The North Attleborough Red Rocketeers ended their season with a resounding 35-0 victory over the Mansfield Hornets in the Division 3 MIAA State Football Championship at Gillette Stadium Friday night.
This marks North Attleborough’s first state title since 2002.
Senior running back Ryan Bannon was one of the stars of the game, scoring three touchdowns and electrifying the Red Rocketeers’ fans among the stands. His performance, paired with a staunch defensive effort, sealed the win.
The game started with a momentum shift as senior defensive end Nathan Rivera recovered a fumble from Mansfield quarterback Tommy Vallett on the Hornets’ opening drive. North Attleborough quickly turned that opportunity into points when quarterback Chase Frisoli capped the drive with a five-yard keeper into the end zone.
Bannon took over from there, scoring two touchdowns before halftime. The first came from 10 yards out in the final minute of the second quarter, and the second extended the lead midway through the third.
Junior running back Frankie Strachan added to the tally with a three-yard touchdown following his own 40-yard burst earlier in the drive. Bannon sealed the win with another one-yard touchdown in the final minutes of the game.
Head coach Michael Strachan praised his team, particularly the senior class, for their consistency and dedication.
“They did the work every day, they stayed consistent,” Strachan said after the game. “It’s really a big deal being a football town…the preparation that they’ve done since last year, I couldn’t be more proud of everything that they’ve done.”
Frisoli reflected on the championship moment with gratitude, saying, “We did it. I wouldn’t have rather done it with any guys but these ones.”
The game was part of the 2024 MIAA State Football Championships, presented by Cross Insurance, marking the 17th year Gillette Stadium has hosted the event. North Attleborough’s dominant win in the final game of the night highlighted the culmination of an unforgettable season.
