BILLERICA — The season couldn’t have ended any better for the KIPP football team, which capped off the year with a 34-19 victory over Shawsheen Tech in a Commonwealth Athletic Conference battle at Alumni Stadium Saturday. The Panthers took the fight right to Shawsheen, scoring more points than any other team has against the Rams defense this year.
Sophomore quarterback Juan Setalsingh, who took over the starting job midway through the season, scored three total touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) in the win. Daniel Oluwasuyi and Dave Filias, two of the seniors who have been with the team since its inception four years ago, each rushed for a touchdown. Senior Taj King and sophomore Victor Mafo each had a touchdown reception in the win.
The Panthers came right out and scored to start the game, putting together a 13-play drive that was capped with a 16-yard touchdown connection from Setalsingh to Mafo to make it 7-0.
That score held for the rest of the first quarter, but early in the second KIPP was able to extend its lead when Filias punched one in from three yards out to make it 14-0.
Shawsheen finally answered back with a touchdown drive of its own late in the second quarter, but KIPP responded in kind. After the Panthers got another touchdown when Setalsingh hooked up with King on a 16-yard pass, KIPP led 20-6.
The second half saw Shawsheen start off with a touchdown to make it 20-13, but KIPP responded once again. This time it was Setalsingh, who broke free and raced 23 yards for a score to go up by two touchdowns once again.
Oluwasuyi added a four-yard touchdown run to round out the scoring for the Panthers in the fourth quarter.
KIPP finishes up the shortened season at 5-2. This brings an end to the high school careers of 15 KIPP seniors, 13 of whom have been with the team since the program was founded four years ago.
