HANOVER — They played the game that almost wasn’t.
It’ll probably be remembered as the win that almost wasn’t, either.
The South Shore Tech football team has grown accustomed to close calls.
Two weeks ago, South Shore Tech was notified that its Thanksgiving rival, Holbrook/Avon, canceled the remainder of its season due to a slew injuries and declining roster size. Luckily, Southeastern Regional, which had no opponent this week following the end of its annual clash with West Bridgewater, was available to swoop in on short notice and fill the open seat.
It was decided by an inch’s difference on a late goal-line stand, but the Vikings gutted out a 16-12 win over Southeastern on Wednesday to punctuate the season as originally planned. It marks South Shore Tech’s second win over the Hawks this season.
“It was very tense throughout the week we found out Holbrook wasn’t going to be able to play,” said senior Kiano Velazquez, of Rockland. “Once we got Southeastern, we were like, ‘OK, it’s a team we’re familiar with.’ We can play them again.”
South Shore Tech defeated Southeastern, 22-13, in the first meeting of the season on Oct. 25. Prior to this year, the teams last met in 2022 when the Vikings took a 16-8 win.
“Every time we play these guys, it’s close,” said SST head coach Matt Doyle. “It was exciting knowing that on Thanksgiving, it’s going to be a battle. And it was.”
Vying for the go-ahead score while trailing 16-12, Southeastern held possession for nearly 11 minutes of game time — from the 1:01 mark of the third quarter to the 2:24 mark of the fourth. The drive spanned 92 yards and the Hawks had first-and-goal from the 1, then second-and-goal from a credit card’s width away.
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A dropped pass in the end zone, with SST freshman defensive back Dillon O’Brien in coverage, sealed it. The Vikings (4-7) got the fourth-down stop.
“My heart was racing throughout the entire play,” Velazquez said.
“I want to say we weren’t (anxious),” joked senior QB DJ Decoste, of Hanover. “But I think people were. I’m glad we got the stop. I believed we could do it. We got off the field.”
Velazquez put the Vikings on the board with a 6-yard charge to the end zone at the 8:18 mark of the second quarter as SST claimed an 8-6 edge after he ran in the 2-pt conversion. He later scored the 2-pt try following a touchdown by O’Brien in the second quarter, then legged out a game-ending first down on third-and-8 deep in his team’s own territory on the final possession.
“He has made some of the biggest plays in the biggest games this season,” Doyle said of Velazquez. “He’s our go-to guy when we need to move the sticks. He’s one of our five captains, and he’s probably been the biggest leader, and the most vocal leader, since August. I love coaching him. I’m going to miss him a lot.”
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O’Brien made a cut to the outside en route to a 13-yard touchdown midway through the second quarter that put SST ahead, 16-6. He is the first freshman to play on varsity in Doyle’s six-year tenure: “He’s special,” the coach said.
In ushering in a new Thanksgiving tradition, SST athletic director Grant Montgomery gifted out turkey legs to the Players of the Game on both teams: Velazquez and senior linebacker Brady Hofeman for the Vikings; senior receiver Dylan Ali (who caught a 53-yard TD) and senior running back/linebacker Zach Pechulis for Southeastern (2-8).
The win ends a three-game losing skid for the Vikings, and sends a group of 14 seniors out in victorious style.
“We’ve had some great groups, and this senior class is right up there,” Doyle said. “They’re not only a great football team, but they’re even better kids.
“They had a lot of games this year where they lost in the fourth quarter, and sometimes that’s how it bounces, but I really wanted them to go out with this one. There’s no group of kids that deserves it more than they do.”
