A FENWAY FINISH: Brockton High football sends Colombo into retirement with win over B-R
BOSTON – Cam Monteiro said it was "on our (the players') minds all game."
On the football field gracing the Fenway Park grass, the Brockton High football team (9-2) wanted to send Peter Colombo, its legendary head coach, into retirement with a win over rival Bridgewater-Raynham (5-6) in his final game on Wednesday.
Special venue, special night and, for the Boxers, a perfect end result.
Behind a second-half outburst, Brockton prevailed, 31-20, over the Trojans to not only accomplish the overarching mission for its coach but also claim the Southeast Conference title for the second consecutive season.
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“It’s a little surreal. It’s been mixed emotions. My dad (Armond Colombo) talked about the sadness of giving this job up, so I know what he meant," Colombo said. "We’ve been looking forward to this since the summer, knowing it’d be here at Fenway. We kind of knew we had a special group and I’m super proud of the way they played. Nine and two – (this) is a great way to wrap up, it really is.”
Colombo took the program's reins from his father in 2003 and proceeded to lead the Boxers to five Super Bowl appearances and two consecutive state titles in 2004 and 2005.
He was honored on the big video board in right field with a series of photos and a public announcements before the game Wednesday night and, to acknowledge the crowd, Colombo waved and tipped his cap. Monteiro wasn't lying – Colombo's farewell was truly the theme of the night.
“I don’t like being the center (of attention)," Colombo admitted postgame. "These kids do all the work. Great players make great coaches, I’ve said that from Day 1. And I’ve been blessed to coach a lot of great kids and be surrounded by excellent, great coaches.”
Two of those great players, in particular, cranked it up in Brockton's 25-point second half: Monteiro, the junior quarterback who rushed 17 times for 155 yards and 1 touchdown, and senior K.O. Osinubi, who converted his 14 carries into 127 yards and two touchdowns.
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Brockton, which owns an offense that topped 50 points four times this season, maintained a 6-0 lead at halftime. Only a matter of time after the break until the Monteiro-Osinubi breakthrough?
“Based on what they’ve done all year – yes," Colombo said. "They made each other better, kind of ding-donged off each other all year. With that big front, (defenders) get lost back there and next thing you know, they’re flying down the field. Two special athletes and I was very blessed to have them for my last season.”
Osinubi sparked the second-half surge by responding B-R's 15-yard score from Dawson DuBose (21 carries, 154 yards, 2 TD) with a 65-yard TD on the Boxers' first play of the ensuing drive.
Approximately three minutes later, after Christian Pina made a big stop to force B-R into a turnover on downs, Monteiro flashed 77 yards the other way for a touchdown of his own. After the sequence, Brockton led 19-7 with 7:20 to play in the third quarter.
“We went into halftime and said, 'we’re one block away from big plays,'" Monteiro said. "So our line made adjustments and we got the one block, and we ended up making big plays.”
Monteiro captained the next drive by locating receiver Christenson Paul for a 22-yard gain that put the Boxers in the red zone, then capped it off with a 6-yard TD to put Brockton ahead 25-14 with 2:06 left in the third.
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Michael Victor put an exclamation point on the night with a 15-yard TD, as well as a celebratory dance in the end zone, as the lead ballooned to 31-14 inside three minutes to go.
Brockton captured the league title last year by defeating the Trojans, 21-20, on an unsuccessful 2-point try by B-R in the final minute.
"Every game has been a dog fight," Colombo said of the rivalry. "It’s been a special rivalry and good for our program and theirs, I think.”
Added Colombo, “I had three Super Bowl losses end my season and this feels a lot better. Being (at Fenway): special place, great crowd, great atmosphere and I’m very proud of our performance.”
After falling to No. 8 Methuen in the state tournament by a 37-34 final – a heartbreaker that was stamped by a game-sealing interception on the final play – Brockton returned to top form by defeating Braintree, 50-20, in its nonplayoff tune-up for the long-awaited Fenway finish.
“It’s a great thing," Osinubi said of Wednesday's win. "It’s a beautiful stadium. We have a great coach, he led us throughout this and I’m ending my high school career so I’m more than happy to get a win, especially with the kids I’ve grown up with since I was five, six years old.
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"It was the best feeling and I’m super grateful. It’s something I’m going to cherish forever.”
So will Colombo.
“This is my life," Colombo said. "Fifty years ago, we won a Super Bowl, me and my dad, up the street at (Boston University). The legacy and the brotherhood of Brockton football, it's a really special thing – 125 years, since 1897. (Brockton High) is a special place and I’ve been around for a lot of it. It’s been awesome.”
This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Peter Colombo caps career with Brockton football win at Fenway Park
