Hawks win 19th title

By ALEX SPONSELLER

The Bishop Hendricken football team relied on its typical standouts to beat La Salle 24-21 for its 19th state championship last Friday night, but the difference was the unlikely heroes that stepped up in pivotal moments as well.
The teams were tied 21-21 deep in the fourth quarter, but the Hawks would have a chance to take the lead when they set up shop for a 36-yard field goal attempt with 1:00 remaining. Kicker Scot Belford, who saw an earlier field goal attempt get blocked, got the nod once again but this time converted which would be enough as the Hendricken defense got one final stop to clinch its 13th title in 15 years.
“The first one got blocked so I wasn’t feeling too good. I always try to keep my head up and I made the kick of a lifetime,” Belford said as the Hendricken community flooded the field in the post-game celebration. “I didn’t even know what to think. I went back and hugged my holder (Braedon Daley) because I wasn’t able to do anything without him. All week I just had a feeling that it was going to happen and somehow it happened. It’s a dream come true, I’ll never forget this moment.”
The two teams were tied 14-14 at halftime and the Rams got their first lead of the game with 4:35 left in the third when Timoy Stitchell found the end zone off a Sam Perry pass. Hendricken managed to tie the score on the ensuing drive when Jeremy Seidi rushed for a 10-yard score, which was set up by a long pass from quarterback Dylan Lynch to wideout Will Mascena.
Mascena, who spent the fall season as more of a depth piece on the offense, would come up big in the fourth quarter once again as he helped the Hawks convert a key third down in their game-winning drive, while also being right in the mix in the final stop as an edge rusher.
“We’re a balanced team so I knew that any given night my number could be called. It was called tonight and I stepped up,” said Mascena.
As Belford got set to try to stamp his place in Hendricken history, Mascena had no doubt that he’d do just that despite the wet field conditions.
“I knew we had it. Scotty is the best kicker in the state, so I knew he had it, he’s money,” Mascena said."My whole childhood I loved sports, I love the game winners, and being the kicker is the best part about that. You get all the pressure and I love taking that on," added Belford.
Hendricken took a lead in the first quarter on a Seidi rushing touchdown but La Salle responded by rushing for the tying score in the final minute of the period. Lynch rushed for a 22-yard score in the second quarter, but La Salle managed to tie the score when Stitchell grabbed another touchdown pass with just 10 seconds remaining in the half.
The Hawks dominated the Rams in a 24-7 regular season win earlier this season. Although the Hawks entered the contest as the heavy favorite, the Rams attacked on offense from the get-go and forced Hendricken to keep up. Seidi, who went on to be named the game’s MVP, finished with over 100 yards on the ground while Lynch passed for over 100 yards. Mascena led the team in receiving in the win.
The Hawks faced more adversity this season than they have been used to in recent years. Hendricken played five out-of-state powerhouses and took three losses while also suffering a loss to Portsmouth in the regular season finale. It was the team’s first loss to a Rhode Island public school since 2013.
Despite the struggles, Hendricken would bounce back when it mattered most and held off Cumberland in the semis before getting the three-phase win in the title clash.
“(The tough schedule) helped prepare us. Playing better teams gets you better. We just had to get back to practice. After the loss to Portsmouth, we practiced every single day and knew we had to get better,” said Mascena. “We worked so hard, we’ve worked since June to get to this point. There’s no better feeling. Whenever you play these guys it’s always going to be a close game. It’s a great feeling.”