NEW BEDFORD – Tri-County’s soccer program has battled adversity off the sphere all season.
The Cougars overcame all of it and Declan Walker was a hero on Wednesday. The senior quarterback accomplished 5-of-11 passes for 149 yards, ending with a pair of touchdowns to shatter two faculty single-season information because the Cougars captured their second straight Vocational Bowl title with a 28-6 romp of Blue Hills.
“Actually, it meant all the things,” mentioned Tri-County coach Andy Gomes. “You by no means need to make excuses. These youngsters didn’t make any excuses. It didn’t matter that we didn’t have a area. It didn’t matter that we don’t have a lot of a observe area. They only confirmed up, and labored each single day. It means all the things to this group, my first four-year group. As a coach, you all the time need what’s greatest for them. They labored their butts off to get right here. They’re good soccer gamers, however they’re even higher younger males. That’s what we wish out of this program.”
All through the autumn, Tri-County didn’t have its personal venue to name house. With its faculty present process building, the Cougars performed video games at Xaverian Brothers Excessive College and skilled at quite a lot of observe websites. Some weren’t the most effective, however they nonetheless discovered a method again to Jeffrey E. Riley Stadium at Higher New Bedford on Wednesday, vying for one more piece of {hardware} within the MVADA’s expanded event.
The bout was a rematch of final yr’s 2024 MVADA Small championship, which Tri-County gained in a 36-30 nail-biter. This time round, the Cougars (11-1) determined to take an opportunity proper out of the gate. Dealing with fourth down at midfield, Walker fired a dart over the center. The cross was hauled in by junior wideout Ashton Reich, who discovered a seam and sprinted free for a 46-yard landing reception to supply his staff a 7-0 lead simply 1:55 into motion.
The rating would maintain till late within the second quarter, as Tri-County discovered itself on the Blue Hills 19. Walker proceeded to evade strain as he danced to his proper. The Warriors bit defensively, permitting the senior quarterback to lob a toss proper excessive to O’Brien for a 19-yard landing cross. Identical to that, the Cougars had a 14-0 benefit with 3:29 to go within the half.
Afterward within the third quarter, Tri-County determined to enter its bag of methods with a wildcat play. Standing in at quarterback, O’Brien took the snap, then scampered previous a sequence of tacklers for a 35-yard landing rush, because the Cougars pushed their result in 21-0 with 3:10 remaining within the body.
Blue Hills (8-5) bought on the board with a nine-yard landing rush by Kinyanso Olanrewaju with 10:52 left in regulation, however that was as a lot because the Warriors may muster. The Cougars sealed the deal late with an 85-yard interception return for a rating by Jordan Pedro, making it a 28-6 remaining.
Two years in the past, Walker misplaced his father when he handed away from an sickness. On Wednesday, he completed his Tri-County profession as a two-time vocational champion, tearing up as his household cheered him on. As his teammates and fellow coaches celebrated, Gomes tossed the senior the sport ball as all of them roared on. He eclipsed 30 touchdowns and a pair of,000 passing yards on the season within the win, breaking two Tri-County high-water marks.
“It simply means a lot to me,” Walker mentioned. “This has been a dream for me ever since I used to be a bit of child. My mother was once an athletic coach at North Attleboro Excessive College, and I grew up with a profitable soccer program on that sideline. That was all the time a dream for me – to exit and win a state championship for my household, for my brothers right here.”
