These performances turned heads on the gridiron: Cast your vote for the Hometeam Football Player of the Week
With the fourth week of high school football in the books, Rich Garven takes a look at some of the top performances.
Congratulations to Clinton's Colin Schmidt for taking the top spot in last week's poll with 639 votes (30.74 percent) to hold off Millbury's Matteus Mateo (430 votes) and Wachusett's Thomas Anderson (364 votes) in a close race.
More: Who leads the way? Check out the Hometeam Central Mass. high school football standings, leaders
More: Teams prepare for a big week: Check out the latest Hometeam Fab 15 Small Schools football poll
Owen Belanger, Grafton
The 5-foot-10, 175-pound senior running back/defensive back did it all as the Gators defeated Algonquin, 49-14, to move to 4-0. Belanger rushed for 171 yards and two first-half touchdowns on 17 carries, collected three tackles and two passes defensed, and returned a kick 35 yards.
Marcus Dascelin, Burncoat
The 5-foot-10, 170-pound junior running back continued to run wild as the Patriots topped Sutton, 55-27, to remain unbeaten. Dascelin rushed for 217 yards and six touchdowns — one shy of the Central Mass. record — on 15 carries, scoring on runs of 20, 30, 60, 11, 1, and 64 yards.
Ryan Dennis, Doherty
The 6-foot-2 junior receiver was a gamebreaker as the Highlanders rolled to a 49-19 victory over Groton-Dunstable. Dennis hauled in three passes for 104 yards and two touchdowns, scoring on second-quarter strikes of 62 and 47 yards.
Bradyn Downes, Bay Path
The senior running back maximized his touches as the Minutemen remained unbeaten with a 20-14 win over Clinton. Downes rushed for 30 yards and a touchdown on six carries, picked up 23 yards on his lone reception and returned a kickoff 55 yards for the eventual winning score.
James Hamilton III, Oakmont
The senior running back carried the load as the Spartans rallied to defeat Marlborough, 27-23. Hamilton rushed for 177 yards and three touchdowns, including the game winner with 33 seconds to play, while averaging 8.9 yards on 20 carries.
Joel LaChapelle, Northbridge
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound junior quarterback continued his precise and productive ways as the undefeated Rams defeated Leicester, 35-0. LaChapelle was 16 of 22 passing for 222 yards and three touchdowns, connecting on scoring strikes of 17, 85 and 15 yards.
Kyle Letsky, Maynard
The senior receiver/defensive back reached the end zone three times to help propel the Tigers to a 35-21 win over Auburn. Letsky scored the game’s first and final touchdowns with 15- and 1-yard receptions and in between returned a fumble 95 yards for a TD.
Jon Linberg, Wachusett
The senior running back had a breakout performance as the Mountaineers topped Minnechaug, 35-30. Linberg rushed for a career-high 141 yards and a touchdown, scoring on a first-quarter dash of 72 yards while averaging 11.8 yards on his 12 carries.
Kaden McCullough, Narragansett
The senior running back topped the century mark for the third straight game as the Warriors defeated David Prouty, 41-8, to remain undefeated. McCullough rushed for 113 yards and two touchdowns (1, 45 yards), averaging 28.3 yards on four carries.
Devin Rowden, Shepherd Hill
The junior running back led the way as the Rams downed Fitchburg, 40-14, to break into the win column. Rowden ran for 242 yards and three touchdowns (59, 78, 2 yards) while averaging 20.2 yards on 12 carries.
Angelo Scavone, St. Paul
The 5-foot-11, 189-pound senior running back/linebacker dominated on both sides of the ball while leading the Knights to an 18-12 win at North. Scavone rushed for 209 yards on 31 carries, caught two passes, made 14 tackles, and forced and recovered a fumble.
Ayden Sparrow, Gardner
The 5-foot-9, 165-pound senior running back reached the end zone via three different avenues as the undefeated Wildcats bested Ayer-Shirley, 39-14. Sparrow, who rushed for 95 yards on 12 carries, scored on a 1-yard run, a 42-yard reception and a 65-yard punt return.
Bryce Venne, Quabbin
The 5-foot-10, 150-pound senior defensive back was in the middle of the action from start to finish as the Panthers blanked Quaboag, 34-0. Venne made 10 tackles for a unit that posted its first shutout in three years and has now allowed eight points in back-to-back wins.
Brady Willitts, Tantasqua
The 5-foot-9, 160-pound receiver was a playmaker through the air and on the ground as the Warriors defeated East Longmeadow, 28-8. Willitts hauled in four passes for 95 yards and a touchdown (56 yards) and rushed for 24 yards and a TD (3 yards) on two carries.
Daniel Wing, St. John’s
The 5-foot-11, 175-pound senior running back/defensive back was a two-way standout as the Pioneers nipped Shrewsbury, 21-13, to post their first victory. Wing rushed for a 26-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to break open a close contest and had two tackles for a loss.
Cast Your Vote
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Vote for the Hometeam Football Player of the Week
