BOURNE – The Bourne High School football team returned to the postseason last year for the first time since 2018 and now aims for consistency in the playoffs with the return of key pieces of its roster.
The Canalmen will not change their typical double-wing offense strategy, but three goals remain the same: win the first game, take it week by week and win on Thanksgiving.
Last season, the Canalmen did well in Week 1, had a four-game winning streak that spanned the entire month of October, and then won on Thanksgiving.
The team has been steadily preparing for the postseason – winning three games in 2021, five in 2022 and seven in 2023 – and now that it has a taste of playoffs, it is hoping for another try after being eliminated by Cathedral by two points in the Sweet 16.
“This is huge,” Bourne head coach John McIntyre said. “We’re not a big program, but to have this success and show that we can win even as a small school is so important.”
Normally the Canalmen have a roster with players in the low 20s or high 10s, but this year they have over 30 players. There is an enthusiasm that has returned to the program and that is reflected on the field in the preseason.
The players have returned to shape after a strong offseason in the weight room and have another year of experience implementing the offense introduced in 2021.
However, Bourne will have a new man at quarterback following the graduation of Ty Kelley. Vincent Boccalini, a recent transfer from Sandwich, will pull the strings as he adjusts to his new team, where he already feels a close bond with his teammates.
Boccalini said openly about his arrival: “I am here to win.”
“With our offense, you can achieve a lot, especially with our formation, and you can confuse a lot of opponents,” said Boccalini. “Coach McIntyre has a great relationship with the players, he is a very likeable guy and very motivating.”
The Canalmen’s offense averaged 26.3 points per game last season, one more field goal than the year before. They failed to get into the end zone only once – a Week 2 loss to South Shore – but were otherwise strong.
McIntyre returns six players who can carry the ball, including juniors Ethan Fox and Drew Kelley, Ty’s younger brother. Fox praised his experienced offensive line, which is key to the running back’s success.
“They’re the guys who pave the way,” Fox said. “The running backs we have have good vision and instincts, and that’s what moves us forward.”
Three juniors (Nicholas McCallum, Caden Doherty and Maxwell Beals) and one senior (Albert Guess) have formed the offensive and defensive lines for nearly four seasons. That continuity has allowed McIntyre to trust his players to execute his attacking plan.
“When you run an offense like we do, it’s become a point of honor because it’s not common,” McIntyre said. “You have to be tough, and the guys have embraced that.”
Bourne football team
Head coach: John McIntyre
Last season’s record: 7-3
Bourne Canalmen Football Schedule 2024
Week 1: Friday, August 30, Old Colony RVT, 6:30 p.m.
Week 2: Friday, September 5 against Upper Cape, 6:30 p.m.
Week 3: Friday, September 13, Holbrook, 10 a.m.
Week 4: Friday, September 20, Cape Tech, 6:30 p.m.
Week 5: Thursday, October 3 against Monomoy, 6:30 p.m.
Week 6: Friday, October 11th at Case, 6:30 p.m.
Week 7: Friday, Oct. 18 vs. Fairhaven, 6 p.m.
Week 8: Friday, Oct. 25 vs. West Bridgewater, 6:30 p.m.
Week 9: Friday, November 1, Seekonk, 6:30 p.m.
Thanksgiving: Thursday, November 28 against Wareham, 10am
Important encounters
Last season, the Canalmen ended a nearly decade-long losing streak to Case and a seven-game losing streak to Seekonk. They face Case in Week 8 and Seekonk in Week 10 in two crucial road games that could determine their postseason fate.
Top returneesrs
Nicolas McCallum, OL/DL, junior
Albert Guess, OL/DL, Senior
Caden Doherty, OL/DL, Junior
Maxwell Beals, OL/DL, Junior
Ethan Fox, RB/CB, Junior
Malachi Coelho, RB/DE, second year student
Tristan Long, RB/DL, Senior
Ty Hawkes, RB/LB, Junior
Isaiah Roderick, RB/LB, senior
Drew Kelley, RB/S, Junior
Brady Banks, TE/LB, Junior
James Crowell, TE/LB, Junior
Allen Gunn covers high school sports for the Cape Cod Times. You can contact him at [email protected] and follow him on X at @allentgunn.
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