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Sweeney, Trongone anchors and leaders in the trenches

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From left, seniors Ryan Trongone and Quinn Sweeney. / Photos by: Sue Moss

Seniors Quinn Sweeney and Ryan Trongone have been playing on the line together their whole lives.

For Whitman-Hanson Regional High foot ball seniors and starting two-way linemen Quinn Sweeney and Ryan Trongone, most weeks their toughest competition doesn’t come on Friday nights. It doesn’t even come from the other team.

Every Wednesday during practice, the Panthers hold their pass rush championship. Each drill calls for one quarterback, one offensive lineman and one defensive lineman. After cycling through the rest of the team’s linemen, Trongone and Sweeney are almost a sure bet to be the last ones standing.

“Our practices are very competitive, especially on Wednesday,” head coach Mike Driscoll said. “They compete like crazy, those kids.”

Some weeks, Sweeney, who starts at right tackle and defensive end, gets the edge on Trongone. Other weeks, Trongone, who starts at left guard and defensive end, swoops under Sweeney .

“We’re pretty even with wins for that,” Trongone said. “It’s always fun to go against him.”

Said Sweeney: “We always make each other better. He works hard and gives 100 percent on every play.”

On game day, the two, who have been starting on both sides of the ball for the past two seasons, compete on the stat sheet as well.

“We’re all racing for first in sacks,” Trongone said. “The lead for sacks is a big race be tween us.”

Their work on W-H’s defense, which is surrendering under two touchdowns a game, has been eye-popping. Sweeney leads the team with 21 tackles for loss and Trongone is second with 14. In a 9-6 nail-biting win over New Bedford earlier in the season, the two brought down the opposing ball carriers behind the line of scrimmage five times.

“They’re the heart and soul of the line,” Driscoll said of Sweeney and Trongone. “Quinn has just blossomed into an incredible football player over the last two years. Ryan is just a steady kid. He has the best technique of any lineman I’ve ever coached. They’re dependable guys and come to play every day, every game. They start every game and they finish every game, and they’re just great players to have on the team.”

They’re not just reliable up front. They’re leaders there as well, always trying to find a way to bring their unit closer.

“We have a group chat with the linemen where we all go out and do fun things with each other,” Sweeney said. “We’ll go to Buffalo Wild Wings or fishing, just so we can bond with each other more and then when game time comes we know that we have each other’s back, and we know that we have this bond with each other.”

The two have been building chemistry on the offensive line since playing in Hanson Youth Football, where they won the Super Bowl as eighth graders. Sweeney was an offensive guard and nose guard and Trongone played defensive end and center.

“It’s almost instant where we can say, ‘Go get this guy,’ and the next thing you know we get a run for 10 yards,” Trongone said.

And Thanksgiving Day marks the final time these two linemen will step onto the gridiron as teammates.

“That’s gonna be rough because all the Hanson kids that played in eighth grade and a majority of them that played in high school,” Sweeney said. “I’ll never be able to play football with a group of kids like these every again.”

Said Trongone: “I’m sure by the time it comes there will be a lot of mixed emotions. Obviously the fact that we’re leaving football isn’t the greatest thing I want to leave behind but we’re doing it with the best team we’ve had.”

Playoff-bound Panthers: W-H football preps for North Attleboro on Friday

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The offensive line against Silver Lake. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The fifth-seeded W-H football team (5-2) will visit fourth-seeded North Attleboro (5-2) Friday at 7 p.m. in the first round of the Div. 3 South playoffs.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High football team will attempt to do something Friday it hasn’t done in 17 years. That’s win a playoff game.

It’s been since the 2001 Super Bowl that W-H has found itself on the winning end of a postseason tilt.

It there ever was an opportunity for the Panthers to halt that trend, it would appear this is the one. The senior-laden Panthers (5-2) earned the No. 5 seed in Div. 3 South, drawing No. 4 North Attleboro (5-2) in the process. The two will square off at 7 p.m. at North Attleboro on Friday.

The last meeting between the two teams was two years ago when the Red Rocketeers knocked the Panthers out in the first round, 33-8. Then-sophomores Mike Connors, Jacob Nixon, Ethan Phelps, Rian Schwede and Quinn Sweeney played pivotal roles on that 2016 Panthers team.

