On Thanksgiving, the Old Rochester Regional High School football team walked onto the field at Apponequet Regional High School with their minds set solely on redemption.
Seven months prior in the 2020-21 Fall II season, the Bulldogs suffered a crushing 35-point loss to the Lakers, costing them the South Coast Conference championship. The defeat served as a major source of motivation for the 2021-22 campaign, with pictures of the scoreboard posted all throughout the school.
On November 25, Old Rochester got a shot at avenging the loss and was more than successful, picking up a one-sided, 28-7 win to clinch the SCC Blue title.
After winning the coin toss, ORR received the opening kickoff and made a statement on the first drive with runs from Zack Profit, Harrison Hughes, and Jacksen Martin setting up junior quarterback Noah Sommers for an 18-yard touchdown run. Apponequet went on to fumble on its first possession, leading to a 31-yard touchdown pass from Sommers to Hughes.
Apponequet remained scoreless in the second quarter, while a 35-yard run from Hughes put ORR up 21-0 going into the second half.
The Lakers were able to hold off the Bulldogs in the third quarter while also scoring their first touchdown of the game, but it would also be their last.
In the fourth quarter, a 27-yard pass from Sommers was caught by Martin, marking the last touchdown of the game. An extra point from sophomore kicker Remy Wilson, who went 4-for-4 on Thanksgiving, solidified the 28-7 win.
“That game meant a lot to me as well as the rest of the team,” said Sommers. “The way we lost to them last year lit a fire inside of all of us so that win definitely felt good. It was a good way for the seniors to go out.”
Since returning from an injury that kept him out of the first two games of the season, Sommers has been a major factor in Old Rochester’s success. Going into Thanksgiving Day, Sommers had totaled seven rushing and five passing touchdowns over the course of the season, and he extended those stats to eight and seven, respectively.
Sommers will be a senior next year. When asked about his goals for his final season, his answer was obvious.
“I want to make it to Gillette (Stadium) and win a super bowl, that’s been my goal since the start of high school,” he said.
In addition to Profit, ORR will also lose the following seniors from the football team: Hayden Rinta, Christopher Cortes, Stephen Old, Tyler Kelly, Elijah Motta, William Baltz, Lucas Morrell, Thomas Botelho, Christopher Feeney, Nathaniel Bangs, James Coleman, Connor Garcia, Keene Macgregor, and Justin Allain.
The Bulldogs will also retain some key weapons, including Martin and Hughes as well as Walter Rosher, who led ORR in scoring prior to a season-ending injury. With Sommers’ leadership and key players returning, Sommers’ goal might just be within reach.
Sports Roundup
By Matthew Curry