October 17, 2023 By Kevin Riordan
In its toughest contest thus far this season, the Hingham Raiders completed their long stretch of road games by defeating the Wellesley Raiders 37-7 to remain unbeaten. Outmanned and undersized Wellesley brought the fight to the Raiders with an aerial attack that challenged the defense most of the day. Hingham practiced hard all week for this threat and could not have started any better when cornerback Jack Hart intercepted the first play of the game returning it 35 yards for a pick six to put the Raiders up 6-0. The defense knew they had to put pressure on the Wellesley QB if it was going be successful and that’s just what linemen Brayden Huber, Frank Cavagnaro, Denny Costello and Shamus Devine did forcing hasty passes that were broken up by Johnny Heller and Mason Aframe to force a punt. Wellesley’s defense held their ground and forced a 4th and long when (QB) Hudson Garrity ran behind the critical blocks from Costello, Will Berkeley and Devine to cut upfield for a 55 yard touchdown run to up the lead to 12-0.
On defense Brayden Huber and Cam Forger pressured the QB to leave the pocket early as Mason Aframe and Andy Gerlach broke up the pass to force another punt. On a (QB) keeper Hudson Garrity followed a pancake block from Duncan Wilder and sprinted 76 yards down the sidelines for a touchdown to take an 18-0 lead as the first quarter ended. Hard hitting tackles from Evan Tomasello and John Peterson contained the run which then forced Wellesley to throw a pass across the middle that was broken up once again by Mason Aframe causing a quick three and out. On first down Johnny Heller took the handoff and in familiar fashion bolted up the middle outrunning every tackler for a 73 yard touchdown and a 24-0 lead. Not being deterred, Wellesley completed 2 first down passes penetrating deep into Hingham territory when Denny Costello made a timely sack and Wilder and Cam Forger broke up passes to force a 3rd and long. At safety Hudson Garrity jumped the pass route and intercepted the ball at the 10 yard line, if had he not lost his helmet on the play he would have had an easy pick six TD. As time wound down in the half, QB Garrity fired a pass into the corner of the end zone to a diving Shamus Devine for the touchdown as time expired. On the extra point center Grant Riordan hiked the ball to (QB) Neil Deininger who handed off to (RB) Coen Melgoza who then muscled his way over the goal line for a 31-0 convincing lead at the half.
Will Taylor started the second half with a monster sack as Marco Giannaros and Neil Deininger contained the outside run and Carter Karis broke up a pass to force a fourth and long. But, Wellesley converted on a touchdown pass to cut the lead to 31-7. Answering the score (RB) Evan Tomasello ran behind blocks from Braden Oun, Mason Devine and Mickey Syp sprinting down the sidelines for a 66 yard touchdown and a dominating 37-7 lead. Defensively Taylor Bradl, Preston Kurley and Andrew Nolan executed tackles to shut down Wellesley’s drive. Controlling the game in the 4th quarter (RB) Sam Godfrey, Ryan Fernquist and Andrew Nolan ran for first downs to secure the win as the Raiders remain undefeated.
The 7th Graders are back home next Sunday at Hingham HS to face Quincy at 11:30am.