That unit then brought the Panthers back to the playoffs last season, where they were ousted in the first round by Stoughton, 30-21.

W-H head coach Mike Driscoll believes it’s time where all that experience pays off.

“I don’t think they’re going to be overwhelmed by the situation,” Driscoll said. “We’ve already played a game at North Attleboro, so that field doesn’t intimidate our kids. They know what to expect. We know when we play the Hockomock we’re going to have to strap it up, and we’re going to have to play a physical game so these kids know what it’s like.”

Driscoll said if he’s learned anything over the past three seasons, all of which featured first-round playoff exits, it’s to not blow the postseason out of proportion.

“We are going to treat it like any other game and prepare the same way we normally prepare as opposed to making a big deal about it,” the eight-year head coach said. “It’s a regular game for us right now. It’s our eighth game on the schedule. That’s the way we’ve approached every week and we’re going to continue the same approach.”

The Red Rocketeers are no stranger to the spotlight, having advanced all the way to the Div. 3 Super Bowl last season, falling just short to St. John’s (Shrewsbury), 35-33. North Attleboro, allowing just a tick under 14 points a game, owns signature victories over King Philip (14-7), Foxboro (34-0) and Canton (14-10); Bishop Feehan (23-19) and Stoughton (21-10) account for its two losses. Senior quarterback Nick Raneri (seven passing and four rushing TDs), senior running back Brendan McHugh (10 rushing TDs) and senior WR Ryan Gaumond (six receiving TDs) power North Attleboro on offense.

“They’re very similar to us,” Driscoll said. “They got a great kicker, they play great ‘D’ and they grind it out on offense.”

The Panthers, allowing just over 10 points a game, have held opponents to 13 points or less in all five of their wins. They’ve posted shutouts twice, including last week against Plymouth North in a 21-0 victory. The Eagles mustered up just 18 yards against the Panthers.

“It was a game where we had the same records (4-2) and we knew that they were physical and we wanted to be physical and we certainty dominated the line of scrimmage and dominated on defense,” Driscoll said.

With a victory Friday, W-H would face the winner of No. 8 Stoughton (3-4) at No. 1 Duxbury (7-0) in the semis.

“We feel like we got a pretty good team and we told the kids after the game the other day we feel like we can beat anybody right now, so whoever’s in our way, we’re going to give it our all,” Driscoll said.

Plays like team spirit: Rian Schwede’s versatility, unselfishness shining for W-H

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Schwede against Duxbury. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Senior captain Rian Schwede has done anything asked of him, and is flourshing in that role.

The general consensus about Whitman-Hanson Regional High senior Rian Schwede is simply stated: He’s as unselfish a player as you can ask for.

His talent blends quite well with his unselfish manner, too, and it hasn’t been more evident than over the last two weeks.

Due to an unforeseen change at quarterback early in the season, the Panthers needed a boost under center, and Schwede, who was on the receiving end of 19 passes for 300 yards and two TDs last season, stepped right in and is now sharing snaps with junior John Zeidan.

Quarterback isn’t completely foreign to Schwede, as he played it throughout youth football, but it’s never easy to accept a position change, albeit a partial one.

“I always love my receiver spot, but it was like second nature when coach told me [to play quarterback],” Schwede said.

But Schwede, who stands at 6-foot-3, isn’t just playing quarterback. He has also been been split out wide and lined up in the backfield, along with starting in the defensive backfield and on special teams and flourishing while doing so.

Over the past two weeks, Schwede’s posted five touchdowns and a two-point conversion rush, while recording an interception.

On some occasions — as in two games ago against Quincy — Schwede will see action at receiver, running back, quarterback, defensive back and placeholder all within the span of a quarter.

Senior kicker Jake O’Brien’s said Schwede’s unselfish attitude is nothing new.

“Since youth football, Rian has played a ton of different positions,” O’Brien said. “He will do anything to help the team be more successful. Rian definitely embodies the unselfish attitude that every football player should strive to have.”

