WINDSOR — The Windsor football team, victors of the last three Division-III state championships, commenced another title defense Saturday hosting Division-II Fair Haven.

But this offseason has been a period of transition for the Yellowjackets. 

Coach Jamie Richardson assumed head coaching responsibilities after coach Greg Balch stepped into an advisory role ahead of the season. Windsor also graduated 16 seniors from last season’s squad, one that shut out Woodstock in the state title game, avenging a regular-season loss. 

With so much turnover and having fielded a 36-man roster that features 12 sophomores and 10 freshmen, Richardson expected some growing pains.

But he didn’t expect “this big of a growing pain” so early in the season as the Slaters routed the Yellowjackets, 55-0.

“In a game like this, we try to look at the positive,” Richardson said. “Try to look at some things we did well. We obviously know some things that we didn’t do well — that was well-noted when we played.”

The loss was compounded by a couple of injuries, most notably to senior captain Justin Draper, who sustained a hit early in the first quarter and was stretchered off the field into an ambulance. 

Draper’s sudden exit from the game understandably affected Windsor’s performance. Richardson said he and the coaching staff tried to help the team regroup, but “after three weeks of blood, sweat and tears together, and to have one of your brothers go down,” it was an emotionally draining experience.

“We have teenage boys, 14-, 15-year-old boys,” assistant coach Matt Meagher said. “They haven’t had a lot of experience with an ambulance at all, so it’s hard. You try to get them to recover and do the best they can.”

Richardson and Meagher did not comment or speculate on Draper’s status postgame. 

Windsor’s focus now shifts to a clash against Springfield on Friday. Richardson is hopeful that his team will rally around Draper’s injury and respond in emphatic fashion. 

“We knew we were going to take lumps eventually,” Richardson said. “Now it’s a matter of can we regroup? … (The players) have to respond, we have to respond as a coaching staff, it all goes hand in hand.”

Alex Cervantes can be reached at acervantes@vnews.com or 603-727-7302.