MANCHESTER — When it comes to high school football, rain can sometimes be an equalizer. There are also times when it doesn't help the underdog at all.

The latter was the case Friday night at Gill Stadium, where Trinity of Manchester overpowered Lebanon, 52-0, in wet conditions.

Junior running back Austin Chambers scored four touchdowns for the Pioneers. He had TD runs of 26, 15 and 19 yards in the first half, and returned the second-half kickoff 89 yards for his fourth score.

“He's a very, very good player,” Trinity coach Steve Burns said. “Chambers plays bigger than his is. He only weighs 165 pounds soaking wet on a night like tonight, but he likes to hit. He's a very good blocker, and he does have a wiggle. He can break some ankles, and he can turn it on.”

Senior running back Romeo Masuku scored two touchdowns for Trinity, which also received a 4-yard touchdown run from junior quarterback Carmen Giampetruzzi. Masuku's TDs came on runs of 68 and 13 yards.

Senior fullback Ryan Carrier ran for three two-point conversions.

Trinity led 24-0 after one quarter and 45-0 at halftime. The Pioneers averaged 11.6 yards per play in the first two quarters. Running time was used throughout the second half, when very few starters saw significant playing time.

“I wish we gave people a better game to watch, but I'm not sure what you do in a situation like this,” Lebanon coach Chris Childs said. “They are a big, strong football team. They probably had us by 60 or 70 pounds per man in some places.”

The victory raised Trinity's Division IV record to 4-1. The Pioneers, last year's Division IV champion, have scored at least 49 points in each of their victories, and have outscored their five opponents 232-72.

Lebanon dropped to 1-4. The Raiders were also shut out by Kennett last weekend (7-0).

Lebanon had minus-3 yards of offense in the first half, when its only first down came via a Trinity penalty. The Raiders didn't pick up another first down until 5:09 remained in the game.

“The defense rose up,” Burns said. “The defense came to play as a unit.”

Trinity collected the only points it needed when Giampetruzzi scored with 8:28 left in the first quarter. Masuku and Chambers each added a TD before the quarter ended.

Masuku's second TD came with 9:03 remaining in the second. Then Chambers scored with 5:31 left in the half, and again with 2:08 on the clock.

“It was their homecoming and the kids came out and played hard,” Burns said. “We've been working on some stuff since that Plymouth game (a 36-14 loss). They want to prove something. They want to prove that they're a good team.”

rbrown@unionleader.com