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Chris Ladd

PALMER - Everyone has something to be thankful for. Chris Ladd is thankful for second chances.

Ladd committed two turnovers early in the first half, but immediately atoned for both with touchdown runs to give Belchertown a two-score cushion that proved to be more than enough in a 29-0 smothering of Pathfinder Regional Thursday.

It was not a clean game throughout for Belchertown, which fumbled five times, losing three, and also had a pass intercepted.

"This is the first time we've played a game with more turnovers than our opponent and won," Belchertown coach John Mayo said. "We were able to do that because, I'll be honest with you, I think we're a stronger team. But we have to protect the ball better if we want to do anything in the playoffs. We can't play Lee or Mount Greylock or whoever we're playing and turn the ball over and expect to do anything."

The second-seeded Orioles (9-2) will play No. 3 Lee (8-2) in the Western Massachusetts Division 3 playoffs at Westfield State University at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. No. 1 Mount Greylock (9-0) will play at No. 4 Mahar (8-3) in Orange at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Belchertown used the big play to make up for its sloppy play in the first quarter Thursday.

Ladd fumbled on the second play of the game, but Pathfinder couldn't capitalize and missed a field goal. Ladd then responded on the next possession with an 80-yard touchdown run with 4 minutes, 27 seconds left.

Early in the second quarter, Pathfinder's Greg Pobieglo intercepted a pass from Ladd, but the senior quickly returned the favor, jumping underneath the route of Pobieglo's intended receiver.

"I knew he was going to throw to the flat, so I just stepped underneath and the ball ended up in my hands," he said.

The interception set up Belchertown's second scoring drive of the game, which was capped by a 1-yard keeper to the left by Ladd to push the advantaged to 16-0 with 3:53 remaining in the half.

From that point on, the defense took over. Belchertown did not allow Pathfinder to cross into Orioles territory until a fourth-quarter drive ended on the 23-yard line with a sack. The Orioles limited Pobieglo to 8-of-18 passing for 69 yards and two interceptions.

Ladd added a third touchdown in the fourth quarter, tossing an 18-yard pass to James Ryan, whom he found running wide open across the middle of the formation. Ladd finished the game with 184 total yards # 149 rushing, 35 passing # and three touchdowns.

Jake Loughman capped off the scoring with a punishing run up the right side for 56 yards as the Orioles attempted to run the clock down. The run capped a 110-yard effort by the senior tailback.

This is the second straight year the Orioles finished the regular season with a 9-2 record, something Mayo attributed to solid play in all phases of the game.

"I think we're pretty good on defense and we're pretty good on offense. I don't know if we're great at either, but we're good in all aspects of the game. You don't win 18 games in two years if you're not," he said. "We don't give up the big play and we have that bend, but don't break mentality."

This season is also the second time in as many years that Belchertown is headed to the postseason. Last year, Belchertown lost to Athol 25-6, but Mayo said he expected his team to be better prepared in 2011.

"Last year we found that the postseason atmosphere is different," he said. "All the kids who are playing this year were there last year, so we hope this year we can handle it better and treat it more like a regular game."