The Sailors are coming off an exhilarating 27-24 win against the #2 seed Holliston High School on their turf on Friday, November 10th. There were plenty of standouts on both sides of the ball: junior wide receiver and safety Lawson Foley had five catches for 205 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception; senior quarterback Jackson Belsan threw for 360 yards and four touchdowns; senior wide receiver, safety, and kicker Sam Allard and senior wide receiver Charlie Hartwell each added a touchdown of their own to cap off the Sailors’ offensive attack. On the other side of the ball, senior captain defensive tackle Edson Andrade made a considerable tackle late in the game on 4th and 1 to stop Holliston’s threatening offense. Additionally, junior running back and safety Willy Robinson made a huge sack in the 4th quarter to stall Holliston’s drive and keep the Sailors alive.
The Final Four game will be against Grafton High School on Mansfield High School’s turf, a neutral site. Grafton, the #6 seed, runs a tight “ground-and-pound” offense, with practically every play being a run. #20 is their primary option when handing the ball off. They run a precise offense and are well-coached, so the Sailors must be on their “A game” to take another trip to the state championship game.
When interviewed, senior defensive back Maxwell “Donnie” Carr stated, “I can’t wait for the game. That’s all I can think about–I think I even had a dream about it last night. Just know that come Friday–I will be fired up!”
Carr is not alone in this excitement: senior defensive back Lachlan Steinmeier shared a similar sentiment: “I love this team, and I can’t wait to get out on the field on Friday.” When asked about the importance of support from the fans, Steinmeier exclaimed, “We need fans there– they provide additional energy that sometimes we need throughout the game. It’s also great being able to play in front of our own community.” Senior captain Colton Downing emphasized the importance of fans at the games, stating, “There is nothing better than playing in front of a big crowd filled with friends and family from your hometown–especially in a game as big as this one.”
The boys need all the support of the Scituate community in Mansfield on Friday, November 17th. This year, the SHS athletic department will provide a fan bus for all students to journey together. A win in this game means a straight shot to Gillette Stadium, where the boys would make their third trip in six years and face either Duxbury or Tewksbury in a battle for the Division 4 state championship and end their season in the best way–victorious.