WAKEFIELD — The Middlesex League’s football coaches met recently to vote on All-Stars for the 2024 season.
Wakefield High had four All-Stars this year: senior captains Matthew Beaver and John Fitzgerald, senior Jackson Fitzpatrick and junior Christian DiFlorio.
All four All-Stars played on both sides of the ball, but were especially impressive in leading Wakefield’s defense which was lights out in the second half of the season. After the Warriors started 1-4, they finished the season on a six-game winning streak to go 7-4 overall, ending with a 20-14 win over Melrose in the 64th Thanksgiving game. The defense allowed an average of just 10 points per game to opponents during that six-game streak.
JACKSON FITZPATRICK
Beaver and Fitzpatrick were bookend defensive ends for Wakefield, changing the game from the edges of Wakefield’s front. Fitzpatrick led the team in sacks and Beaver was especially impressive at setting the edge and dismantling run plays before they began.
On offense, the pair continued to dominate the line of scrimmage as tight ends, blocking well for Wakefield’s running game which took off in the second half of the season. Fitzpatrick also led the team in receiving touchdowns with 5. He had just under 250 receiving yards on the season.
It was Beaver’s second consecutive All-Star nod.
Fitzgerald made the All-Star team as a defensive back. The leader of Wakefield’s secondary was a ball hawk and a sound tackler. A special teams standout as the return man, Fitzgerald was also one of Wakefield’s top wide receivers, finishing with 233 yards and 2 TD’s.
DiFlorio had a breakout season as a linebacker for Wakefield. With sideline-to-sideline range, ‘D-Flo’ could get to the quarterback, cover pass catchers and stop the run. He made the tackle on the deciding play of the Thanksgiving win, stopping a run attempt up the middle on 4th-and-2 to force a turnover-on-downs.
DiFlorio also picked up a touchdown in the win, proving he can serve in a multitude of offensive roles for Wakefield next year as a short-yardage runner, a tight end or a fullback.
An obvious All-Star omission in Wakefield’s opinion was sophomore RB/LB Jaden Fullerton. Fullerton, who carried the Warriors on Thanksgiving with 204 rushing yards and 2 TD’s, finished the season with 1,131 rushing yards and 19 TD’s to go with strong play as Wakefield’s top middle linebacker. The All-Star lists tend to lean towards upperclassmen. Additionally, Fullerton’s snub likely has something to do with positions as only two RB’s were selected in each division. In the Freedom, Stoneham’s two backs, Logan Tran and MVP Sean Kilty filled the two running back slots.
The Warriors ended up splitting the Middlesex League Freedom title with Stoneham and Burlington as all three finished 4-1 in the league.
