Coming into the year, Coach Mike Dubzinski did not set any type of win totals for his Wachusett varsity football team. Instead, he was looking for the team to improve on a day-to-day basis, which would eventually take care of the wins. 

“I want the kids to work hard and go into the season with a mindset of improving,” the Mountaineer coach said. “There will be days that the ball bounces our way and others when it bounces toward the opposition. I want to be able to focus on the next game at hand and nothing else. When that game is over, we will shift gears to our next opponent.”

While Wachusett has currently gone 4-1 at the time of this writing, one of the biggest games for the team will come Thanksgiving morning when they take on their league rival Shrewsbury. The two teams had played each other on Thanksgiving Day many years ago but drifted apart for some years. During those years Shrewsbury was battling Milford and Wachusett was squaring off against Holy Name on turkey day. 

 With all the changes in the leagues, it only made sense that the two teams renew their Thanksgiving Day rivalry in 2013. During the last 10 games, eight of them were decided on the very last play of the contest.

“If you’re looking for an entertaining high school game, this rivalry is the place,” Dubzinszki said. “It definitely provides you with entertainment. The schools are very similar. In fact, the freshman and junior varsity teams play the Friday before Thanksgiving, and they are just as exciting and competitive.”

A lot of pressure falls on junior quarterback Thomas Anderson as he gets the Mountaineers through the season and into the Thanksgiving Day clash with Shrewsbury. A pocket passer who can scramble when he needs to, Anderson has a variety of receivers at his disposal. The junior has been connecting with senior wide receivers Caden Lane and Jude Hogan as well as junior Luke Becchione. When the junior signal caller is not throwing the call, Wachusett will counter with running back Jack Smith. Their junior has already provided the team with a couple of 100-yard rushing games this season.

However, nothing is possible without that offensive front line. Managing the trenches for the Mountaineers are seniors Liam Macomber, Ryan Leblanc, Ahmad Issa as well as juniors Nick Viano and Owen Quinn.

“Without these five – it doesn’t really matter what play we run,” the coach said. “Having them know their assignment is a very integral part of our offensive success.”

Defensively, the team is led by Anthony Viano, twins Dan (defensive end) and Troy (linebacker) Greaney, defensive lineman Nash Wyrzykowski and defensive end Max Brown.

Four years ago, Wachusett was able to grab a win in the first round of the MIAA Division 1 state football tournament, but over the past two seasons the Mountaineers have not been able to get out of the first round and were sent home before they could get things started. 

While the ultimate goal is to get better day by day  the Mountaineers do have their eyes set on getting into the tournament and hopefully have themselves a better showing in the first round. But as Dubzinski noted, there is still a lot of football to be played before the tournament comes around and things will definitely change from week to week.

The only thing that Wachusett can rely on is that Shrewsbury will be coming to their field on Thanksgiving morning - and the Mountaineers are looking to carve their opponents up.