Charlie Breitrose
Watertown receiver John Korte and the seniors ended a successful football career by beating Belmont on Thursday.
Even more than most years, the end of the 2017 season has been a whirlwind for the Watertown High School football team, which capped its season with a victory over Belmont on Thanksgiving.
Watertown football coach John Cacace had a chance to reflect on the season after the game, and the career of his senior class which has has reached new heights. This year the team had an extra game, just six days before the Raiders’ rivalry game.
“Its just been a grind for us. We haven’t had a chance to sit back and relax and take it all in,” Cacace said. “It didn’t dawn on me until Tuesday that the seniors only had two days left in their careers. It’s just been go, go, go – survive and advance.”
Survive and advance is exactly what Watertown did, all the way until the team was one win away from a trip to Gillette Stadium for the High School Super Bowl. Last Friday, the Raiders took on Dennis-Yarmouth in the MIAA Div. 5 Eastern Mass final, but fell 41-3.
Despite the loss, the Raiders seniors finished with a very successful career, Cacace said.
“It’s a great group. They made three sectional final appearances, won one sectional title, winning on Thanksgiving throughout their career,” Cacace said. “Tremendous accomplishments by this group.”
The Raiders also won a Middlesex League Freedom Division title in 2016.
Charlie Breitrose
Running back Matt Mulgrew, along with members of the Raiders offensive line helped Watertown break new barriers during their senior year.
He added good fortune was not the reason that the Raiders reached those heights.
“It’s great to see and I hope people realize all these accomplishments don’t just happen,” Cacace said. “It’s because we have a group of kids that works so, so hard. It’s tremendous to coach these guys.”
Watertown loses some key players, including receiver John Korte; captains Matt Muldrew (running back/linebacker), Ben Landry (tackle, defensive end) and Jake Matton (tackle/defensive tackle); and kicker and receiver Conor Kennelly. Two other members of what Cacace called the “strongest, most experienced and toughest offensive line” he has had at Watertown will graduate – center James Walter and guard Joseph Chau.
The cupboards certainly won’t be bare. The Raiders will return some talented players, including quarterback Nick McDermott, running back Mange Camara, receiver Yoseph Hamad.