Against the Presidents — a 39-0 shutout victory — Schwede found himself on the receiving end of a 30-yard TD from Zeidan, tossed an 11-yard score to classmate Jacob Nixon and rushed for a 2-yard TD.

The offensive outburst came after the Panthers were held to two touchdowns or less their previous three games.

“Rian has always been one of the leaders, that’s why he’s one of our captains,” W-H football head coach Mike Driscoll said. “He’s doing what Rian does. He’ll do whatever we ask him to do.”

Against Silver Lake last week — a 29-6 victory on senior night – Schwede fired a 57-yard TD to Nixon on a fleaflicker to open the scoring just 16 seconds in. Then, in a 2:06-span in the fourth quarter, he converted a key two-point conversion run to put the Panthers up by two-plus scores, came down with an interception and tossed a 76-yard TD to classmate Ryan Downing.

“Rian’s stepped into that role and he’s flourishing in it,” Driscoll said. “We know he’s got a cannon, and Rian’s done a great job for us.”

Schwede said the biggest adjustment has been studying all of the pages of the Panthers playbook rather than a few.

“The practices, they’ve just been kind of getting to know the whole entire offense, all the runs,” he said. “I was pretty down with all the pass routes and plays, but a majority of the runs I’ve started to learn.”

It’s on to Plymouth North (4-2, 2-2) for Schwede and the Panthers for a key, in terms of potentially hosting a playoff game, Patriot League Keenan Division battle.

“We got to have a real good week of practice and preparation and that’ll be it,” Schwede said.

Panthers shut out Presidents

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Panthers moved to 3-2 and 1-2 in the Patriot League with their first shutout since 2016 (41-0 vs. Quincy).

Whitman-Hanson Regional High football head coach Mike Driscoll couldn’t have asked for much more out of his team than he received Friday evening.

The Panthers stymied the Presidents offense, forcing them into five turnovers, while giving their defense headaches courtesy of six touchdowns in a dominating 39-0 Patriot League Keenan Division victory at Dennis M. O’Brien Field to snap a two-game losing streak.

“It was pretty good,” Driscoll said of the win. “They worked hard this week and really focused and it all paid off right there.”

W-H (3-2, 1-2) poured in its first 19 points while having the ball for all of 4:30.

Senior captain Rian Schwede shined for W-H receiving (30 yards), passing (11 yards) and rushing for (2 yards) TDs in the rout.

“It’s pretty cool,” Driscoll said of Schwede’s three-TD night. “We did a little experimenting with it. We tried it today and it (Schwede’s versatility) makes us a better team.”

It took the Panthers all of 52 seconds to find pay dirt when senior captain Ethan Phelps (8 carries for 92 yards) took the second play from scrimmage 18 yards for a score.

“Ethan ran great tonight,” Driscoll said. “He had an amazing night. If he can run like that, we’re in good shape.”

The ensuing Quincy (1-4, 1-3) possession was halted when Panthers junior Joe McStravick picked up a fumble to give them possession at the Presidents 40. Two plays later, junior signal-caller John Zeidan connected with Schwede on a 30-yard TD.

On the next Presidents drive, it was Panthers senior Nate Beath wreaking havoc in the backfield. After back-to-back tackles for loss, Beath scooped up a fumble recovery at the Quincy 11 to give W-H prime field position.

“Nate is an amazing athlete,” Driscoll said. “He does anything you ask him to do, so that helps. He’s just a super star when it comes to wanting to do whatever. Most kids wouldn’t want to play the nose, but he’s never questioned it.”

Schwede made sure to capitalize on the opportunity by hitting senior captain Jacob Nixon for an 11-yard score to push the Panthers ahead 19-0 with 10:50 remaining in the second quarter.

A 2-yard TD score from Beath with 2:43 remaining in the first half made it 26-0.

Third-quarter rushing scores from senior Billy Martell (7 yards) and Schwede capped the scoring at 39.

W-H is back in action Friday, Oct. 12 at home for senior night at 7 p.m. against league rival Silver Lake (1-4, 1-3).

“We got to carry this momentum into Silver Lake next week,” Driscoll said. “They’ll be excited, the parents will be excited, but we’ll take it one step at a time. But for now, this one feels pretty good.”

