Waterford — The words of Jax Higgins:

“Because we’re Waterford football, people doubt us,” the senior quarterback said Friday night. “Just to let everyone know: We’re changing the narrative.”

On this night, the “narrative” for the Lancers meant staunch, stout defense and the biggest win for the program since the 2019 playoff season. Waterford remained unbeaten with a 26-6 win over Ledyard, handing the Colonels their first loss.

The Lancers (5-0), held Ledyard and its beefy, single-wing scheme to under 130 yards of total offense.

“There’s a lot you have to think about in stopping them,” Waterford linebacker Porter Watson said. “They have two really good backs. They’re big up front. You have to try to shed blocks, which isn’t easy. But we did a great job.”

Waterford junior Parker Spencer: “There’s just a lot of misdirection and commotion. There are always big piles.”

Ledyard took a 6-0 lead late in the first period when Waterford failed to execute a fake punt and gave Ledyard generous field position at the 20. AJ Adamick, among the state’s leading rushers entering the game, scored on a 3-yard run to make it 6-0.

Now enter Spencer, who was part of the fake punt issue and later dropped a touchdown pass. Spencer responded with a 32-yard punt return that set up Higgins’ 4-yard run with 7:06 left in the half to tie it at six. Spencer later caught an 11-yard touchdown pass with 28 seconds left in the half as the Lancers went 84 yards in three minutes.

“Those are plays I have to make,” Spencer said of the punt and drop. “But Jax is always there to lift me up. Him and coach Tim (Lineburgh).”

Adamick injured his leg with 12 seconds left in the first half and missed most of the third period. He returned late in the quarter.

Higgins gave the Lancers a 20-6 lead on a 5-yard run with 5:38 left before senior Gabe Lombardi’s 46-yard interception return for a touchdown, further sustaining his nickname “No Fly Zone” for his excellent play at corner.

“Well,” Lombardi said, “they gave me the nickname so I had to show it out today.”

Higgins ran for 88 yards and threw for 87. But this was mostly a production of the Waterford defense, which allowed more than 30 points per game last year. Waterford has allowed 52 points in five games in 2024.

“I would say we came into this year with a different mentality,” Watson said. “I heard a stat that last year, if we gave up three less points every game, we’d have been 7-3. We wanted this year to be way different.”

The Lancers are tied atop the Eastern Connecticut Conference Division II standings with Windham and will likely move northward in the Class SS playoff rankings as well.

“We challenged our defense all week,” Waterford coach Zeth Nolda said. “I don’t think too many people across the state picked us to win. Our guys were really ready to play.”

m.dimauro@theday.com