We couldn’t do anything really in all three phases. They moved the ball; we couldn’t make our blocks on offense and weren’t tackling right on defense either.”

Easthampton (0-4) fell to 0-1 in the Intercounty South. Lee (4-0) is 1-0 in the conference.

“They know how to play a competitive football game and make you earn it,” Lee coach Tom Salinetti said. “We knew early on we were going to have to fight through that and overcome some early down struggles.”

The first fourth-down conversion came midway through the first quarter. Dawson Reber rushed for 8 yards on fourth-and-3 at the Eagles’ 31. Four plays later Devin Schwab (15 carries, 135 yards) scored from 4 yards out.

Reber was successful on another fourth down attempt early in the second. On Lee’s next series, the junior rushed for 6 yards to turn a fourth-and-3 into a first-and-10 at Easthampton’s 15. Quarterback Omari Smith (6-for-12, 80 yards passing) found Reber for a 15-yard touchdown on the next play.

Just before halftime Reber plunged forward on fourth-and-short for the first down. Five plays later he rushed for a 4-yard touchdown and 19-0 lead.

“We’d do OK on first and second down, and we’re missing that opportunity,” Dragon said.

The Eagles struggled against Lee’s size up front. Easthampton received some big passing plays from quarterback Colin Hogan (8-for-14, 96 yards passing, one interception), but the offense could not build off them. Hogan connected with Nelson Gomez for 15 yards on third down during the second series of the first quarter, but the drive stalled at midfield.

During the third series, Hogan hit Vynce Carr out of the backfield and Carr turned up the sideline for 25 yards. A holding penalty set the Eagles back, but three players later Hogan found Jake Kostek for 35 yards. The drive, however, stalled again at midfield.

“Going in we said let’s keep them out of the double wing and make them throw the ball, which is a little more feast or famine,” Salinetti said. “They got us on some big ones, but the kids adapted pretty well, and we adjusted in the second half and kept that quiet.”