A flair for heroics: O’Brien hits game-winning field goal, W-H upends New Bedford

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Before the season even started, Mike Driscoll let his feelings be known of his senior kicker Jake O’Brien.

“Jake is a big, big, big part of our team,” said the eighth-year Whitman-Hanson Regional High football coach back in August. “I’ve never had a kid who you feel confident trotting him out there from 40, 45.”

On Friday night, Driscoll’s confidence was tested as was O’Brien’s poise. 

After a Mike Connors run advanced the ball to the New Bedford 17 and two timeouts thereafter, O’Brien got his time to shine in front of a packed Dennis M. O’Brien Stadium. 

With four seconds remaining and the score knotted at 6, the fourth-year varsity kicker knocked in a game-winning 34-yard field goal as time expired to send the Panthers to a 9-6 victory.

“When it came time to do it, I wasn’t really thinking, just kind of instinct — all this practice time I’ve put in for a long, long time finally paid off for me tonight,” O’Brien said.

With 3:09 left, W-H (2-0) forced New Bedford (0-2) to punt after just a 17-second drive. On the punt, senior Billy Martell drew a catch interference call, which advanced the ball to the Whalers 40. Martell then bulldozed his way ahead 14 yards to get the Panthers inside New Bedford territory.

“I knew when Billy got that run we were in position there. He said we were good from inside 30, in warmups he was booming them in from like 45, so I felt pretty confident. He wanted the ball on the right hash and Mike (Connors) knew that, so Mike got it to the right hash and Jake came through.”

Junior John Zeidan – starting under center for senior quarterback Ethan Phelps (illness) – followed up Martell’s run by hitting senior Ryan Downing, who just had an interception, in stride down the left side for a 21-yard completion with time winding down to get into field goal range.

“I was a little nervous,” Zeidan said. “I knew what he had to do to win the game. I knew the plays.”

The Panthers struck first in this one with 37.4 seconds remaining in the first half when Connors plowed his way to pay dirt from 1 yard out. A 37-yard throw from Zeidan to senior captain Jacob Nixon keyed the drive.

Tru Williams countered for the Whalers in the third, hitting Joey Alverio on a 9-yard pitch and catch to even the score at 6.

W-H’s defense was sparked by senior captains Connors, Rian Schwede and Quinn Sweeney, along with Downing and seniors Nate Beath and Ryan Trongone.

The Panthers begin league play next week when they travel to Hingham (1-0) at 7 p.m.

“We’ll enjoy this for a little while and they we’ll get right back at it,” Driscoll said.

Connors’ success on gridiron stems from behind the scenes

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Connors (No. 42) in the Panthers’ 2017 Thanksgiving Day game against Abington. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Senior Mike Connors is a force in the middle of the field for the Panthers defense.

Standing at 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, Whitman-Hanson Regional High middle linebacker and senior captain Mike Connors is a tall task for opposing offenses.

The 2017 Patriot League All-Star is coming off a junior campaign in which he totaled a team-high 104 tackles, a sack and interception.

“I would say he’s the leader of the defense,” W-H head coach Mike Driscoll said.

But it’s what he does when nobody is watching, but himself, that keys his success.

During the offseason, Connors is in the weight room five days a week and when the season rolls around he makes an attempt to get in three to four days a week.

“I try hitting every body part twice,” Connors explained. “I bunch them up into two’s every day.”

In the lead up to game days, Connors goes above and beyond just hitting the weight room and attending practice.

“I watch hours of film, every day of the week and I take pride in learning what their offense is so I can fly to the ball every snap,” Connors said.

Driscoll said Connors’ constant commitment to the sport has allowed him to excel on the field.

“He recognizes things that are happening in front of him in a pretty fast manner,” Driscoll said. “Not only is he big, strong and fast, he’s a student of the game so that puts him at an advantage over most high school players.”

Driscoll pointed to four of many contests last season where Connors’ studying paid dividends.

“[In] the Hingham and Stoughton games he was huge for us,” Driscoll said. “He played really, really well against Duxbury too and was a force in the middle there.

