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Football

Deerfield Day Preview

by Joseph Coyne ’19Sports Published on November 9, 2017

From the outside, Varsity Football seems like a machine, programmed to annihilate every team set in their path, but this is far from the truth. The team goes through ups and downs, just like any other team, and it works hard everyday to become a cohesive group. While their ups and downs are much less noticeable than most teams, they are still there, behind their facade of perfection.

Since their first game of the season, a tough, grind-it-out 49-27 win over St. Thomas More, the team has been riding a big high. The main reason for this extended high has been their ability to come together as a family. This was something Caden Dumas ’18 noticed this season. He said, “This is my second year at Choate. In my three years I was at my old school, there wasn’t really that camaraderie, so it’s nice to have that here. Last year it was brand new to me, and I still felt the strong camaraderie, but this year, it has grown exponentially stronger just because of the way we fit together.”

As for how that camaraderie has helped the team this year, Johnny Wu ’19 explained, “You can always trust the teammate next to you. We are a family. We can count on each other, and when you can rely on the person next to you, it makes it fun to play.” While the community feeling may stem from upperclassmen, it has definitely reached the younger members of the team.

Co-captain Peter Fitzgerald ’18 said, “Even when those young players aren’t on the field, they do a great job on the sidelines, cheering on their teammates. That’s a big thing for us. The coaching staff always teaches us that everyone a key component to the team. It doesn’t matter if you’re making the game winning tackle or on the sideline cheering for the game winning tackle; everyone is involved.” Although it seems like no one in New England can touch Varsity Football, the team is prepared for some tough tests down the stretch of this season, culminating in a huge matchup against Deerfield who is much improved after last season. Deerfield has only one loss so far this year; it was by ten points to Suffield Academy, who Choate beat 51-7. While their matchups against similar competition bode well for the Boars, Deerfield will still pose a challenge.

Fitzgerald said of Deerfield’s team this year, “Deerfield is a powerhouse this year. In the offseason, they recruited 13 PGs. We have a lot, but it’s still only eight, and that five PG difference is a big deal. PGs are usually 19 or 20 years old where most of our seniors are 18. They play faster and stronger, and they are more mature. And Deerfield has 13 of them. You only have 11 players on the field at once, so if all 11 of their players on the field are PGs, it will be difficult, especially for underclassmen. The underclassmen could be 14, 15, or 16, and they’re going against people much older, bigger, and stronger. It can definitely be intimidating.”

Because of the number of PGs Deerfield can play with, Choate is going to have to rely even more heavily on seniors and PGs as well as some of its juniors, like Clay Zachery ’19 and Daryan McDonald ’19, who have stood out for the team all year. The game will surely be an emotional battle for Choate, as they will be tested on the field, but also tested by the knowledge that it’s the last regular season game for the seniors.

On what the game means to him, Wu explained, “For me, it’s all about the team and the family atmosphere, and getting to play one more game with my team means everything.” Hopefully the team can stick together and end this amazing season with a win at Deerfield and another New England Championship in a few weeks.