After a host of stellar football seasons in 2019, 33 high school seniors have been chosen as the 2020 scholar-athletes by the Jack Grinold Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the National Football Foundation.
The 45th annual scholar-athlete banquet was scheduled to be held May 17, but the event has been canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. Since 1976, scholar-athletes — along with winners of the Ron Burton Distinguished American Award and the Ed Schluntz Contribution to Amateur Football Award — have been honored at the banquet.
Because of the virus, the Burton, Schluntz, and Jack Daly Award for Academics, Citizenship and Football (added in 2012) will be delayed until 2021.
For local football, a trio of stars earned their way onto the squad in St. John’s Prep quarterback Matt Crowley, St. John’s Prep receiver/defensive back Matthew Duchemin and Bishop Fenwick receiver/defensive back Joe Rivers.
Crowley had a record-breaking season and career for the Eagles, throwing for a record 4,619 yards and 49 touchdowns. This past season, he threw for 1,691 yards and 17 touchdowns with only four interceptions. He also led the Prep to a Division 1 Super Bowl title, the second of back-to-back Super Bowl wins in his high school career. Next season, Crowley will continue his football career at Tufts University.
Duchemin was a key target for Crowley in the Prep offense, hauling in 35 passes for 885 yards. He added five interceptions on the defensive end, while also keeping up a 3.8 GPA in the classroom. He will continue his football career at Holy Cross this fall.
Also attending Holy Cross this fall will be Fenwick’s Rivers, a running back/defensive back who had a big season for the Crusaders. In addition to rushing for over 1,000 yards and 13 touchdowns, Rivers recorded 191 tackles and 10 sacks on the defensive end.
This year’s scholar-athletes will all receive plaques as well as a program from the event. The scholar-athletes are:
Matt Arvanitis (Holliston); Luke Botsford (Milton); Cade Chabra (Marshfield); Cole Cleary (Middlesex School); Dylan Crandall (St. Sebastian’s); Matt Crowley (St. John’s Prep); Aidan Daly (Concord-Carlisle); Thomas Degnan (Winchester); Nick Donatio (Central Catholic); Matt Duchemin (St. John’s Prep); Evan Dyer (Dexter Southfield); Kyle Fitzgerald (Canton); Shamus Florio (Andover); John Fritz (Brooks School); Christian Gemelli (Concord-Carlisle); Mitchell Gonser (Milton Academy); Vincent Holmes (Mansfield); Liam Hoye (Medway); Mark Kassis (Central Catholic); Frankie Kelley (BB&N); Tim Ladka (BC High); Timothy Landolfi (Duxbury); Andrew Landry (Newton North); Kalel Mullings (Milton Academy); Cole Nye (Middlesex School); Mark Pawlina (Dennis-Yarmouth); Aidan Prior (Norwood); William Prouty (Duxbury); Joseph Rivers (Bishop Fenwick); Luke Rosa (Milford); Jack Schneider (Thayer Academy); Michael Slayton (Andover); and Ozzy Trapilo (BC High).
The Jack Grinold EMass chapter is one of 120 chapters of the National Football Foundation across the country, including three in Massachusetts. A selection committee composed of retired and active football coaches, college administrators, and media members, made the selections.