Find everything you need for 2023 Greater Taunton area high school football here
TAUNTON— Another high school football season is upon us in the Greater Taunton area.
With practices underway and games coming in the next few weeks, the Taunton Daily Gazette has you covered on all four Greater Taunton area high school football teams.
On this page, you'll find season previews, predictions, players to watch, games to keep your eye on, the Week 1 schedule and more.
With eight of the 12 2022 Taunton Daily Gazette Football All-Scholastics having either graduated or transferred, there will be plenty of new faces as well as some key returners for all four teams. Both Taunton and Bridgewater-Raynham qualified for the MIAA Division 1 and Division 2 postseasons respectively last year, with the No. 6 Tigers falling to No. 11 Everett 33-14 in the Division 1 Round of 16 while in the Division 2 Round of 16, the No. 13 Trojans fell to defending champions and eventual winners Catholic Memorial 41-14.
Bristol-Plymouth embarked on an area-best six game winning streak last fall but just missed out on the MIAA Division 5 playoffs and fell to No. 8 Southeastern 21-14 in the first round of the MVADA Vocational Large tournament. Dighton-Rehoboth, with a largely young squad lacking varsity experience, scored a pair of non-MIAA wins against Austin Prep and Plainfield (Conn.) before beating Norton in non-playoff action and will look to build on that experience this season.
With a new season comes new opportunities, but the ultimate goal of a December trip to Gillette Stadium remains the same. No matter what happens this fall, the Gazette will have you covered.
Road Trip: See which Greater Taunton area football team will travel the furthest in 2023
Taunton
Coach: Brad Sidwell
2022 record: 6-5 (1-4 Hockomock Kelley-Rex)
2023 outlook: It'll be a season of change for the Tigers this year after graduating 25 seniors, including three-year starting quarterback Jacob Leonard, running back Malachi Johnson and linemen Nathan LaPlante and Ryan MacDougall among others. Still, Taunton retains its top receiver in Jose Touron, who finished last year with 53 catches for 936 yards and 11 touchdowns, as well as fellow senior receiver and 2022-23 Taunton Daily Gazette Boys Indoor Track Athlete of the Year Dmitrius Shearrion, who once again should be a deep threat as well as the main man on kick returns. The duo should provide a good launching point for sophomore Tiger quarterback Dylan Keenan, who saw a few snaps last season, while returning defensive stars Ethan Harris, Anthony Pettijohn and Elijah Prophete should continue to improve.
Taunton: New-look Taunton High football looks to create its own identity in 2023
Bridgewater-Raynham
Coach: Lou Pacheco
2022 record: 5-6 (1-3 Southeast Conference)
2023 outlook: The Trojans were hit hard with transfers, losing star running back Dawson DuBose, linebacker Myles Beckett and wide receiver Matt Mullins to prep schools, but still return senior quarterback Declan Byrne for his third year under center as well as linebacker and tight end Amin Abbassi. Expect running back Ryan Catino and receiver Michael Gurley to take on much bigger roles in the B-R offense as well as receiver and 2023 Taunton Daily Gazette Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year Kauan Bento, whose blazing speed should provide Byrne with a strong deep threat.
B-R preview: Ready for senior season, Byrne to spearhead new Bridgewater-Raynham football cast in 2023
Bristol-Plymouth
Coach: John Parris
2022 record: 6-4 (3-1 Mayflower Athletic Conference Large)
2023 outlook: The Craftsmen graduated their star running back and 2022 Taunton Daily Gazette Football Player of the Year Ryan Barnes, who ran for over 1,200 yards and 19 touchdowns, and will need to fill that gap on the offense. They retain senior quarterback Ryan Donovan for another season as well as receiver Brayden Alves, while running back Jose Ruiz should expect an increased workload as wells as receivers Janilson Furtado and Joshua Pierre. B-P overcame graduating 26 players last year, so losing half that number this year, even if that includes such stars as Barnes, Tucker Bumila and James McDonough, is something the Craftsmen should be able to handle as other players build on their experience.
