Lynn Classical football coach Brian Vaughan couldn’t have asked for a more ideal start to his first year leading the Rams. Through four games this season, the Rams are undefeated with victories over Medford, Malden, Revere and, most recently, Gloucester.
Now Vaughan can add another accolade to his start with the Rams as he has been named New England Patriots High School Coach of the Week.
The win over the Fishermen last Friday night at Newell Stadium, a 21-19 nail-biter in which the Rams had to fend off a late Gloucester surge, places Classical atop the Northeastern Conference Central Division standings.
“Right now we’re 4-0 but there’s a long way to go,” Vaughan said. “We’re just taking it one game at a time, one practice at a time, one day at a time. We’re not trying to look ahead. Obviously I’m happy, especially for the seniors, being 4-0. Right now, we’re just taking it one day at a time.”
Junior quarterback Keith Ridley paved the way for the Rams, tossing two touchdown passes and running for another score. Receivers Nashaun Butler, who caught three passes for 62 yards and a touchdown, and Tyrese Joseph, who tallied three catches for 48 yards and a touchdown, also contributed to the win.
“It was a huge win for the program,” Vaughan said. “Gloucester’s a tough team. It’s very tough to win up there. I’m very happy for the team, very happy for the seniors. It was a big win for those guys.”
Vaughan, a former running back at Classical rival English who later went on to play college football at Northeastern, came to the Rams after head coaching stints at Pope John, Boston English and South Boston. He also coached as an assistant on the staffs at English and Everett. The opportunity to coach a team in his hometown is one Vaughan had been looking forward to for a long time.
“The goal for me has always been to coach Lynn athletes,” Vaughan said. “I take pride in the city I come from. My experiences coaching at other places helped groom me, to hopefully come back and coach in Lynn. I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to come back last winter when I got hired at Classical.”
Vaughan and the Rams were treated to a visit from New England Patriots Hall of Fame linebacker Andre Tippett, who presented the school’s football program with a $1,000 donation made in Vaughan’s honor on behalf of the Patriots Charitable Foundation.
The visit and check presentation will be featured on the Patriots weekly television show, “Patriots All Access,” which airs on Friday night at 7 p.m. on WBZ-TV in Boston.
At the end of the season, one of the weekly winners will be named the New England Patriots High School Coach of the Year and will receive a $2,000 contribution towards the school’s football program.
This marks the second time Vaughan has won the award, as he did so while coaching Boston English in 2013 after his team pulled off a Thanksgiving Day upset over rival Boston Latin.
“It was good. I won the award when I coached at Boston English in 2013,” Vaughan said. “That was amazing. To win it again and win it with the city I’m from, I’m humbled and honored. Winning an award like that isn’t about me. It’s about the coaching staff and the kids buying into our system. It’s a team award.”
Vaughan and the Rams will aim for a 5-0 start on Friday night when they visit Danvers, another NEC rival. The Falcons are also 4-0 this season, making this the second week in a row in which the Rams will take on an undefeated opponent.
“It’s going to be a tough challenge,” Vaughan said. “Danvers is a very good team. We just have to take it one day at a time, one practice at a time. If we do that, we’ll be ok.”
