A pink sizzling KIPP Academy and unbeaten Hull will kick off a day of Super Bowls at Gillette Stadium after they meet for the Div. 8 title on Saturday at 10 a.m.
Top-ranked Hull (12-0) was on this place final season after they finally fell to Randolph within the championship recreation. The Pirates have labored all yr to get one other crack at a championship, a feat that this system has completed twice in its historical past, in 1977 and most not too long ago in 1996.
“You go there and it’s a great experience,” mentioned Hull head coach Mike O’Donnell. “The players always had their eyes on trying to get back. You dream of getting there once, and getting there in back-to-back years is really something special.”
Hull has veteran management with 14 seniors on the roster getting back from final yr’s contending staff, together with middle Aiden Murphy, working again John Gianibas, tight finish and defensive finish Tyler Sordillo, quarterback Luke Richardson and wideout Austin Bongo.
“Those five seniors have shown great leadership,” O’Donnell mentioned. “Those guys were thinking of this season as soon as the last one ended. It took a lot of work to get back here. We have a huge test, KIPP is a very talented team.”
The offense, which posted 31.8 factors per recreation within the common season and outscored opponents 117-19 in three event video games, is led by Gianibas, who went for 270 yards and 4 touchdowns of their 35-12 win over Old Colony.
For seventh-seeded KIPP Academy (8-4), the six-year-old program has by no means been to a state title bout. The Panthers performed within the semifinal in 2019, and fell 27-20 to this similar Hull squad within the quarterfinal of final yr’s event. The journey to the Super Bowl had a bumpy begin, as accidents and difficult matchups had them out to a 2-4 begin by six video games.
Senior quarterback Juan Setalsingh was a kind of injured and returned from a concussion to submit 2,000 yards passing, 26 TD passes, six dashing scores and 9 interceptions on protection.
“Both sides of the ball, his leadership, his presence,” KIPP head coach Jim Rabbitt mentioned. “How he carries himself on and off the field makes everyone around him better. He’s a huge part of why we’re successful.”
Setalsingh might be throwing to senior Vic Mafo, who put up 1,850 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns this season, and junior Morenel Castro, who compiled 820 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns, together with 9 within the final two event video games.
That high-powered offense complementing a stout defensive core is what boosted the Panthers to 6 straight wins.
Said Rabbitt: “You have to think that this game is going to come down to the final possession or final play, and that our team can overcome that adversity and come out on top.”
DIV. 8 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Friday, December 2, 3 p.m. at Gillette
Hull vs. KIPP
HULL PIRATES (12-0)
Head coach: Mike O’Donnell
Hull 35, BLUE HILLS 12
HULL 27, Cardinal Spellman 6
HULL 35, Boston English/New Mission 8
Hull 31, RANDOLPH 20
HULL 14, Mashpee 6
HULL 41, Carver 14
Hull 31, SHARON 21
Hull 26, ST. PAUL 6
HULL 42, Newburyport 7
HULL 40, Cathedral/Matignon 0
Hull 35, Old Colony 12
Hull 24, COHASSET 10
HOME TEAM IN CAPS
KIPP PANTHERS (8-4)
Head coach: Jim Rabbitt
ST. MARY’S 41, Kipp 0
LATIN ACADEMY 30, Kipp 14
KIPP 42, Georgetown 20
Lowell Catholic 32, KIPP 12
Kipp 26, MANCHESTER-ESSEX 14
OLD ROCHESTER 35, Kipp 8
KIPP 42, Whittier 6
Kipp 24, GREATER LOWELL 7
KIPP 44, Lee 12
Kipp 21, LOWELL CATHOLIC 12
KIPP 34, Oxford 33
Kipp 54, LYNN TECH 48
HOME TEAM IN CAPS
SUPER BOWL HISTORY
Hull is one among six groups within the discipline who had been there final yr. The Pirates have an total report of 2-2 with the final win coming in 1996 after they defeated Bishop Fenwick 20-15 within the Div. 4B championship recreation as Bob Carreiro ran for a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns to gasoline the comeback.
KIPP is the one one among 16 colleges on this yr’s championship to be making its first look. The Panthers are driving a six-game successful streak getting into the competition because of the brilliance of quarterback Juan Setalsingh.
Source: www.bostonherald.com