{"id":46858,"date":"2023-11-09T15:03:01","date_gmt":"2023-11-09T15:03:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thelandmark.com\/?p=46858"},"modified":"2023-11-09T15:03:01","modified_gmt":"2023-11-09T15:03:01","slug":"wachusett-youth-football-ends-memorable-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/devcherryroad.com\/news2\/2023\/11\/09\/wachusett-youth-football-ends-memorable-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Wachusett Youth Football ends memorable season"},"content":{"rendered":"
By Danielle Ray<\/em>
\nLandmark Correspondent<\/em><\/div>\n

Although they did not end up with a state championship win this past Sunday, the Wachusett Youth Football 12U team has secured its place in local sports history.<\/p>\n

The team of 36 athletes won the 12U Central Mass Youth Football and Cheerleading Conference (CMYFCC) Super Bowl on Oct. 29 for the first time ever, a triumph that head coach Jim Henrickson and team mom Leah Leahy said gave them a season from which they \u201cemerged victorious.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMany of these boys have been honing their skills together for years, fostering a camaraderie that has become the driving force behind their success,\u201d said Henrickson, who is in his third year coaching the team and has 20 years’ coaching experience. \u201cI’ve never witnessed a group of friends and teammates so tightly knit.\u201d<\/p>\n

The duo recalled in detail the stellar season the team worked so hard to achieve. Henrickson and Leahy said the young men began their season in July with an intensive conditioning camp four nights a week, which culminated in an end-of-summer jamboree \u201cwhere they could showcase their new team.\u201d<\/p>\n

The team coaches were Henrickson, Tim O’Connor, Stephen Lorusso, Manny Jardim and Jacob Barr.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnder the leadership of team captains Billy Henrickson, Declan O’Connor, Hunter Leahy, and Alex Jardim, the team forged a bond that proved unbreakable on the field,\u201d they shared.<\/p>\n

Heading into the playoffs with a 5-3 record, the Wachusett football team faced the daunting challenge of going up against Leominster at their home field for the Super Bowl matchup. Memories of a heartbreaking loss last year fueled their determination, marking this game as a redemption opportunity for many.<\/p>\n

The first quarter saw a deadlock at 0-0. However, by halftime, Wachusett took an 8-6 lead courtesy of Nico Panechelli’s touchdown and Carter Cappello\u2019s flawless 2-point kick. The boys proved they were ready for a comeback.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of pressure as the kicker, especially when you\u2019re playing in the Super Bowl but with the help of my coaches and teammates, I was able to make it happen,\u201d said Carter, a 12-year-old Holden 7th grader.<\/p>\n

Matthew Joshua David Fiske Jr. secured three touchdowns as his team blocked opponents down the field, demonstrating the group\u2019s resilience and skill. Carter continued to shine, contributing crucial field goals that added to the scoreboard. When that final whistle blew that last Sunday in October, the Wachusett team emerged with a 36-12 victory.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery game, these kids amaze me with their hidden talents, and each week we\u2019re seeing a different player step up, selflessly contributing to our collective success,\u201d Henrickson said.<\/p>\n

For the Wachusett 12U team, the Super Bowl win was not just a culmination of a successful season; it was a testament to their perseverance, teamwork and brotherhood.<\/p>\n

Then the stage was set for them to play one of the state\u2019s toughest teams, the Lynn Rams, on Nov. 5.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe played a really good team (in the Super Bowl), but we worked together and were able to get the win,\u201d said 12-year-old 7th grader Nicholas Beaudoin of Rutland last week. \u201cWe\u2019re ready to do it again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to be fun,\u201d added Hunter, 12, a Holden 7th grader. \u201cWe\u2019re going in as the underdogs. It\u2019ll be an unforgettable experience, regardless of the outcome.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew, a 13-year-old 8th grader from Holden, said he \u201cwas welcomed and made to feel part of the team from day one,\u201d his first year playing on 12U. \u201cI am so proud to be part of a team that works hard together and supports each other no matter what. I am so excited we are Super Bowl champs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Holden 7th grader Crew Oliver, 12, said their team \u201cfaced many great teams this season, and with all the hard work we put in we made it to the Super Bowl and beat a great team.\u201d<\/p>\n

They took the South High Community School in Worcester field this past Sunday as the home team. And while that state championship game against the Rams did not end with the victory they wanted, the players will hold their heads high. They will always have the memories of a record-making season, their talent and determination, and the support from the Wachusett community.<\/p>\n

While this chapter has ended, the journey is not over. Wachusett 12U will always be 2023 CMYFCC Super Bowl Champions. Until next season \u2026<\/p>\n

Jim Henrickson and Leah Leahy contributed to this story. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Danielle Ray Landmark Correspondent Although they did not end up with a state championship win this past Sunday, the Wachusett Youth Football 12U team has secured its place in local sports history. The team of 36 athletes won the 12U Central Mass Youth Football and Cheerleading Conference (CMYFCC) Super Bowl on Oct. 29 for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":46860,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_gspb_post_css":"","_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46858","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/devcherryroad.com\/news2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46858","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/devcherryroad.com\/news2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/devcherryroad.com\/news2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devcherryroad.com\/news2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devcherryroad.com\/news2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46858"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/devcherryroad.com\/news2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46858\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devcherryroad.com\/news2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46860"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/devcherryroad.com\/news2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46858"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devcherryroad.com\/news2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46858"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devcherryroad.com\/news2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46858"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}