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You are here: Home / Archives for College Commitment

Brett Holmes signs with Colby College

February 8, 2018 By Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

Brett Holmes hauls in a pass against Silver Lake. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Brett Holmes will play football at Colby College next season.


Whitman-Hanson Regional High senior Brett Holmes has committed to play football at Colby College.

Holmes, who has only received two B’s throughout high school and is a member of the Business Honor Society, said the choice came down to finding a school that would challenge himself academically and set him up for a bright future.

“When I went to other schools, they tended to focus on Brett Holmes as a football player, and how they will make me a better football player,” Holmes said. “When I went to Colby, they emphasized making me a better man as well as a better football player.

“They want to make their players better people and players, rather than just a good football player, and they do so by requiring players to do community service, and mandatory academic sessions.”

The 5-foot-10, 160-pound Holmes was a three-year starter at cornerback and a two-year starter at wide receiver for W-H.

This past season, Holmes, who served as a captain, was a ball hawk on defense, intercepting a team-leading four passes. He also ranked third on the Panthers with 59 total tackles. On offense, Holmes tied for first on the team with 23 receptions and led W-H with 306 receiving yards and five touchdowns.

W-H football head coach Mike Driscoll, who also coaches Holmes on the boys’ indoor and outdoor track teams, lauded his leadership.

“Brett was an amazing leader, he does everything right off and on the field,” Driscoll said of Holmes, who was the Panthers’ Patriot League Scholar-Athlete recipient. “His hard work rubbed off on the other players and he showed the younger guys that hard work pays off. Colby is getting an amazing-student athlete, with first-class speed, a work ethic that is second to none and a winner.”

Holmes, who was a league all-star this past season, said his most memorable game as a Panther was his final at Dennis M. O’Brien Field – a 21-14 victory over Marshfield on Nov. 10. He hauled in three passes for 64 yards and a touchdown and came away with an interception in that one.

“Marshfield was fun because it was my last game on the field I had been playing on my entire life, and we were playing a top program that honestly thought they were going [to] roll us,” Holmes said. “Everybody on the team played great, and it was just a fun experience to be playing on that field with my friends for the last time. The sub-20-degree wind chill wasn’t too fun though.”

Holmes said the main lesson he learned during his tenure at W-H that he hopes to carry over to the collegiate level is just hard work.

“W-H taught [me] that you have to work for whatever you want, on the field, off the field, anything, you have to go and work for it,” he said.

Colby, which competes in the New England Small College Athletic Conference of NCAA Division III, finished 1-8 last season.

“Right now, I’d be quite the undersized defensive back, but if I can put on some muscle it’ll help,” Holmes said. “I expect to succeed by just doing whatever the coaches ask me to do.”

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: 2017-18 Coverage, Brett Holmes, Colby College, Colby College Football, College Commitment, Mike Driscoll, Sports, Whitman-Hanson Regional High, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Football

Holland commits to Trinity College

January 18, 2018 By Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

Rilley Holland (center) readies to snap the ball during the Panthers’ game against Barnstable. / Photo by: Sue Moss

During Riley Holland’s four seasons on the offensive line, the Panthers’ rushing attack saw an immense amount of success — accumulating 9,339 yards and 102 touchdowns.


Whitman-Hanson Regional High senior Riley Holland has committed to play football at Trinity College.

“I looked at what school is going to give me the best chance to get a good degree, mixed with the best chance to play high-competitive football and Trinity fit both perfectly for me,” Holland said.

The 6-foot-2, 285-pound Holland was a four-year starter on W-H’s offensive line. He spent his first two seasons at left tackle, before shifting over to center, where he was tabbed a two-time Enterprise All-Scholastic. This past Thanksgiving, Holland set a school record with his 44th consecutive start.

During his four seasons on the offensive line, the Panthers’ rushing attack saw an immense amount of success — accumulating 9,339 yards and 102 touchdowns.

On the defensive side of the ball, Holland, who manned a post on the defensive line since his sophomore campaign, totaled 144 tackles and 4.0 sacks over his high school career. Holland, a captain this past season, is also a two-time Patriot League Keenan Division All-Star on the gridiron.

W-H football head coach Mike Driscoll, who just concluded his seventh season at the helm of the program, said Holland is the best all-around lineman he has ever coached.

“Riley brought a toughness to the offensive line and an overall understanding of the scheme [which] was huge on game days,” Driscoll said. “Riley will get to work right away for Trinity and it will not surprise me if he starts next year, he will help them big time.”

At Trinity, Holland will be reunited with former W-H trench-mate Matt Evans, whom he spent two years with on the Panthers’ offensive line.

“Knowing someone there and being able to talk to him about the school and the chances you get was definitely something that I enjoyed throughout the process,” Holland said.

Holland said his best moment playing for W-H, which boasted a 25-19 record during his time there, was on Thanksgiving of his junior season, when the Panthers came roaring back from a three-touchdown deficit to defeat Abington, 29-28.

“Being down 21-0 and coming back to win that game, that was huge,” Holland said.

Trinity, which competes in the New England Small College Athletic Conference of NCAA Division III, finished 8-1 last season.

“I just want to go into camp next summer and compete as early as I can,” Holland said.

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: 2017-18 Coverage, College Commitment, Mike Driscoll, Riley Holland, Sports, Trinity College, Trinity College Football, Whitman-Hanson Regional High, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Football

Matt Evans commits to Trinity College, football team

May 26, 2016 By Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

Matt Evans will play football at Trinity College next year.


