IAN DIXON (18) was a “terror” for Watertown on Friday night, as described by Wakefield head coach John Rafferty. Dixon had four sacks including this play in which he took away the passing lane before finishing with a tackle. (Brian Cusack Photo)
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
WATERTOWN — The Wakefield High football team traveled to Watertown on Friday night to meet a talented, 5-1 Raiders team in a game with huge Middlesex League Freedom Division implications.
A Watertown win would create a three-team logjam at the top with Wakefield and Stoneham. A Wakefield win would nearly guarantee the Warriors a share of the crown.
In the end, Wakefield (7-0) left town with their perfect season intact after a hard-earned 21-7 win.
“Watertown is a very good team,” said Wakefield head coach John Rafferty. “They lost to Stoneham on the last play of the game the previous week so we knew it was going to be a tough ball game. It wasn’t clean on either side. We had three turnovers but we forced some too. It was that type of game.”
Watertown struck first, connecting on an opening-drive touchdown that featured plenty of quick and effective screen passes that would eventually result in a 3-yard LJ Cacace run to make it 7-0.
Of course, as they’ve done all season, the Wakefield defense adjusted and dominated for the rest of the game, keeping the Raiders off the scoreboard, aided by four sacks from senior captain Ian Dixon along with two interceptions (senior captain Nathan Delgado and junior Steven Woish) and two forced fumbles (junior Declan O’Callahan and senior captain Christian Delgado), many coming in key red zone situations.
Senior captain and QB Javin Willis had two TD passes, a 15-yard connection with senior Bobby DeFeo out of the backfield to tie it at 7-7 in the first quarter and an 11-yard pass to Woish in the 2nd quarter to reclaim the lead for good.
Nathan Delgado added some insurance with a 5-yard run in the 3rd.
Credit, of course, the offense, a unit which has averaged 28.1 points per game this year, while thrilling fans with explosive plays.
But Friday night was the piece de resistance for Wakefield’s defense in 2022, a group that is overdue on headlines.
The Warriors have surrendered an average of just 6.28 points per game this season.
That’s been most impressive over the last four weeks, especially against the Raiders, Woburn and Stoneham, three quality teams who will be playing state tournament football next week. Stoneham has averaged 31 points in six of their seven games. Wakefield held them to six points on Sept. 30. Woburn has averaged 35 points per game other than their Warrior contest in which they only scored 13.
Watertown entered Friday night averaging 31.3 points per game.
The Warrior D’s dominance has been especially noticeable in the second half, with Rafferty and his staff due plenty of credit for game plan adjustments. Wakefield has allowed just 24 second half points all season. That’s an average of 3.4 per game. They’ve surrendered just one second-half score in their last four, a late Stoneham touchdown with the game in hand.
On Friday night, it was certainly more of the same.
“We’re very happy with the way the defense has played together, collectively,” said Rafferty. “More often than not, they’ve been able to get the ball back in good field position for our offense. They’ve done a great job. Hopefully they can maintain that.”
Dixon’s constant pressure was certainly what set the tone for the rest of the defense on Friday night.
“He was a force,” said Rafferty of his physical and athletic defensive end/tight end who also had multiple catches complete with some trademarked yards after the catch. “He was a real problem for them.”
That pressure led to hurried throws. Nathan Delgado’s interception after Wakefield adjusted their coverage to defend those quick screens also went a long way in changing the game as it forced Watertown to adjust their attack.
The Woish interception came near the end zone in the second half, putting an end to a good Raider drive that would have cut the lead to one score.
Watertown’s first fumble was forced by O’Callahan and picked up by senior David Amyouny. Christian Delgado later stripped and recovered a fumble.
Wakefield also added a goal-line stand in the 4th quarter, a huge stop that if converted, would have made it 21-14 with six minutes to go.
Instead, as they’ve done all season, the defense took control and never let their opponents back into it.
Despite the win against another quality opponent, Wakefield, who has all but guaranteed a home game in the tournament, was only able to move up one spot in the Div. 3 power rankings: they’re now 5th behind 3-2 North Attleborough, 4-2 Hanover, 6-0 Plymouth South and 6-0 Milton. If the playoffs were to start this week, the Warriors would host 12-ranked and 2-4 Silver Lake in the first round.
Of course, with a 7-0 record and two regular season games remaining, the conversation will naturally turn into scenarios to complete a perfect season. Right?
“Nope,” says Rafferty. “After every game, we recap it, congratulate them and move on.”
In that sense, Wakefield is already on to Wilmington (0-7) who they will host for Senior Night this Friday at 6 p.m.
A win would put them one Thanksgiving victory over Melrose away from a perfect regular season and before that, set them up with plenty of momentum for a home state tournament game which will likely be played on Friday, Nov. 4.