“He shut down Silver Lake’s run game and did a lot of things in that game.”

Driscoll said having Connors back roaming in the middle of the field allows him to “relax a little bit.”

“Instincts, side-to-side, C-gap to C-gap, he’s probably the best linebacker that we’ve had since I’ve been here,” the eighth-year head coach said. “He’s tough. He’s strong.”

While Driscoll is thrilled to have Connors back, he couldn’t be more ecstatic to be at his post for his third and final season for the Panthers.

“[At linebacker] you get to play the run game and then you also get to drop back in the pass game,” Connors said. “I’m in the center of the field at middle linebacker so it’s fun to roam around the whole field.”

Connors added he’s not at all concerned about replicating last fall’s stats.

“I don’t care about the tackles, they’ll come,” Connors said. “I just want to win games for my team. If you train hard and watch film for this team you’re going to play good.”

W-H football’s O’Brien is a rarity

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O’Brien nails one through the uprights in the Panthers’ tournament game against Stoughton last season. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Senior kicker Jake O’Brien is near automtic for the Panthers.

Jake O’Brien is a rare find among high school football players in the state.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High senior’s primary role is kicker, and just kicker.

Last season — his second as the starter — O’Brien knocked in 18 of 19 extra points and was three for three on field goals, which included a long of 39 yards. His near-perfect campaign had him drawing high praise from his head coach Mike Driscoll.

“In my opinion, he’s one of the top five kickers in the state,” Driscoll said.

It’s not O’Brien’s point-scoring ability that’s his biggest asset to the Panthers, but rather when he takes the pressure off his fellow special teamers.

“Some of the bigger ones to me were some of the times he could kick it out of the end zone on a kickoff and not worry about the return,”Driscoll explained.

Driscoll said a key to O’Brien’s success is that he understands his role on the team. Besides spilling the starter occasionally at safety, all O’Brien does is kick.

“He knows he’s not going to play offense for us, so during offense he’s out there [and] he’s kicking — either up on the grass field working on his kickoffs or he’s working on one end on his field goals,” Driscoll explained.

And, when he’s up on the grass field, Driscoll must make sure he keeps a close eye on him.

“We have to limit him on his kicks because he would kick 100 a day [and] you don’t need that,” Driscoll said jokingly.

PITCHING IN

Ironically, O’Brien’s knack for kicking doesn’t even stem from the gridiron, rather the pitch.

“I played soccer for a while when I was younger and then [in] eighth grade all my friends were playing football, so I decided ‘Why not switch over?’” O’Brien said. “Then, from eighth grade I just started kicking in youth because I played soccer and then it’s just been natural for me, I guess.”

As a ninth grader, O’Brien was the freshman team’s starting kicker, but his leg was essentially neutralized because the Panthers would shy away from the point after. However, he got his chance in the last game of the season.

“We played Abington before Thanksgiving and they let me kick a field goal and that was my first field goal in a game ever and I was pretty nervous, but I did hit it; I think it was from 15 yards,” O’Brien said with a laugh.

Over the following months, O’Brien set his sights on the starting varsity kicker position and nabbed it as as sophomore.

“I knew that our kicker was graduating next year, so in that offseason I did work a lot,” he explained. “I worked a lot all summer. I made sure that I definitely had a chance to get that spot and it paid off for me in the end.”

O’Brien connected on 23 extra points and a pair of field goals that sophomore season.

“To have a kicker is huge because most kids don’t work at that skill anymore and I think Jake is unique,” Driscoll said.

To prepare for his final go-around, O’Brien used the offseason to kick — of course.

“I went to one camp at the beginning of the summer with Kicking World and that was in Braintree and that was more of an instructional camp,” O’Brien explained. “They kind of taught me a little more of the basics, likewhat I didn’t know already. From there, I went to another camp called Clutch Kicks and that was more of, not really competitive, but it was kind of like you already know what you’re doing. They definitely helped me out a lot.”

Driscoll said he has no reason not to believe O’Brien’s going to have another strong campaign this fall.

