Duxbury's Festa hopes starring role in Super Bowl strengthens his case for Div. I offer
FOXBORO — After completing an undefeated season and hoisting the MIAA Division 4 state championship trophy at Gillette Stadium on Friday night, Matt Festa now plays the waiting game.
Festa de-committed from his University of Maryland baseball scholarship in order to try his hand at playing for a Division I college football program.
So far he’s gotten an offer from Div. III Colby College. But no cigar yet on Div. I.
More:Follow all 8 of the MIAA high school football state championships at Gillette
“Haven’t found any yet but I'm just going to get back to work, keep working hard, and hopefully something will come my way,” Festa said of his recruiting process.
Friday night was certainly a statement game from Festa as he put up six total touchdowns (4 rushing, 2 passing) in a 42-7 win over Grafton that gave Duxbury (12-0) its first crown since 2016. Festa threw for 250 yards and ran for 35 more. Consider it one final message to college coaches that he can perform at a high level on a big stage.
"He needs an offer, a D1 offer," senior safety Brendan Bonner said.
"He is an absolutely special kid," Dragons coach Matt Landolfi said. "To me he has to be up there as one of the best players in Duxbury history. I hope somebody finds him and puts him on their (college) team next year because he's going to win a lot of games for somebody. He's a great competitor and a great kid on top of it."
A championship win is a perfect cap to an already accomplished high school career. Festa finished the season with 50 total touchdowns (35 passing, 14 rushing, 1 receiving). The previous year he had 49 touchdowns.
More:So you're trying to slow down Milton's Owen McHugh and Duxbury's Matt Festa? Good luck.
After losing last year in the state final, 14-13, to Scituate, Festa and the Dragons were on a revenge tour.
“Feels hell of a lot better than last year this time,” said Festa. “It just feels good for all the hard work to pay off.”
But if you asked Festa before the game, he wasn’t worried about the recruiters, bright lights or last year’s loss. It was pure laser focus.
“Just straight winning,” Festa said of what was going through his mind pregame. “Like our coach said, ‘The goal is to put up as many points as we can and keep them to as little points as we can,' and we definitely executed on that.”
Even after accounting for all six Duxbury touchdowns in the win, Festa credited his teammates.
“We just executed as a team,” said Festa. “I happened to be the one carrying and throwing the ball but nothing would happen without my linemen, wide receivers and everyone else.”
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Duxbury QB Festa hopes big game will help him land D1 college offer
