![WSPN’s Annika Martins and Maddie Zajac explore the athletic life of senior Annabelle Zhang through her badminton career. “This [photo] is me and my former partner after we won the 2022 junior nationals mixed doubles category,” Zhang said.](https://waylandstudentpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_6629-1200x900.jpg)
Between this season and last year’s season, the Wayland High School football team has experienced a drastic change in its record.
2023 season recap:
The Wayland varsity football team started its season off with an away game against Hopkinton High School. While Hopkinton scored first, leaving the first quarter 6-0, the Warriors fought back. By the end of the third quarter the Warriors had the lead, 13-6. Helmets clashed in the fourth quarter, with both Wayland and Hopkinton scoring. The score was 19-13, Wayland. With 52 seconds left in the game, the Hopkinton quarterback threw a Hail Mary pass into the arms of a Hopkinton wide receiver who ran it in for a touchdown. The final score was 20-19, Hopkinton.
In its next game, Wayland faced Ashland High School at home. The first half was similar to the first quarter of the Wayland vs. Hopkinton game. Ashland dominated the field, leaving the score 20-7 at halftime. Warriors football did not give up though, they came out of halftime in an explosion. The defense held strong for the rest of the game, not allowing Ashland to score again. On the flip side, junior Max Dresens scored twice, bringing the score to 21-20, Wayland. The Warriors kept pushing with sophomore Braylen Jenkins diving for the interception. Junior quarterback Michael Keenan was given another opportunity in the field, and he threw for a 30-yard touchdown, leaving the final score 27-20, Wayland.
Wayland proceeded to play Acton-Boxborough, Boston Latin, Lincoln-Sudbury, Waltham and Bedford. The Warriors fell to Lincoln-Sudbury, but immediately regained speed with an away game win over Waltham and Acton-Boxborough, and a win over Bedford and Boston Latin at home.
The team’s progression:
Starting the season with the bitter taste of last year’s record, some Wayland High School students thought the WHS varsity football team would have an underwhelming season. In contrast, last year’s season ended with a record of 1-10, while this year’s record is 4-2.
“I think last year we were a really young team,” senior captain Jack Kerrigan said. “We didn’t have a lot of experience because it was mainly sophomores and juniors playing, and I think from last year to this year we’ve grown a lot as a team.”
Last season the team was underdeveloped, with most of their star players being either younger or out due to injury. This year, with more older athletes to lead the way for young stars like sophomore cornerback Braylen Jenkins, the team has been flourishing.
“I wasn’t on varsity last year, but our team is super close this year,” Jenkins said. “We’re also midway through the season and we’re all healthy, so I think both of those factors are helping a lot.”
Many of the players participated in team workouts over the summer by going to the high school gym to lift. Not only did players spend time gaining muscle over the summer, the workouts provided bonding time, allowing the team to get closer than ever before.
“Our bonding is impeccable,” Kerrigan said. “We’ve really matured both skill-wise and in age, that’s what is making us better than last year.”
As the season continues to advance, many of the players, like junior Max Dresens, look forward to improving the team record and entering playoffs. Last year, Dresens was injured and unable to play, but he is back on the field this year and has become a vital member of the team.
“I’m really excited for playoffs,” Dresens said. “Given that we [had a record of] 1-10 last year, it’s super exciting that we were even able to make playoffs this year. Everyone is preparing and we can’t wait to see what happens.”
