Warriors soak in 4th straight Thanksgiving win, 20-14 over Melrose

By DAN PAWLOWSKI

MELROSE — On a raw and rain-soaked Fred Green Field, Thanksgiving morning 2024, the Warrior football team raised the historic Wakefield-Melrose trophy to the cloudy skies for the fourth consecutive time after another hard-earned, 20-14 victory in the 64^th Turkey Day game. 

Wakefield’s four-year run, their first since 2008-2011, once again came down to a turnover in the 114^th meeting between the two rivals.  

An interception sealed the deal in each of the last three Thanksgiving games, all ending in one-possession victories for the Warriors. This year, the difference was a turnover-on-downs forced by the Wakefield defense as Melrose was driving for the win. 

On 4th-and-2 from the Wakefield 23-yard line with 1:41 left, Melrose’s halfback dive was stuffed in a gritty, throwback, game-on-the-line, battle-in-the-trenches play that will live on in Wakefield-Melrose Thanksgiving history. 

“It’s to be expected,” said a mostly speechless John Rafferty after another thrilling Thanksgiving Classic. “That’s just the way it goes with this rivalry.”

The Warriors fittingly iced it on the next play as sophomore running back Jaden Fullerton broke the 200-yard rushing mark with a 24-yard carry, setting up victory formation. Fullerton carried the ball (and the Warrior offense) 38 times for 204 yards and 2 TD’s. 

“We all played our hearts out especially the seniors and the offensive line,” said an exhausted Fullerton after the win. “I just love this family that we have.”

That Warrior football family was well represented from start to finish in Melrose through mid-40s and windy conditions, featuring a driving rain that basted Fred Green Field to a seasoned perfection. That recipe created an environment either idyllic or horrific, depending on the perspective of a lineman or skill position player. 

Wakefield’s defense was plenty happy with the season’s first, truly bad-weather game, forcing two three-and-out’s and a turnover-on-downs on Melrose’s first three possessions of the day. 

The same could be said for the visitors’ offensive linemen and hard-nosed lead back. After a bad punt set up Wakefield on the Melrose 49 for their first drive, Fullerton got the ball seven times, including a tough, 5-yard gain on 4^th-and-4, finishing with an 8-yard TD run, resulting in a 7-0 lead after a successful PAT by junior Carter Jefferson. 

Wakefield’s defense, which forced Melrose to go 0-for-9 on 3^rd downs and 2-for-4 on 4^th down attempts, got their first 4^th down stop on 4^th-and-3 from the Warrior 42 on Melrose’s second drive. Senior captain Matthew Beaver was first in along with juniors Luciano Rossetti, Christian DiFlorio and Tommy DeFeo. 

Melrose returned the favor on Wakefield’s second drive but the Warriors forced another three-and-out to get the ball back early in the 2^nd quarter, setting up their best drive of the day, starting on their own 40. Eleven plays, 60 yards and six minutes later, the Warriors were in the end zone again on what ended up being a fumble recovery in the end zone by DiFlorio who lost it on a 1-yard plunge but recovered to give Wakefield a commanding 14-0 lead. 

Senior Jackson Fitzpatrick made two big plays in the Melrose backfield to force another three-and-out as the home team continued to seek their initial first down of the day. 

Fullerton’s only blemish in this one was a fumble, which gave Melrose the ball back on the Warrior 42 with 1:41 left in the half. 

This time, Melrose converted on a 4^th-and-7 with a 10-yard pass from Jack Feeney to Nick Hitchman. Feeney later ran it in from 1-yard out with 10 seconds left on the clock to make it 14-7 at the break.

The home team capitalized on the momentum to start the second half. They nearly recovered a bouncing ball on the opening kickoff if not for an alert recovery by sophomore Brandon Meahl. 

Wakefield went three-and-out anyways and Melrose kept it in the air as the rain slowed down just a bit with Feeney finding Rich Harrison for a 15-yard TD to tie it at 14 with 8:50 left in the 3^rd.

To this point in the game, Fullerton had carried the ball 22 times. He would get it 15 more before it was over. 

“He had a hell of a game,” said Rafferty of Fullerton, who also stood out from his linebacker spot, per usual. “We wanted to run the football and he ran it hard and tough. My hat is off to him and to those kids blocking up front. They did a great job.”

Those linemen, quickly shouted out by both Rafferty and Fullerton, included Meahl, senior captain Cade Esposito, sophomores Bronco Jones and Damien Hunt, freshman Joe Shea and Wakefield’s two bruising tight ends, Beaver and Fitzpatrick. 

After the Warrior defense pushed the Melrose offense back late in the 3^rd, leading to a punt that gave Wakefield the ball on the Melrose 34, that line opened up a hole for Fullerton which led to a jump cut and about five missed tackles as “Fully” proved he was hungry for more. The halfback and the Warrior line had to dig deep once again on 4^th-and-goal from the 2 to start the 4^th quarter. With the whole stadium very aware of who would get the rock, Fullerton followed DiFlorio’s lead block into the end zone. A missed point after during the heaviest rain of the morning made it 20-14 with 11:15 to go. 

Wakefield’s defense continued to battle, forcing Melrose’s fifth three-and-out of the day thanks to a big stop on 3^rd-and-3 when Hunt broke through first, followed by Rossetti and cleaned up by Beaver and Fitzpatrick. 

Wakefield moved the chains and chewed up some clock but sent out Jefferson to punt on 4^th-and-1 from their own 42 with 5:21 to go, giving Melrose the ball on their own 24, down six. 

Melrose converted on their first 4^th down of the drive as Harrison took it on 4^th-and-2 for a 14-yard gain. 

It appeared as though the Warriors were in big trouble when Harrison carried it 9 yards to set up a 2^nd-and-1 from the Wakefield 22 yard line with 3 minutes left, but Beaver and Fullerton busted up the next run for a 1-yard loss and Melrose went to the air on 3^rd-and-2, to no avail thanks in large part to pressure from Beaver who was all over the field in his last game.

That set up the play of the game. Wakefield’s 4^th down stop was perfectly executed by all. Hunt, Rossetti and Beaver plugged their gaps, setting up DiFlorio “The Warrio,” who flew in from his middle linebacker spot and cut down Harrison before he could reach the line to gain, setting off a celebration from the Warrior bench and alum from behind the fence that was slightly delayed as the refs brought out the chains to measure and confirm Wakefield’s win.

Not much could be said as the Warriors celebrated on their rival’s field. Wakefield finished at 7-4 overall this season, ending the year on a six-game winning streak and with a share of the Middlesex League Freedom Division title along with Stoneham and Burlington. Of course, the streak on everyone’s mind was Wakefield’s current Thanksgiving run. The Class of 2025, including captains Beaver, Esposito and John Fitzgerald along with Fitzpatrick, Ian Christie, Ryan Fowler, Luke Dixon, Zach Courtright and Calvin Bryant, will graduate with a 4-0 record on Thanksgiving. 

Yes, the Warriors will celebrate this one, but it was clear even through the rain and haze that Wakefield wants this to be a tradition that perseveres. 

“We gotta go for five,” said Rafferty as he was congratulated by fans and fellow Warrior alum on his way out of Melrose. 

“Just keep it going,” agreed Fullerton who has two years left to play his part. “Beat Melrose every time.”