The Dover-Sherborn football team ended the season on a high note, showcasing strong team play and resilience. After struggling through the first seven games of the season, the Raiders entered their November 14th matchup against the Wareham Vikings with high expectations. The team had recently won back-to-back games against Millis and Southeastern Regional High School, and their confidence was building. Wareham received the opening kickoff and quickly marched down the field behind their dynamic quarterback and running back tandem. The Vikings capped off their drive with a touchdown and successfully converted the 2-point conversion. However, the lead lasted just three plays. Senior captain Sam Zagorianakos broke off a 9-yard run before senior quarterback Ronan Sullivan threw a perfect 45-yard touchdown strike to junior Teddy Oleyer. The offensive line, featuring seniors Ethan Tai-Lugo and Ian Watson, junior James Stefanelli, and sophomores Cash Baer and Dylan Daly, gave Sullivan all the time he needed to make the throw. Sullivan and Oleyer connected again for a 2-point conversion, tying the game.
On the ensuing possession, the Raiders’ defense took over, forcing a turnover on downs thanks to strong play by senior Henry Fowler and junior Frank Robbins. On the next offensive series, Fowler had runs of 15 and 10 yards before catching a Sullivan pass for 23 yards to the 2-yard line. Zagorianakos powered through the Wareham line for a touchdown, and Stefanelli added the extra point. On the next kickoff, senior captain Bobby Olsen and sophomore Jack Bowles pressured the Vikings returner into a fumble, which was recovered by junior Charlie Barbosa. Starting at their own 43-yard line, the DS offense line dominated the next series. Sullivan threw a perfect pass to Oleyer for 30 yards, setting up Stefanelli for a 37-yard field goal that would have been good from 50. The defensive line then stood strong, forcing a Vikings 3-and-out. After Barbosa drew a pass interference call, Fowler caught another Sullivan pass for 20 yards, then scored on a 10-yard jet sweep. DS led 25-8 at the half.
Both teams turned the ball over on downs to start the second half before a DS punt. However, on the next play, Oleyer intercepted a Vikings pass and ran it into the end zone for a Raiders pick-six. Both teams played tough defense for the remainder of the third quarter and into the fourth. After a strong punt return by Olsen, senior running back Malachi Price caught a screen pass from a scrambling Sullivan and ran through the entire Wareham defense for a 40-yard touchdown. The final score was DS 38, Wareham 8.
Next up was the annual "Chicken Bowl," where the Junior Varsity DS Raiders faced off against rival Medfield JV Warriors in what is always an exciting matchup. The Raiders were led by quarterback Donald Alphas, who completed 7 of 8 passing attempts and ran for a touchdown. Mason Costanzo had two rushing touchdowns, and Owen Warner added another as DS dominated the game, winning by a wide margin. Standout wide receiver John Fielding was double-covered on nearly every offensive snap but still made an impact, catching multiple passes from Alphas. Other standout performances came from Harry Johnston, Joel Sterling, Colin Paddock, and Fletcher Kimball. Two plays stood out as the plays of the game: Alphas lowering his shoulder and taking on the entire Medfield defensive line to score a touchdown, and Costanzo kicking and then hustling to recover the onsides kick himself.
The 58th annual Thanksgiving Day rivalry game between DS and Medfield was always going to be a challenge, as Medfield went undefeated in the regular season and advanced to the second round of the state tournament. The Raiders, still in the midst of a rebuilding season, struggled to contain the Warriors on defense and had difficulty sustaining offensive drives. However, DS began to find some rhythm in the third quarter with a pair of 20-yard runs by Olsen. The Raiders finally broke through in the fourth quarter when Sullivan connected with Oleyer for a 20-yard touchdown. Sullivan then completed a two-point conversion with a QB keeper. At the end of the day, the Warriors maintained control of the Turkey Day Trophy for the third year in a row, with the final score being Medfield 48, DS 8.
After the game, the customary post-game handshake took place followed by a brief ceremony where the Thanksgiving Day player of the game awards were handed out. The Dover-Sherborn recipients were both very worthy with Ronan Sullivan winning the offense player of the game and Sam Zagorianakos winning the defensive player of the game. The Medfield recipients were Brady McCormack and John O’Connell respectively. After the awards ceremony, the seniors stayed on the field and shared their final moments as high school football players with family and teammates. It was also a time for DS graduates to dig out their old varsity jackets and to catch up with each other, the coaches and current players. Congratulations to ALL the Dover-Sherborn seniors and their families, including Ethan Tai-Lugo, Henry Fowler, Mike Zampini, Dos Pang, Malachi Price, Ian Watson, Ronan Sullivan, Sam Zagorianakos, and Bobby Olsen.
