By Tyler Amaral
NEFJ Staff
BRIDGEWATER — Second-seeded King Philip stuck to a familiar script Friday night in Bridgewater.
The Warriors controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball — winning the rushing battle 299-76 — and winning the game 34-15 over No. 3 Marshfield in a rematch of the 2023 state title game.
The Warriors are heading to their seventh state title game in the last eight seasons.
Like other King Philip teams, this year’s version relies heavily on its rushing attack. This season, King Philip has regularly rotated five running backs.
In the semifinal win over Marshfield, the Warriors used a two-horse attack with junior Tallan King doing the early lifting and senior Drew Laplante closing things out.
Marshfield won the opening coin toss and elected to receive. After a quick three-and-out, King Philip methodically drove the length of the field.
King capped the drive off with a 10-yard score.
On its second scoring drive, King Philip faced two separate fourth down situations. In both instances the Warriors handed the ball off to the bruising King.
The decisions proved to be good ones as King converted both times, including a one-yard score to finish off the drive and put the Warriors up 12-0.
Later in the second quarter, a Marshfield drive was halted by an Aiden Astorino interception.
“The coaches had a great gameplan to make things easier on us” said Astorino. “We just made the plays and that’s all that matters.”
King Philip capitalized on the takeaway when King bulldozed his way in for a 10-yard touchdown, completing the first half hat trick, and sending the Warriors into the break up, 19-0.
King (14 carries, 101 yards) was injured on the opening kickoff of the second half and did not return.
Laplante (21 carries, 175 yards) broke things wide open in the third quarter with a back-breaking 57-yard touchdown on third and five to put King Philip up 26-0.
Two minutes later Marshfield answered with its first score of the game, a seven-yard pass from quarterback Tor Maas to Aidan Summers.
The Rams (9-2) struck again early in the fourth quarter on a seven-yard rush by Mass to cut the lead in half, 26-13.
King Philip went to Laplante again when the momentum started to shift.
Facing a third and four, it appeared Marshfield would force a fourth down, but Laplante stayed low, kept his balance and bounced off a Ram tackler for a first down.
Three plays later Laplante found a seam, hit it and scampered in for a 35-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 34-13.
“We come from a program that’s had great running backs for so many years” said Laplante. “Rudy Gately, Shane Frommer. And with this group of running backs, we all lean on each other.
“Tallan’s an animal. And since he went out, I felt like it was time for me to step up and make some big plays.”
King Philip intentionally took a safety late in the fourth quarter rather than attempting to punt from its own end zone.
King Philip improves to 10-0 on the season, extending its winning streak to a state-best 24 games.
The Warriors will take on Catholic Memorial at Gillette Stadium for the third time in four years. The Knights bested King Philip in the 2021 and 2022 title games. King Philip beat Marshfield last season.
“We don’t put special water on you when you’re born in the tri-town” said King Philip head coach Brian Lee. “The kids just work for everything they have. It’s a grind, but they work and they work and they work. I couldn’t be more proud of the kids. I love them to death.”
Both teams gear up for Thanksgiving morning with league titles on the line. King Philip looks to extend its winning streak and win the Hockomock Kelley-Rex title against Franklin. Marshfield will attempt to end Duxbury’s reign atop the Patriot League.