“Jake is a big, big, big part of our team,” Driscoll said. “I’ve never had a kid who you feel confident trotting him out there from 40, 45. He’s working hard try to get less air time on it and put something into it. I think that he is going to be a huge factor for us to besuccessful this season.”

Season Preview: Panthers football team preps for a new season

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The Panthers practice on Tuesday, Aug. 21. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High football team returns eight starters on both sides of the ball and boasts a senior class of 19 as it prepares for a pivotal season.

Seven days after the 2017 campaign concluded, upperclassmen on the Whitman-Hanson Regional High football team began rallying their teammates to get into the weight room. Preparations for this fall were already underway.

The Panthers were coming off their third straight 7-4 campaign, which included a first-round playoff exit. But unlike the previous two, it was capped by a disappointing 23-12 loss to their longtime Turkey Day rivals, which left a sour taste in their mouths heading into the offseason.

“Same 7-4 season back-to-back years and back-to-back first-round playoff losses, just lost to an Abington team on Thanksgiving,” said senior captain Mike Connors, who’s been on the team since he was a sophomore. “It’s obviously not the best way to end the season, so yeah, we have a lot of momentum going into the season.”

The winter, spring and summer months were certainly long, and consisted of visits from many high-profile colleges, workouts with Marines and strength and conditioning with a current Springfield College linebacker.

While eighth-year head coach Mike Driscoll acknowledged dropping that last game motivated his players in the offseason, thus making them better, it’s time to turn the page.

“We told the kids in our first meeting that that’s a totally different team,” Driscoll explained. “It’s a new team so you can’t really reflect back.”

It’s not much of a new team personnel-wise as the Panthers are down just four starters from a season ago. In terms of experience, it’s like night and day compared to last fall for Driscoll, who returns eight starters on both sides of the ball.

“Each year you get bigger and stronger and more knowledgeable, so you kind of hit the ground running, where in the past we’d always be implementing new people,” Driscoll said. “It’s like you never left the field, but yet it is a new year with new expectations and new beginnings for them.”

The slew of returnees, many of whom have been starting since they were a sophomore, have the Panthers, who finished 3-2 in the Patriot League last fall, garnering a lot of attention from around the state. However, it’s just like any new season to Driscoll.

“I don’t want to put any pressure on the kids,” Driscoll explained. “To us, it’s been Day 1 and Day 2 like any other time, so we treat it that way as a staff. If we are looking at it like pressures and expectations we’re probably leading us down the wrong path.”

Not only does W-H return an experienced group of starters, but it will carry a senior class of 19, which puts even more of an emphasis on winning.

“This senior year is something huge for us,” Connors said. “It’s our last year together, we expect to go far.”

GETTING DEFENSIVE

While Connors is a key senior captain, he’s more pivotal at middle linebacker, where he led the team with 104 tackles last season.

“He’s a difference maker in the middle for us,” Driscoll said. “He’s the big, strong football player.”

Starting in front of Connors on the defensive side of the ball at the defensive end is returning starter and fellow senior captain Quinn Sweeney, who totaled a team-high 16 tackles for loss last season and six sacks. Driscoll coined Sweeney as the ‘energy guy.’

“He loves football,” Driscoll said. “He lives for this stuff and he’s going to have an amazing season, I just see it already. He’s just the type of kid who can get off the ball and he’s worked on a lot of his quickness.”

THINKING OFFENSE

Sweeney also holds down a post at tackle on offense, where he is tasked with creating time and paving holes for dual-threat quarterback and senior captain Ethan Phelps.

Phelps, who also assumed his starting role in 10th grade, garnered over 2,600 total yards and 32 touchdowns in 2017. Driscoll said he believes Phelps can be even better.

“We’re really working with him a lot to take it to the next level so he’s like another coach on the field, and that’s something he’s striving to do and he’s working on that, to be more of a general at all times,” Driscoll said. “He’s never going to be satisfied unless it’s perfect. He knows our offense, so he worked hard to get better as a passer.”

To Phelps’ advantage, he won’t have to worry about developing a rapport with his main playmakers because the Panthers return nearly all of them. Out of the backfield, Connors (80 carries for 484 yards, 3 TDs in ’17) and classmate Brendan Frawley (78 carries for 447 yards, 2 TDs) enter their third year together.

