From one season to the next, high school athletes don’t get many breaks. Marblehead’s Ryan Commoss has been on some great football and basketball teams over the years, but this year has been different for the senior.
Commoss played wide receiver for the Magicians and had a stellar year, but it wasn’t all that great to begin with.
“It started a little rough at 0-4. When you play for Marblehead football, you’re only used to maybe one or two losses, so it was a bit weird,” he said. “Our seniors kind of got together and knew we had to change it around. We won our last four games, made the playoffs, and then won the first round of the playoffs. We ended up being 5-5 and having a good season.”
Finishing the season on a 5-1 run, it included a major upset playoff win against Middleboro (21-12) in which Commoss scored the first touchdown of the game.
“It felt really good. We were the 14th seed going into a three-seeded house. A lot of people didn’t pick us and we were big underdogs,” Commoss said. “We just fought hard and left it all out there. Getting that win was a great feeling.”
The road ended in the next round, but the season wasn’t over for Commoss as he had one more thing to cross off his checklist: another Thanksgiving win over Swampscott.
Commoss described the final football game of his career as “bittersweet.”
“I have been watching the Marblehead-Swampscott game since I was 6 years old. Being able to play in it the last couple of years and knowing it was my last football game, it was kind of sad, but I was excited for it,” Commoss said. “We won 11 straight years, so you don’t want to be that class to lose. Swampscott had a pretty good team this year, so we knew it would be a tough game. I’m just happy we were able to come through with the victory.”
After his Thanksgiving celebrations, Commoss had just three days to prepare for the upcoming basketball season.
“I got Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off before going straight into basketball season,” he said.
Commoss, who has a good shot, admitted it took him a few days to find consistency with it.
“It was a little weird, going straight from football to basketball. My basketball shot was a little off, so it took me a couple of days to get back into basketball form,” he said.
The Marblehead basketball team is coming off a magical run to an Elite 8 appearance. However, the team lost starting guards Tyrone Countrymon and Isaiah Makor, among others.
Despite the loss of playmakers, key player Commoss is confident in the group that’s left.
“We’re returning a few solid guys like Nick Lemmond and Scott Campbell. I think we’re going to be the three main guys this year,” Commoss said. “This year, we’re trying to focus on finishing games and not dropping games we should be winning. Last year, we lost a couple of games we shouldn’t have, which hurt us. We need to give 100 percent effort each game. The first goal for us is to get to 10 wins and get into the playoffs.”
Through two games, the Magicians have won both, and the football rust has seemingly shaken off the sharpshooter’s fingertips.
“We’re two games in and I’m averaging around 19 points and 14 rebounds. It’s still early. We’re only two games in, but I want to become a better defender and rebounder,” he said. “I think the scoring will come naturally, so it’s the little things I’m trying to work on and improve.”
But what Commoss likes most about this team is its unselfishness.
“I think everyone is playing together and being unselfish. We’re constantly making the extra pass,” he said. “We’ve had some new guys come in who have played hard defense [and] they’re diving for loose balls. I’ve been enjoying watching everyone be unselfish.”
Since Commoss doesn’t play a spring sport, this winter will be the last time he represents Marblehead on an athletic level.
He’s ready to make the most of it with his lifelong friends.
“I’ve been playing with all these guys since the 5th grade, and we’ve had some amazing runs,” Commoss said. “This is our last run together. Most of the kids on the basketball team are my best friends. It’s kind of emotional for us since we know it’s our last ride.”
