FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The Division 3, 15th-ranked Mansfield High School's football team showed up on the road, securing a 45-14 win over the Division 1, ninth-ranked Everett High School at Memorial Stadium in Everett, Ma. Though it was expected to be a close matchup decided by the final possession, the Hornets' dominant victory earned Head Coach Michael Redding the New England Patriots Coach of the Week Award.
Mansfield started fast, and while it had to fend off a counterattack from Everett in the first half, the Hornets were dominant in the second half to solidify the win. In addition to a fumble recovery in the end zone, Mansfield running back Donovan Minton got the Hornets going with a rushing touchdown, but Everett's senior quarterback Carlos Rodrigues threw a pair of touchdown passes to make the score 17-14 at halftime. Mansfield scored on its first two possessions of the second half and never looked back, as it claimed its first victory of the 2024 season.
NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Andre Tippett, who presently holds the role of Executive Director of Community Affairs for the New England Patriots, had a meeting with the Hornets on Tuesday at Mansfield High School. During the meeting, he presented a generous donation of $1,000 to the football program on behalf of the Kraft family and the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation. The acknowledgment pays homage to Coach Redding's commitment s to the development of the next generation.
"Coach Redding's team, though young and lacking game experience, faced Everett with the heart of seasoned veterans, displaying tenacity and fortitude," Tippett said.
The visit and donation presentation will be showcased on the Patriots' weekly television program, "Patriots All Access." You can catch the episode on Friday night at 7 p.m. on WBZ-TV in Boston, and it will also be available for immediate viewing on Patriots.com. The acknowledgment and support underscore the Patriots' dedication to community engagement and the recognition of exceptional individuals, exemplified by Coach Redding.
This is the 29th 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 2024 season marks the 13th 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 14th 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.
