JOHNSONBURG — As far as season openers go, it doesn’t get much better than beating the defending state champs.

That’s exactly what the Smethport High baseball team did Tuesday, knocking off Johnsonburg 7-3. 

“For me being a first-year coach, I told the kids that every team to me is a good team,” said Smethport’s Brian Lawson. “We’re going to treat every game like we’re playing the defending state champions.”

Which of course, they were on Tuesday. 

The Hubbers touched up Johnsonburg starter and St. Bonaventure commit Cole Peterson early, scoring twice in the first on a two run single and once more in the second to take an early 3-0. 

Smethport went with a pitcher by committee approach against the Rams, with seven different players going one-inning each. 

The strategy worked as Ryan Corbett, Zetwick, Michael Deluca, Ryan Nielsen, Bryce Nelson, Ryan Stratton and Nate Wilber combined to strike out 15 Rams. Zetwick, Nielsen and Stratton each struck out the side in their inning of work.

“I wanted to try and give everyone some work early,” Lawson explained. “We haven’t been on our field yet, and I was really pleased with the way the kids played today. Johnsonburg has lost some key players, but so did we.”

The Smethport lead swelled to 7-1, as they scored a pair of runs in the fifth off Taylor Feronti and two more in the sixth off Kevin Benson, thanks in large part to Wilber and Deluca.

Wilber went 3-for-3 on the afternoon with three RBIs and Deluca knocked a two-run double.

Feronti knocked in all three runs for Johnsonburg, including a two-run homer in the seventh. Peterson was 1-for-2 with a pair of walks and runs scored. 

“I’m tickled to death to have come down here and beat these guys,” Lawson said. “We played like it was mid-season and had some nice defensive plays. Hopefully we can build on this.”

The Hubbers are at Port Allegany today.