“Frawley is more of speed and [a] slasher and Mike’s more going to run you over and get tough yards,” Driscoll explained.

The W-H head coach added he wants to get senior Billy Martell, who rushed the ball just once last season, some more touches.

“Billy’s the fastest player on the team so we’re going to use all of them three now,” Driscoll said. “It’s going to be tough to defend.”

At wide receiver, Phelps welcomes back six of his seven top targets. As a unit, the returnees — led by Martell (12 receptions for 153 yards, 2 TDs) and senior captains Jacob Nixon (23 receptions for 211 yards, 3 TDs) and Rian Schwede (19 receptions for 300 yards, 2 TDs) — hauled in 74 percent of Phelps’ competitions and accounted for 73 percent of his yards in the air last fall.

“[We have] three great receivers there, three kids who can get the ball in space and make things happen and run the deep and short routes,” Driscoll said. “[They’re] a great group of kids.”

At kicker, Jake O’Brien (18 of 19 on PATs and 3 of 3 on FGs) is back for his third year as the starter.

“In my opinion, he’s one of the top five kickers in the state,” Driscoll said.

Key losses for W-H from last season are center and defensive lineman Riley Holland, wide receiver and cornerback Brett Holmes, linebacker Jack Kelly and offensive tackle Hunter Dunn.

“They were a great working group kids who set a huge tone for our team,” Driscoll said.

ATHLETICISM, EXPERIENCE

As for what is going to propel the Panthers past a 7-4 record this season, it’s tough to overlook their athleticism and experience.

“These kids worked hard over the offseason with the strength and conditioning and just overall knowledge in everything we do,” Driscoll said. “They know how to practice. They know our schemes and that’s huge from a classes aspect and for them, it makes their job easier as student-athletes. You’re not worried about studying the playbook when you already know it, so that’s a huge advantage for us.”

The Panthers open their 2018 campaign at home Sept. 7 against non-league foe Marshfield at 7 p.m.

“Our goal has always been to win the league championship and that’s what we’re striving for, that’s what we’re working towards,” Driscoll said. “So, in order to achieve that, we’re going to have to have a better record than 7-4.”

Life’s ‘a little crazy,’ but Ethan Phelps thrives on it

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Ethan Phelps delivers to the plate in a May 4 3-2 win over Hanover. / Photo by: Sue Moss

It’s been a hectic few months for Ethan Phelps, a junior two-sport athlete at Whitman-Hanson Regional High.

It was directly after the conclusion of the Whitman-Hanson Regional High baseball team’s 7-5 victory over North Quincy on Monday, Ethan Phelps — still in uniform after knocking in the game-winning run — hurried up to the high school to write teacher appreciation notes as part of his National Honor Society duties. That is just a glimpse into what has been a jam-packed few months for the junior.

On Saturday, it was much of the same for Phelps, who roams center field for the Panthers. After taking the SATs in the morning, it was straight to the baseball field for an afternoon tilt against Duxbury.

“It’s been hectic,” Phelps said. “I mean, I’m absorbing all of it and taking all of it in, I’m really enjoying it, but yeah it’s been a little crazy.”

For Phelps, it’s a good busy that stems from his dedication on and off the field as a multi-sport athlete.

It was at the outset of his sophomore year when Phelps was in a quarterback battle to assume the reins under center for the W-H football team. Since then, he has accounted for 56 touchdowns and helped guide the Panthers to back-to-back playoff berths.

“Ethan is an incredible dedicated student-athlete,” W-H football head coach Mike Driscoll said. “What everyone sees on the field is also what you get in the classroom, a student who gives it his all and is not satisfied with anything but the best possible result.”

His talent on the gridiron — which has been assisted by hours of work in the weight room — along with his 4.2 GPA, are two traits that landed Phelps the MIAA Student-Athlete of the Month Award in November. They’ve also earned him some high-level college football visits.

All within a two-month span, Phelps toured Williams College and Bryant University, along with Ivy League schools Dartmouth and Harvard.

“I’m leaning towards academics,” Phelps said of what he’s looking for in a school. “I’d rather use football to get into an even better academic school.”

