Whitman-Hanson High football has the G.R.I.T. to become a top team in Patriot League
WHITMAN − "Grit" is a word typically used to describe a strong mentality.
The Whitman-Hanson High football team has turned the word into an acronym for this upcoming season, making what it stand for the team's core values.
“Growth, respect, integrity, togetherness,” said senior captain and lineman Owen Brown.
"Togetherness" may be the standout word for the Panthers this season. After losing a class of 22 seniors from last year, they have a lot of work to do. This young team will play in a tough Patriot League Keenan Division, but they believe they have the G.R.I.T. to make an impact.
Head coach Zachary Botelho is aware of his team's lack of size, so his approach is different this fall. The physical grit is something he’s been installing in his team during training camp.
“It’s the idea of who we want to be as a program,” said Botelho, who is entering his third season at W-H. “One of those teams that you see on your schedule and they’re like, ‘Oh, that’s going to be tough.’
"This is my first year of when you play Whitman-Hanson it’s going to be a rock fight. We might not come out on top, but teams are going to be like, ‘Man that was physical, that was tough, and they don’t make it easy,” he said.
In the 2022, the Panthers earned wins over playoff teams Foxboro and Pembroke, while putting up a decent fight against Duxbury. This fall, W-H has some skill positions up for grabs for starting spots. Nothing is being given in the W-H program.
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Of the eight teams on W-H's schedule this fall, seven made the playoffs last season. The high level of schedule difficulty is exactly what Botelho wanted.
“We don’t want to be a perennial .500 (team),” said Botelho. “We don’t want to be a team that (has) one good year and three bad years. We want to be a team that’s consistently one of the best of the best, and to get there you want to play those teams.”
Botelho and his club won’t shy away from a challenge. That competition has already started in camp. Senior Ryan Nash and junior Austin Breheny are competing for the starting quarterback spot, and there's more position battles along the line.
“It looks pretty good,” said Brown. “What we lack in size, we make up for in athleticism, explosiveness and tenacity. I really don’t think we lost as much as people think.”
No-huddle
With a smaller team, Botelho plans to change up from the old-fashioned smash-mouth football W-H is accustomed to. He’ll rely heavily on his talented group of seniors on the receiving corps.
Two-way players Cody Roberts, Brendan Moore and Cameron Beltramini will be seeing a lot of passes thrown their way. That trio also lines up in the defensive secondary. Tim Brown is a senior captain who also plays safety and wideout. Nash and Breheny will battle it out to see who will play under center.
Matthew Lee played tight end last year, but has switched to tackle and defensive end. Brown will be the leader on the defensive and offensive line. Curtis Burke is a two-way lineman who will be accompanied by Ryan Brzuszek.
2022 recap
After finishing the regular season 4-4, W-H lost to Marblehead, 35-0, in the first round of the Division 3 playoffs.
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“I think the biggest thing is that it’s a long season,” said Botelho on what he learned from last year. “As long as you're building, growing and playing your best football at the end of the year, good things are going to happen.”
Three players to look out for
Brendan Moore, WR/S/K: Botelho said the playbook will change this year, and they plan to do a lot with the special teams. Moore will play all three phases and has the athleticism to catch teams off-guard.
Tim Brown, WR/S: He’s a tall and athletic receiver who has a nose for tracking down the ball. As a captain, expect him to be the top option for whoever gets the starting QB job.
Owen Brown, OL/DL: After suffering two season-ending injuries his sophomore and junior year, Brown is ready to make a mark. He’s been putting work in the offseason along with being a vocal leader.
Whitman-Hanson’s 2023 schedule
Friday, Sept. 8 − at Pembroke, 7 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 15 − at Scituate, 7
Friday, Sept. 22 − vs. Plymouth South, 7
Friday, Sept. 29 − at Silver Lake, 7
Friday, Oct. 6 − vs. Hingham, 7
Friday, Oct. 13 − vs. Plymouth North
Friday, Oct. 20 − at Duxbury, 7
Friday, Oct. 27 − at Marshfield, 7
Thursday, Nov. 23 − vs. Abington, 10 a.m.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Whitman-Hanson Regional 2023 football season preview
