By Josh Perry || HockomockSports.com Managing Editor
FOXBORO, Mass. – The last time Ryan Bannon was on the field at Gillette Stadium, he was a freshman water boy, cheering his brother Tyler in a state title game defeat to Marblehead. Three years later, he returned as the Davenport division MVP and the centerpiece of a formidable North Attleboro running game.
This time, he would leave the field a state champion.
Bannon (20 carries, 85 yards) scored three touchdowns and North Attleboro (11-2) out-gained rival Mansfield 238-26 on the ground, rolling to a 35-0 victory in Friday night’s Div. 3 Super Bowl. North swept the season series with the Hornets (including a 14-10 win at the end of October) and clinched the program’s first state championship since 2002.
“I was a key player on the sideline last time,” Bannon joked about his freshman experience. “Now, it just feels amazing to win the game and be one of the key players and leading my team.”
North coach Mike Strachan, who also played for the Rocketeers, added, “Our kids talked about finishing plays and finishing the season the right way. I give all the credit to them.”
In a game between rivals with strong defenses, the team that got the first lead and the opportunity to play from in front was going to have a massive edge. North wasted no time grabbing the breakthrough. On Mansfield’s third play from scrimmage, Patrick Hamilton ripped the ball loose and Nathan Rivera pounced to give the Rocketeers the ball at the Hornets 38.
Just seven plays later, North was in the end zone. Senior Chase Frisoli (13 carries, 71 yards) got things started with 12 yards over a pair of rushes. Facing fourth and one, Bannon burst through the center of the line, spinning his way down to the five. On the next snap, Frisoli followed Bannon to the right side and dove in for six. The extra point was blocked.
“We’ve kind of leaned on them all year long and they’ve done a great job,” Strachan said about his defensive front. “I think it speaks to the preparation that these guys put in every day and we got better as the year went on for sure.”
Mansfield (9-4) tried to answer on its next possession. Tommy Vallett (8-of-19, 93 yards) connected with fellow junior Andrew DeGirolamo (five catches, 79 yards) for 35 yards down to the North 23. After the Hornets were backed up five yards, the North secondary locked down and forced three incompletions and a turnover on downs.
The Hornets started well on the next possession too, as Vallett again hit DeGirolamo, this time for 14 to midfield. A holding call backed Mansfield up and Bryce Kiser made a nice play to breakup a pass and the North defense perfectly read a screen play resulting in Reid Clemente sacking Vallett back at his own 39.
North got the ball back at the 25 and went on a nine-play, 75-yard drive to go up by two scores. Frisoli patiently waited for a seam and gained 19 to the 47. Bannon then gained 16 yards on three carries. Frisoli went play action and hit Kiser down the right sideline for 33. Bannon would put the finishing touches on the drive when he bulldozed his way into the end zone from the 10. Frisoli added the two-point conversion for a 14-0 lead.
Mansfield had a shot at the end zone on the final play of the half, but Bannon was there to bat the pass down.
“We just never got in sync,” said Mansfield coach Mike Redding. “They defer, we get the ball and instead of driving, you’re down 6-0. Then we settled down a little bit but they get the big pass play. Down 6-0 at the half, we’re okay but now it’s 14-0 and they get the ball to start the second half.”
The Rocketeers got the ball coming out of halftime and added to the lead. Facing third and eight from his own 30, Frisoli rolled out to his left and, with Ramari Fernandes bearing down on him, managed to fire a strike to Lucas Crovo, who hauled in a 46-yard completion. Bannon moved the chains on third and short, Frisoli gained 10 more to set up first and goal, and Bannon finished off the drive with a one-yard dive.
After a pass interference call gave the Hornets a first down at the 48, Bannon stopped Sean McCoy (eight carries, 21 yards) for no gain. Brady Paradis then read a throwback pass from Gio Scarpellini to Vallett and stopped that for a loss of four. On fourth and 14, Vallett lined up to punt before rolling to his right and trying to find Gabe McIntyre coming across the defense. The pass fell incomplete and North took over in Mansfield territory.
Frankie Strachan (seven carries, 60 yards) gained 24 with an inside handoff and Paradis took the ball around the left edge for 16 more. On the third play, Strachan powered his way up the middle for a 4-yard touchdown. Frisoli found Kiser for the two-point conversion and a 28-0 lead with 2:06 left in the third.
Redding admitted, “Bottom line, we were just physically overmatched. Tonight, they had too many big bodies up front and then they’ve got Strachan and Bannon lead blocking. It’s a lot of size, strength, and athletic kids coming downhill. They’re the best team in the division and they proved it tonight.”
North would get another possession and the chance to run out the clock. Bannon would put the finishing touches on the night and on the championship by diving in from the one with his third score. Austin Clemente tacked on the extra point and the North celebrations were well underway.
“It means everything for the team,” Bannon explained. “Since December [last year], 6:30 in the morning we go work out. We knew this was our year. We had the best senior class in a long time and there’s no better feeling than ending it like this.”
Strachan remarked, “I can’t even tell you [how it feels]. For me, to be able to do it at North Attleboro with these kids and these seniors and these captains was just awesome. I’m just super proud of them.”
