WAKEFIELD — The Wakefield high football team begins their season in two weeks with tryouts/practice starting on Friday, Aug. 15.
The Warriors will play a nine-game regular season, including the 65th Thanksgiving Day game against rival Melrose on Nov. 27, 10 a.m. at Landrigan Field.
The 19th annual Wakefield Warrior Club Golf Tournament to support the football team will take place this Monday, Aug. 5, 8 a.m. at Mount Hood Golf Course.
The first game of the regular season will be on Friday, Sept. 5 when the Warriors welcome Greater Lawrence Tech to Landrigan at 6 p.m.
The Warriors and Reggies have met to open the season in each of the past five years. Greater Lawrence won a thriller, 29-22 last season after returning a late fumble 95 yard for the game-winning touchdown. That snapped Wakefield’s three-game winning streak against Greater Lawrence.
Wakefield went 7-4 overall last year, bouncing back from a 1-4 start with additional losses to Lynnfield, Burlington and Winchester.
That essentially put the team out of playoff contention but the Warriors responded by winning six in a row to end year, including a 20-14 win over Melrose on Thanksgiving, the fourth win in a row for Wakefield on Turkey Day.
Wakefield’s league play starts on Oct. 10 vs. Watertown. In addition to their Middlesex League Freedom Division opponents, Watertown, Wilmington (Oct. 17), Stoneham (Oct. 24), Burlington (Oct. 31) and Melrose (Nov. 27), Wakefield will also play Middlesex Liberty Division opponent Winchester on Oct. 3.
The Warriors split the Freedom Division title last year with Stoneham and Burlington as all teams went 4-1 in league play. Wakefield beat Stoneham, Stoneham beat Burlington and Burlington beat Wakefield.
The schedule is identical to last season, so like it was in 2024, Wakefield’s playoff hopes will likely come down to their non-league performances. After Greater Lawrence, the Warriors have a bye week before traveling to Lynnfield on Sept. 19. Wakefield fell to a strong Lynnfield team 34-13 last year but bounced back with a 32-21 win over Beverly. Wakefield travels to Beverly on Sept. 26. Winchester represents the final non-league game. The Red and Black beat the Warriors 34-9 last year.
Wakefield graduated three of their four All-Stars from last season: stalwart defensive ends/tight ends Matthew Beaver and Jackson Fitzpatrick along with WR/DB John Fitzgerald.
The lone returning All-Star is senior linebacker/tight end Christian DiFlorio.
The Warriors return plenty of talent however, starting with junior RB/LB Jaden Fullerton who led Wakefield on Thanksgiving by rushing for an incredible 204 yards and 2 TD’s.
Fullerton, DiFlorio and senior lineman Luciano Rossetti will set the tone for a defense that was dominant during the six-game winning streak to close the season, a stretch that included two shutouts and just 10 points against per game.
Offensively, the Warriors return junior starting QB Westin McNeilly.
Also back is senior Myles Sanchez who missed most of last season with an injury after a terrific sophomore campaign. He’ll team up with Fullerton to provide one of the best 1-2 punches at running back in the Middlesex League this year. Sanchez will also be a key returner on defense as a versatile linebacker/defensive back.
At receiver, Wakefield will return seniors Will Forbes and Tommy DeFeo.
The Warriors should be set up well in the trenches too. They return four of their starting five offensive linemen including juniors Brandon Meahl, Damien Hunt and Bronco Jones along with sophomore center Joe Shea.
Wakefield will be aligned in Div. 4 for 2025. They are looking to return to the state tournament for the first time since 2022 when they completed a perfect season with a Div. 3 Super Bowl title.