Biggest win in decades: See why this local was named Patriots Coach of the Week
Carver High football coach Ben Shuffain has been named New England Patriots Coach of the Week.
The second-year coach led the Crusaders to their biggest win in years, a 42-39 overtime triumph over Cohasset on Friday. Carver trailed 36-21 in the fourth quarter before rallying to force overtime. Tyler Lennox completed a 10-yard touchdown pass in OT to Peterson to complete the comeback.
Shuffain said it was the program's biggest win since reaching a Super Bowl in 2000. It was Carver's first win over Cohasset in 17 years.
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The Patriots announced the news via a press release on Tuesday night:
The New England Patriots are proud to announce Carver High School's second-year head coach, Ben Shuffain, the New England Patriots Coach of the Week following an overtime win over Cohasset High School last Friday.
In an unforgettable showdown, the Carver High School Crusaders achieved a momentous feat by putting an end to a daunting 17-year losing streak to Cohasset High School. The Crusaders staged a remarkable come-from-behind performance, stunning the Skippers with a 42-39 overtime win. The Crusaders improve their record to 5-0 in the South Shore League & Tobin Division.
After two unsuccessful attempts in the end zone, Coach Shuffain returned to a tried-and-true strategy. On a third-and-goal situation from the 10-yard line, quarterback Tyler Lennox found wide receiver Robbie Anderson in the endzone, clinching a thrilling three-point victory.
Andre Tippett, NFL Hall of Fame linebacker who currently serves as the Executive Director of Community Affairs for the New England Patriots, met with the Carver Crusaders on Tuesday. During the meeting, he presented the football program with a generous $1,000 donation on behalf of the Kraft family and the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation. This contribution was made in honor of Coach Shuffain outstanding work.
"Carver played some great football, showing incredible tenacity, grit, and resiliency to secure a hard-fought victory in this close game to prevail 42-39." Tippett said.
The visit and donation presentation will be showcased on the Patriots' weekly television program, "Patriots All Access." You can catch the episode on Friday night at 7 p.m. on WBZ-TV in Boston, and it will also be available for immediate viewing on Patriots.com. This recognition and support highlight the Patriots' commitment to community involvement and celebrating exceptional individuals like Coach Flores.
This is the 28th year in which the Patriots have joined the National Football League in conducting the High School Coach of the Week program, which recognizes outstanding high school coaches and promotes youth football throughout New England. The 2023 season marks the 12th year that Tippett has taken the award on the road to visit the schools that benefit from the program. At the conclusion of the fall, one of the weekly winners will be named the New England Patriots High School Coach of the Year and will receive an additional $2,000 contribution towards the school’s football program.
For the 13th straight year, the Patriots will also be accepting nominations for High School Coach of the Week honors. Those who wish to nominate a high school football coach in New England who leads a team to an exceptional weekly performance or reaches a personal career milestone are encouraged to send submissions to nominatecoach@patriots.com. All nominations must be submitted following a team’s Friday night or Saturday afternoon game to be considered for that week’s Coach of the Week award.
The Patriots Foundation is the non-profit through which the Patriots support charitable and philanthropic organizations throughout New England. This support comes in the form of direct grants, in-kind donations and player appearances. The foundation assists a variety of charitable organizations and programs throughout New England by supporting their educational, family and health initiatives.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Carver High's Ben Shuffain is New England Patriots Coach of the Week