B-P preview: Bristol-Plymouth football is ready to adapt and grow in 2023
Dighton-Rehoboth
Coach: Kevin Gousie Sr.
2022 record: 3-7 (0-4 South Coast Conference Blue)
2023 outlook: Last year was the first taste of varsity football, or at least starting at the varsity level, for many of the Falcons, who took their licks while also gaining important experience for the future. The team will be hungry and eager to improve on last year's performance with Joel DaSilva back under center at quarterback. Luke Peltz and Tim Zibrida both return to anchor the offensive line while running back and linebacker Kevin Gousie Jr., guard and linebacker Cam Newman and running back and linebacker/safety Cam St. James bring size and experience on both sides of the ball. While last year's main man on offense Cole Bilodeau may be gone, D-R sees running back and defensive back David Diaz Tavares return to the lineup where he'll figure to play a big role on both sides of the ball.
D-R preview: Despite low numbers, Dighton-Rehoboth football has passion, ability and experience
2023 Greater Taunton Preseason Football Player of the Year
The 2023 Taunton Daily Gazette Greater Taunton Preseason Football Player of the Year is Taunton’s Dylan Keenan, who won with 17.84% of the vote while Dighton-Rehoboth’s Cam Newman came in second with 16.76% and Taunton’s Jose Touron received 13.15% to finish third.
Schedule
Week 1
Sept. 8
Milford 40, Bridgewater-Raynham 7
Old Colony 36, Bristol-Plymouth 7
Canton 28, Dighton-Rehoboth 0
Week 2
Sept. 15
Xaverian 41, Bridgewater-Raynham 0
Bristol-Plymouth 28, Upper Cape Tech 6
Dennis-Yarmouth 34, Dighton-Rehoboth 32
Week 3
Sept. 22
Barnstable 31, Bridgewater-Raynham 21
Mashpee 26, Bristol-Plymouth 7
Dighton-Rehoboth 21, Oliver Ames 14
Week 4
Sept. 28
Sept. 29
Marshfield 33, Bridgewater-Raynham 7
Bristol-Plymouth 20, South Shore Tech 18 (OT)
Somerset Berkley 36, Dighton-Rehoboth 7
Week 5
Oct. 5
Oct. 6
Bridgewater-Raynham 14, Durfee 0
Old Rochester 21, Dighton-Rehoboth 7
Oct. 7
Week 6
Oct. 12
Oct. 13
New Bedford 7, Bridgewater-Raynham 0
West Bridgewater 34, Bristol-Plymouth 0
Apponequet 44, Dighton-Rehoboth 40
Week 7
Oct. 20
Dartmouth 35, Bridgewater-Raynham 22
Dighton-Rehoboth 35, Nauset 26
Oct. 21
Tri-County 22, Bristol-Plymouth 8
Week 8
Oct. 27
Shrewsbury 21, Bridgewater-Raynham 6
Greater New Bedford 24, Dighton-Rehoboth 21
Oct. 28
Southeastern 7, Bristol-Plymouth 0
Week 9 (Playoff/Non-Playoff)
Nov. 3
MIAA Division 1 Round of 16
No. 8 BC High 46, No. 9 Taunton 8
Non-Playoff
Bridgewater-Raynham 28, Quincy 6
Bristol-Plymouth 21, Nantucket 0
Week 10 (Playoff/Non-Playoff)
Nov. 9
Non-Playoff
Taunton 13, Brockton 12
Bridgewater-Raynham 22, Whitman-Hanson 8
Medway 26, Bristol-Plymouth 15
Medfield 26, Dighton-Rehoboth 21
Thanksgiving
Nov. 22
Blue Hills 22, Bristol-Plymouth 6
Nov. 23
Bridgewater-Raynham 22, Brockton 7
Dighton-Rehoboth 42, Seekonk 16
This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: The home of 2023 Greater Taunton area high school football coverage
