SALEM — As Swampscott senior Jake McIntire was putting the finishing touches on a 33-6 drubbing of host Salem on Thursday night, Governor Charlie Baker of Massachusetts rose in adoration.
“Number 14 has serious wheels,’’ he exclaimed.
One would be hard-pressed to argue.
McIntire’s 55-yard punt return touchdown — a beautiful display of explosiveness and balance down the left sideline — was one of three touchdowns scored by the 5-foot-10-inch wide receiver, capping an emphatic performance for the undefeated Big Blue at Bertram Field.
“I’d like to be his fantasy owner,’’ said Swampscott quarterback Colin Frary of his favorite target. “He’s a blessing. He’s one of the best returners in the league. He can run laterally, he runs great routes [and] he’s got great hands. There’s nothing more you can want in a guy. He’s huge.’’
Frary and McIntire were locked in from the get-go.
Capitalizing on Salem’s proclivity for mishaps as it would all evening in the Northeastern South showdown, Swampscott (4-0) needed a single play to strike after its second drive was extended due to a Witches roughing-the-punter penalty. Breaking free over the middle, McIntire received a strike from Frary, the speedster going unabated into the end zone for a 50-yard score.
The two connected again midway through the second quarter, Frary and McIntire deceiving the Salem secondary with a flawlessly executed out-and-up for a 58-yard TD and a 13-0 lead.
Frary finished the evening with 216 yards on 10-of-17 passing, three TDs, and an interception. McIntire accumulated 113 yards on three catches.
“He’s an amazing player,’’ said McIntire of his classmate Frary “[He was] working all offseason and the hard work is just paying off right now.’’
Though Salem (3-1) hardly played a tidy game, the Big Blue defense deserved a bevy of credit for the Witches demise. Swampscott turned its opponent into a one-dimensional team, Salem finding sporadic success on the ground but unable to achieve any semblance of traction in the passing game.
The Witches most promising drive was curtailed at the Swampscott 15-yard line, Big Blue senior linebacker Dominic Codispoti stripping Salem’s Vincent Gaskins and returning the recovered ball 50 yards before being brought down from behind.
Again, Swampscott benefited from a Salem mistake, the Witches committing a pass interference on third-and-short in the red zone to give Frary and Co. second life. Seconds later, running back Dylan January got in on the fun, the sophomore slithering up the middle for a 14-yard score.
After an ensuing Salem three-and-out, Swampscott closed the half with an exclamation point, needing just one play — a 54-yard strike from Frary to Isaiah Bascon — to extend its lead to 27-0 heading into the break.
A 43-yard Gaskins touchdown run with less than a minute remaining in the fourth quarter helped Salem avoid the shutout.
“We’ve been watching a lot of film,’’ said Frary. “We really wanted this one and I saw exactly what we wanted to see and we just executed. We left a couple of plays on the table, but 33 points isn’t that bad.
“We wanted to make a statement. We were saying that all week as captains. It feels great.’’
Owen Pence can be reached at owen.pence@globe.com.
