FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Coming off an impressive 28-18 win over Duxbury Dragons last Thursday night, Hanover High School's Brian Kelliher has been named the first New England Patriots High School Coach of the Week winner for the 2023 season.
Hanover High School, boasting a 1-0 record, delivered a statement win over defending Division 4 champions, the No. 6 ranked Dragons, who suffered their first loss since the 2021 Super Bowl. Hanover faced adversity with the absence of two starting offensive linemen, highlighting the depth and resilience of their roster.
Patriots, College, and Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Andre Tippett, now the team's Executive Director of Community Affairs, met with the Hanover Hawks on Tuesday to present the football program with a $1,000 donation on behalf of the Kraft family and New England Patriots Charitable Foundation, in honor of Coach Kelliher. The visit and presentation will be featured on the Patriots weekly television show, "Patriots All Access," which airs on Friday night at 7 p.m. on WBZ-TV in Boston and will be available immediately after on Patriots.com.
In a season marked by change, the win is particularly significant as it marks Coach Kelliher's debut season as head coach, setting a promising tone for the future of the Hanover High School football program.
"You sense a strong dedication to the program." Tippett said. "A true dedication to the community and connection to his players. They've created a strong culture at Hanover."
This is the 28th year in which the Patriots have joined the National Football League in conducting the High School Coach of the Week program, which recognizes outstanding high school coaches and promotes youth football throughout New England. The 2023 season marks the 12th year that Tippett has taken the award on the road to visit the schools that benefit from the program.
At the conclusion of the fall, one of the weekly winners will be named the New England Patriots High School Coach of the Year and will receive an additional $2,000 contribution towards the school's football program.
For the 13th straight year, the Patriots will also be accepting nominations for High School Coach of the Week honors. Those who wish to nominate a high school football coach in New England who leads a team to an exceptional weekly performance or reaches a personal career milestone are encouraged to send submissions to nominatecoach@patriots.com. All nominations must be submitted following a team's Friday night or Saturday afternoon game to be considered for that week's Coach of the Week award.
The Patriots Foundation is the non-profit through which the Patriots support charitable and philanthropic organizations throughout New England. This support comes in the form of direct grants, in-kind donations and player appearances. The foundation assists a variety of charitable organizations and programs throughout New England by supporting their educational, family and health initiatives.
