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By Mike Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
The Medfield and Dover-Sherborn Regional High School football teams met for the 53rd time on Thursday morning at Fisher Field for their annual Thanksgiving rivalry match.
The Warriors (7-4, 2-3) entered on the heels of consecutive victories against Medway (22-20) and Dartmouth (14-7), while the Raiders (6-5, 2-3) came in looking to finish the season with consecutive wins after a 29-20 victory against Sharon on November 13.
Behind three rushing touchdowns by junior quarterback Ryan Murray, as well as a two-touchdown performance by junior wide-out and defensive back James Wilder, the Warriors avenged last year’s 17-0 defeat in Raider country with a 34-14 win to conclude the 2019 season with three straight victories.
From left-to-right, senior captains Jimmy Cosolito (2), Luke Slavik (45), Sam Joline (1) and Cam Giunta (33) get set for the pregame coin toss.
Wilder’s first touchdown of the day, a one-handed 42-yard reception down the far sideline, gave the Warriors a 14-7 lead less than 10 seconds into the second quarter. The catch later made it to the No. 5 spot of the top-10 plays of the day on ESPN’s SportsCenter. Murray’s second rushing touchdown of the day with 7:00 remaining in the half gave Medfield a 21-7 lead at halftime.
The game remained 21-7, Medfield, until there was 1:53 to play in the third quarter, when Murray rushed in his third score of the day, this time from 13 yards; the junior dove and stretched the ball across the pylon to put the Warriors ahead by three scores. On the final play of the third quarter, Wilder picked off DS quarterback Kirby Ryan and returned it 42 yards for a game-clinching pick-six, giving Medfield a commanding 34-7 lead headed to the fourth.
Johnny Bennett cut the deficit to 34-14 for the Raiders with 5:19 remaining on a three-yard touchdown connection with quarterback Grady Russo. However, the damage done by Murray and Wilder was too much for DS to overcome. Medfield hung on for the 34-14 victory. The win improves Medfield football to 27-21-4 all-time against Dover-Sherborn on Thanksgiving.
For funny and incisive sports analysis, follow Mike Flanagan on his personal Twitter and Instagram @fLAno0.