On the diamond, Phelps and the Panthers are in the midst of the heart of their season, fresh off a five-game week that began April 30.

Phelps took the ball last Friday for his first career start and hurled eight innings of two-run ball as W-H knocked off Hanover, 3-2. Phelps tossed 83 pitches — 67 for strikes — in the extra-innings win.

“He throws gas,” W-H baseball head coach Pat Cronin said. “He’s got untapped speed and easy power. He’s such a gamer, he wants it badly. I’m glad he’s on our side.”

The next week doesn’t get any less chaotic for Phelps, with three advanced placement exams, a college visit to Middlebury and four baseball game on his docket.

“In the classroom, I obviously want to maintain my grades,” Phelps said. “Then, on the baseball field I think all of us will come together and maybe make a state championship run.”

Season Review: Boys’ indoor track made strides

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The Panthers during a Dec. 13 meet. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The Panthers, who finished the season at 2-3, owned wins over Duxbury (55-45) and Silver Lake (54-45) and were clipped by Hingham (57-43) and Pembroke (57-41).

Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ indoor track head coach Mike Driscoll is pleased with the effort put forth by his team this winter.

The Panthers, who finished the season at 2-3, owned wins over Duxbury (55-45) and Silver Lake (54-45) and were clipped by Hingham (57-43) and Pembroke (57-41).

“With the exception of the Plymouth North meet (70-30 loss), who were the [league] champions, we hung with some really good teams,” Driscoll explained. “We beat Duxbury, we beat Silver Lake, and Duxbury is a really good track team. We got within two events of beating Hingham, which we haven’t done in a long time.

“These kids worked really hard. We had a small senior class with only six seniors, but four of them are state-level competitors. I’m happy with the young kids, I’m happy with the older kids, we had a lot of freshmen, we had a lot of new kids this year, so the numbers are good.”

The four Panthers to crack the Division 3 All-State meet, which was held Feb. 18 at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center, were senior captains Brian Edwards and Andrew Newman (Patriot League All-Star) and classmates Brett Holmes (Patriot League All-Star) and Jack Ryan (Patriot League All-Star).

Edwards finished the contest tying his career-best of a 6-foot high jump, which was good for eighth place and a medal.

“Brian is just a natural high jumper,” Driscoll said. “That’s his event, it’s been his event since he was a freshman and it’s just a natural event for him. He can get up over that bar at six feet like it’s nothing and it’s pretty fun to watch.”

Newman also medaled with a seventh-place finish in the 2-mile run at 10:08.66.

“Andrew is one of the examples of a kid that if you just stick with something, you’re gonna be good at it,” Driscoll said. “Andrew came in as a freshman and he was maybe a little below average. And now with all the hard work he’s put into this program, and into himself and running, he’s an above-average runner now and he’s earned everything.”

Holmes and Ryan missed out on medals in the long jump and 1,000-meter run, respectively.

The Panthers were also bolstered this season by the addition of indoor track newbie and the progression of a seasoned veteran.

“[Junior] Billy Martell had a great year for us, his first year doing winter track, in the 300 meters and our 4×200 team,” Driscoll said. “And then senior Joey Coletti had another spectacular year in the 600 meters and 4×400 for us.”

Driscoll said Coletti was the biggest surprise of the winter.

“I wasn’t sure what we were gonna get out of him,” Driscoll said. “I knew he was a senior, [but] he really bought into the team this year and bought into the running, and I think he had an outstanding year for us.”

Coletti was a leg on the 4×400 relay team, along with sophomore Kyle O’Brien, Ryan and senior Andrew Tassey, that finished in 3:51.62 to help the Panthers edge Duxbury on Dec. 19.

“I think that was our best meet,” Driscoll said. “Beating that team with a lot of depth. We really, really ran well and jumped spectacular that night. We had to hit all our marks and all our spots and we did that night.”

Driscoll said he hopes to continue to develop the indoor track program by attracting more student-athletes over the offseason.

“We’d love to have every kid come out for track, but we get kids need rest after their fall seasons,” Driscoll said. “We just really want to build the program back to where it was.”