Hardworking, tough, and intelligent is how Whitman-Hanson Regional High senior Matt Evans describes his uncle, now he gets the chance to follow in his footsteps on the gridiron.

It’s not often that a child gets to turn on the television and say, “Hey, there is my uncle”. But, for Evans that was the case.

Throughout his childhood, Evans grew up admiring his uncle Matt Tower. Tower stared on the Boston College Eagles from 1998-2001.

“I was just a little kid watching him, but I thought it was the coolest thing ever,” Evans said. “That’s probably where I first fell in love with the game and I owe him that.”

Now, the 6-foot-3 Evans will be making his own mark at the next level, after announcing his commitment to play football at Trinity College in the fall. Evans, a three-year varsity player, contributed on both ends of the ball as a center and defensive end for the Panthers.

“Trinity is a good fit for me because college is supposed to set you up for a good career for the rest of your life and I believe Trinity will do just that,” Evans said.

Evans, a Whitman resident, has amassed some incredible feats during his time at Whitman-Hanson. Evans has been tabbed a WATD Player of the Week, an Enterprise All-Scholastic, been a part of the boys’ basketball team’s record-setting run, and will compete in the Shriners All-Star Football Classic.

Evans said his proudest moment on the field for the Panthers came during their 41-12 win over rival Abington, their first win over the Green Wave since 2011.

“The turkey that day seemed just a little bit better than usual,” Evans said. “I had a crowd of 15-20 family members cheering me on so that goes to show the support from them.”

Whitman-Hanson Regional High football head coach Mike Driscoll said he hopes one key aspect of Evans’ daily grind rubs off on his younger players heading into next season.

“Hard work in the offseason leads to results on the field,” Driscoll said.

As he prepares for the fall, Evans said he isn’t doing anything out of the ordinary and is just following his routine that has gotten him to this point.

“I’ve just been continuing to go to the gym and workout for next season to prep my body for college football,” Evans said.

Evans added he couldn’t have gotten to this point without guidance from many important people.

“I just want to thank my coaches, my teammates, and of course my parents for supporting me playing football and giving me memories that will last forever,” he said. 

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: 2015-16 Coverage, College Commitment, Matt Evans, Mike Driscoll, Sports, Trinity College, Trinity College Football, Whitman-Hanson Regional High, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Football

Coletti runs to West Point

February 11, 2016 By Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

Samantha Colleti will run at Army West Point next season. The Whitman-Hanson Regional High senior is a heralded runner.


One local Hanson resident is taking her talents to the collegiate level by a different route.

Samantha Coletti has officially received her appointment from the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.

Coletti, a senior at Whitman-Hanson Regional High, first showed interest in attending the United States Military Academy before the school year began. Coletti reached out to the track coach about it via email over the summer, and said she was thrilled when she heard the news that she was accepted.

“I remember running downstairs in excitement after getting a call from [the track coach] a few days later,” Coletti said.

W-H girls’ indoor trach head coach, Steve George, said Coletti is the type of athlete coaches dream of having. Screen Shot 2018-01-14 at 11.00.13 AM

“Samantha is one of those student-athletes that comes along rarely, if ever, for most coaches,” George said. “I was aware of Samantha when she was in middle school, but didn’t have the opportunity to work with her until two years ago when I got the Whitman-Hanson coaching position. I kidded one of Samantha’s neighbors while I was still coaching at Notre Dame Academy in Hingham that I would be happy to pay Samantha’s tuition if she would transfer to NDA.”

Coletti said she has been running for about nine years, with four at the high school level. Her list of achievements while running for Whitman-Hanson Regional High Schoolis immense.

“My biggest accomplishments so far have been being the first Whitman-Hanson girl to win two state titles in one day,” Coletti said. “I won the MIAA Division 3 indoor mile and the MIAA Division 3 1,000-meter races.”

George said Coletti’s success stems from her passion and dedication to running.

“She is physically gifted, mentally tough, and follows our training platform to perfection, but running for her is not drudgery as it is for some,” George said. “It is what she enjoys doing. Loving your work makes it easier to succeed.”

Coletti said she has gained a wealth of knowledge over her time in high school.

“What I’ve learned at Whitman-Hanson is how important team is,” Coletti said. “You can’t do anything by yourself. On the track team, everyone is important.”

Coletti is a year-round competitor. She ran cross country in the fall, is running indoor track this winter and will run outdoor track in the spring.

As for the next level, Coletti said she is most excited to be a part of the traditions at West Point and to build strong relationships with her fellow cadets and eventually become a leader in the Army.

When Coletti isn’t running, she said she has an interest in art and an eagerness to spend time with friends andfamily. There is one more message that she would like to convey to everyone who made this opportunity come true.

There is one more message that she would like to convey to everyone who made this opportunity come true.

“I want to say thank you to anyone who has supported me,” Coletti said. “My family, coach, friends and teachers, I really appreciate everything you have done for me.”

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: 2015-16 Coverage, Army West Point, Army West Point Women's Cross Country, Army West Point Women's Track and Field, College Commitment, Samantha Coletti, Sports, Steve George, Whitman-Hanson Regional High, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Cross Country, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Girls' Indoor Track, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Girls' Outdoor Track

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