WELLESLEY — Bobby Shanahan and Brandon Hollingsworth spent the final two Thanksgivings watching the Needham Rockets hoist the Frederick Gorman Centennial Trophy.
For his or her remaining recreation in Wellesley Raiders soccer uniforms, the senior co-captains needed the trophy again.
Shanahan threw for 2 touchdowns and rushed for a 3rd, and Hollingsworth led a robust defensive effort as Wellesley topped Needham 20-6 within the 138th annual Thanksgiving soccer showdown Thursday at Connor Darcey Memorial Subject. Wellesley received for the primary time since 2022 and leads the general sequence 67-62-9 within the oldest public college rivalry within the nation.
“It’s an enormous win for us,” stated Wellesley head coach Jesse Davis. “An important crowd, a gorgeous day. Turkey all the time tastes sweeter once you get a win on Thanksgiving.”
Shanahan wanted lower than three minutes to determine that this wouldn’t be one other Rockets win, main the Raiders 63 yards on seven performs. He completed the drive by breaking by a gap within the Needham protection and bursting 25 yards for the landing and a 7-0 lead with 9:35 left within the first quarter.
That lead held for the remainder of the sport, although Needham (3-8) by no means let Wellesley pull too far forward. Senior quarterback Tyler Langford (12-for-27, 115 passing yards) led the Rockets on an 18-play drive that started late within the first quarter and chewed up a lot of the second, working to transform one fourth down and finishing a cross to Jacob Heckman to transform a second.
Following an 18-yard cross to James Lalonde, fellow senior co-captain Owen Gonzalez ran within the 1-yard Needham landing with 1:27 left within the first half. However Hollingsworth broke into the backfield to dam the additional level try, conserving Wellesley (6-5) within the lead.
“There was a niche there, so I took care of it,” stated Hollingsworth, who completed with two sacks and a further tackle-for-loss. “I’ve been enjoying for 3 years on the varsity, so profitable at house senior 12 months, there’s nothing prefer it.”
Shanahan didn’t thoughts getting the ball again with below 90 seconds left — the Raiders had practiced “tempo” offense all through the season. Helped out by a Needham private foul, he accomplished three 16-yard passes to assist advance the ball to the Wellesley 6-yard line, then discovered senior co-captain Matthew Leibman for the landing and 13-6 lead with 10 seconds left till halftime.
“Each week doing it in observe, it paid off at this time,” Shanahan stated. “This senior class, a variety of us performed as sophomores. Realizing the physicality and the custom and the rivalry, getting this one at this time was actually candy.”
Shanahan added a 2-yard landing strike to senior co-captain Tennyson Charney halfway by the third quarter to go up 20-6. He completed 11-for-19 for 119 passing yards and two scores, plus 17 carries for 117 dashing yards and one rating.
That’d be sufficient for Hollingsworth, Anton Sodervall and the remainder of the protection, which didn’t surrender a primary down within the third quarter. Needham obtained as shut because the Wellesley 14 within the fourth quarter, however the Raiders held on fourth down 3 times after halftime, and Charney ended the sport with an interception.
“This can be a very, excellent staff, who I believed went toe to toe with,” Needham coach Doug Kopsco stated. “These seniors don’t have anything to be sorry about. They actually got here out and represented their city and their program so effectively.”
