Eagles and Huskies prepare for Thanksgiving Day game

Barrington will host 25th annual game

BY MANUEL C. “MANNY” CORREIRA
Posted 11/22/17

With so much pride and glory riding on the line 10 o’clock Thursday morning, both the Barrington and Mt. Hope high school football teams will put their Thanksgiving Day meal plans on hold until …

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Eagles and Huskies prepare for Thanksgiving Day game

Barrington will host 25th annual game

Posted

With so much pride and glory riding on the line 10 o’clock Thursday morning, both the Barrington and Mt. Hope high school football teams will put their Thanksgiving Day meal plans on hold until the final whistle blows at the Eagles’ Victory Field. 

This will be the 25th anniversary game between these two cross-county rivals, with Barrington still in firm command of the series — 15 wins to 9. However, Mt. Hope is riding a two-game winning streak, including last year’s thrilling 20-19 victory at the Huskies’ Dietz Field.

With the regular season out of the way, both the Eagles and Huskies can totally concentrate on the non-conference battle. It’ll be “Senior Day” for those graduating Eagles players and that will undoubtedly give them added incentive.

Coming into tomorrow’s game, both teams are pretty evenly matched. Sandy Gorham’s Eagles improved throughout the course of the season, while T.J. DelSanto’s Huskies were as competitive as ever. Thanksgiving Day will offer the Eagles and Huskies a chance to end the season on a winning note. The bottom line is, this latest Turkey Day clash means everything to all those involved.

“We’ve gotten better this year,” said Coach Gorham. “We had two good wins over Cumberland and St. Raphael. We’re beginning to find ways to win games.”

Offensively, the Eagles have been spearheaded by the play of senior running back Dante Augustine, who is lightning quick and can score from anywhere on the field.

“He’s emerged as a big-play runner,” said Coach Gorham. “He’s really been a force.”

The same can be said of running mate Sam Read, another senior who has come on strong from his fullback position.

“Sam has been terrific,” said the coach. “He’s been a real inside presence.”

The Eagles finished in third place in Division I-B this year and made noticeable improvement as the season progressed. Barrington earned a postseason berth, and played Portsmouth tough before losing 15-0. Coach Gorham said their confidence grew with each passing game.

“Now these kids believe they can win,” he stated.

Senior quarterback Liam McManus has run the Eagles option offense with plenty of confidence. He’s a threat to run or pass and has kept opposing defenses on their toes.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Eagles have performed admirably, led by junior defensive tackle Zach Newburg.

“He’s quick, strong and aggressive,” said the coach, “and possesses the same qualities as senior Nate Singer, who’s the quarterback of the defense.”

“Ryan Brady, another senior, is also a very smart player who has gotten the most out of his ability,” Coach Gorham added. “He’s worked very hard this season.”

The Eagles came into last year’s Thanksgiving Day game as an underdog, but Barrington made Mt. Hope sweat it out before losing by a single point. This year, the Blue & Gold have home field advantage and hope to return to the win column.

“I think we can beat them,” said Coach Gorham in a cautious tone, “but I’m not saying that we will. It should be another great game.”

Coach Gorham totally understands what his team has gone through the last couple of years, but insists that the future is bright.

“The team has taken it on the chin in recent years,” he explained, "but they’ve responded to the challenge. Their loyalty and commitment to the program has never been in question. They’ve always stayed together and worked extremely hard.”

Mt. Hope High School will come to town looking for its third consecutive Turkey Day victory. Coach Gorham knows it’ll be a battle to the finish.

“T.J. does a great job with that team,” he said. “They’ve had some great wins this year. I expect a similar game like last year.”

Both the Eagles and Huskies figure to prosper over the next few years, thanks to an influx of some outstanding freshman talent, including Coach Gorham’s own son, Luke Gorham, who could be an integral part of the Barrington program next season.

T.J. DelSanto likes his chances against the Eagles.

“We’d love to make it three in a row against them,” he noted. “Our kids will be ready.”

“We played our three best games at the end of the year, even though we lost,” said the coach. “North Kingstown, Shea, and Moses Brown in the playoffs, were tough, but I thought my team played as well as they could. I feel encouraged and excited coming into the Barrington game.”

Like most other teams in the league, Mt. Hope had its share of injuries this season, most notably, junior defensive lineman Kyle Dias (who has since returned) and star running back Josh Pompey, who broke his leg five weeks ago and was lost for the season.

However, Coach DelSanto was surprised to see junior running back Dylan Martins fill the bill so promptly when Pompey went down.

“He took Pompey’s spot and has been lights-out ever since,” he said. “Dylan had 140-plus yards rushing in games against Moses Brown and Classical and has been simply outstanding. He’s done a great job for us.”

DelSanto also praises his offensive line and calls them “talented and smart.”

“Senior captain Caden Cabral, and senior Aaron Meyers have been exceptional,” he said. “In my estimation, Aaron is the best lineman in the state, pound for pound. Seniors Keith Stephenson and Connor McKenna, and junior Michael Trexler have also been solid. This whole group has been awesome.”

In senior captain Max Moskala, the Huskies have a player who has succeeded in several areas, most notably, slot receiver, kick returner, and defensive back.

“Max has helped lead our offense,” said the coach, “and he’s been equally effective as a cover guy on defense.”

Although Mt. Hope doesn’t rely much on the passing game, they do have an efficient quarterback in senior Matt DeFelice, who is coming off a 15-for-34, 193-yard, three-touchdown passing performance against Moses Brown.

On defense, look for middle linebacker Caden Cabral to help set the tone. He registered more than 100 tackles this season, and had three interceptions, two blocked kicks, and a fumble recovery during the course of the campaign.

Also starring on defense, are senior defensive end Alex Tainsh and promising sophomore defensive end Jalen Kopecky, whose had two interceptions, including one for a touchdown.

Kicking chores for the Huskies are handled by junior Zachery Da Costa, whom the coach claims is consistent in kicking extra points.

“I feel good about our teams,” said Coach DelSanto in conclusion. “Our whole staff was encouraged by the way we played against Moses Brown. Hopefully, we can carry it over on Thanksgiving Day. We want to finish in a positive way.”

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