Ryan Was Flyin’ Hovermale Receives Defensive Player of the Game Award

Senior safety Ryan Hovermale was the recipient of the Winthrop Vikings’ defensive player of the game award in the 28-0 victory over Saugus Friday night.

The “Black Shirt” award is based on a point system for certain contributions on the Vikings’ defense, according to Head Coach Jon Cadigan.

“Ryan was all over the field,” lauded Cadigan. “He’s really been a terrific football player for us. All throughout the pre-season, he’s been showing up on game film and really making plays for us.”

Interestingly, Hovermale was also the Winthrop Vikings’ varsity goaltender during a very successful season. He may have borrowed a page from Viking football standouts of the past including lineman Adam Sullivan, running back Anthony Palmer, and wide receiver Joe Giaquinto who all played and excelled in the goaltending position for the Vikings.

Cadigan said the best way to describe Hovermale’s tour-de-force defensive effort was, “He’s just around the football and obviously good things happen when you put yourself in a position to be around the football.”

Hovermale also caught two passes from Duke Doherty in the game.

Viking Notebook

‘Winthrop’s special teams completed the all-aspects of the game (offense, defense, special teams) success. The blocking on Bobby Hubert’s punt return was exemplary. “We’ve been practicing it and it’s something that we used when I was in high school in terms of setting up walls,” related Cadigan. “We brought it back this year and obviously it paid dividends on that punt return.”

Meanwhile Hubert’s touchdown pass to Mikey Chaves was also a showstopper. “That was our ‘Bobby Pass Right’ call,” said Cadigan. “Coach [Robert] Nimblett did a great job. He felt that was the time we had Saugus in a good spot. We had just forced a turnover to start the second half.”

Running back and senior captain Chris Ferrara displayed his speed, turning the corner on the Vikings’ buck-sweep plays. Representing one of the great families in Winthrop sports lore, Ferrara had three carries for 27 yards.

Congratulations to senior Bryan Conceicao on his admission to Amherst College. As television announcer and former Amherst assistant football coach Anthony Fucillo told the audience, Amherst is one of the truly prestigious academic institutions in the world. One of the many distinguished Amherst alumni, former basketball star and now well-known attorney James Rehnquist is the son of former U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist.

Speaking of Fucillo, he and former Viking teammate Alex Smith were outstanding on the television broadcast. Fucillo thoroughly explained high school football’s new ‘neutral zone” infraction, which is different from the NFL’s version of that penalty.

James Fucillo made an auspicious debut with a shutout in his first game as defensive coordinator. “You go out there and pitch a shutout in your first game as defensive coordinator – I can’t imagine it being any better than that,” credited Cadigan.

 Robert Noonan, son of former Winthrop High quarterback Rob Noonan, took a few snaps in the fourth quarter.