Foxborough, Mass. - With a 27-21 victory over Barnstable High School on Saturday, New Bedford High School's Mark DeBrito has been named the New England Patriots High School Coach of the Week.
New Bedford put together a complete performance on both sides of the ball when matched up with non-divisional foe Barnstable this past weekend. A consistent ground attack on offense, paired with the Whalers' opportunistic defense, helped DeBrito's crew take an early lead in the game and never look back. With 290 rushing yards in the game, DeBrito's offensive game plan allowed New Bedford to control the pace of action throughout. Up 14-7 at halftime, the Whalers dialed up their aggressiveness on the defensive side of the ball in the second half to extend their lead and preserve the 27-21 victory.
Barnstable kept the contest tight throughout, but it was the outstanding defensive performance of Shahid Barros that kept the Whalers in the lead at several points during the game. With Barnstable driving to tie the game at 14 before the half, Barros' one-handed interception kept New Bedford out front by seven at the break. The margin remained at seven with 1:11 remaining and the score 20-13 when Barros returned another interception for a touchdown, sealing a New Bedford victory.
With the win, New Bedford moves to 4-0 in the Division 2 South (Independent). They'll look to continue their winning ways next week with a matchup at Bishop Feehan next Saturday.
Patriots and Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Andre Tippett, now the team's executive director of community affairs, met with the New Bedford players and coaching staff Tuesday afternoon to present the football program with a $1,000 donation on behalf of the Patriots Foundation, in honor of Coach DeBrito. The visit and check 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.
This is the 24th 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 2019 season marks the ninth year that Tippett has taken the award on the road to visit the schools that benefit from the program.
"Coach DeBrito's Whalers played with an attacking mentality on both sides of the ball to secure a win over the Red Raiders," said Tippett. "They never lost their composure in a close-fought battle against a relentless Barnstable squad. We wish the program the best in 2019 as they continue their pursuit of excellence."
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 ninth 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 is 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.
