FOXBOROUGH – In his 42nd year at the helm, Foxborough High head coach Jack Martinelli returns an experienced Warriors team looking to improve from last year’s 6-6 season that included a loss to Grafton in the Division 4 semifinals.
From Sam Berns Community Field, Foxboro is hosting their annual pre-season camp as they gear up for the 2023 season and the challenges the team will face now playing at the Division 5 level.
Three Observations:
Warriors not phased my division change – In over four decades at Foxborough, Martinelli says he’s gained experience in multiple high school divisions, making the Warriors’ move down to Division 5 something he hasn’t given attention to.
“Really haven’t given it much thought whatsoever,” Martinelli said. “Over that 42 year period, we’ve been in Division 2 all the way back down to Division 5; it’s just a number that’s based on school enrollment and not the enrollment on the field.
His players agree, preparing similarly to past years.
“We’re preparing to see a lot of different stuff,” Foxborough senior linebacker Lincoln Moore said. “We go through a bunch of different defenses; we’ll throw everything we got at you. We really take pride in our defensive toughness, staying in tight games in the late quarters.”
Expect a good supporting cast around returning quarterback Marcucella –
As a sophomore last year, quarterback Mike Marcucella inherited the starting reins left by former Hockomock League MVP Dylan Gordon, who is now playing collegiately at Bentley.
Marcucella led Foxborough on an impressive postseason run that fell just short in the Division 4 Final Four vs. Grafton. Now, as a junior, Marcucella and his coach are both excited about what the offense has the potential to look like this season.
“He was a take-charge kid right away as a sophomore,” Martinelli said of Marcucella. “That always goes along with [being a quarterback], but to do it as a sophomore is a very difficult job. He did it while leading us on a five game run after an inauspicious start.”
“The O-Line looks great,” Marcucella said, previewing the team’s underclassmen on offense. “Matt O’Keefe’s a sophomore at left tackle and Jonathan Balde is a junior at guard… and there’s a lot of underclassmen at receiver with Nolan Gordon, [Joe] Nicholson, and Rashaan Lewis all here. It’s a good look to have all those guys back.”
Defense will bring the team’s experience – While there will be new faces surrounding Marcucella on offense, the defense should benefit highly from returning almost every starter on that side of the ball. After containing opposing offenses to two touchdowns or less on six separate occasions last year, Foxborough only graduated two starters.
“I think we’re returning nine out of our eleven starters on defense. We have a good senior core and the juniors are filling in the gaps well,” Moore said.
During Tuesday morning’s padded practice, the defense bested the offense consistently during the team practice period.
From Coach
As camp continues, Martinelli is content in putting his players in a position to succeed while giving them the freedom to set the Foxborough football standard for themselves.
“Camp’s been great. The kids have responded to just about everything that we’ve asked about them in the offseason,” Martinelli said. “They have a goal in mind, and I never ask what it is, but it usually plays out during the season and I’ll find out then.”
Foxboro will begin their season at Holliston on Friday, September 8th, at 7 P.M.