There are blood relatives and there are people who are “like family.” Both scenarios were on display at Manning Field Thursday morning in the 111th edition of the English-Classical football rivalry.
First-year English Coach Tyllor McDonald got the better of his cousin, Classical Coach and former English standout Brian Vaughan, with the Bulldogs prevailing, 28-6.
“It felt good,” said McDonald, a 5,000-yard passer at English 20 years after his cousin was a dominant running back. “Shaking his hand. It’s my cousin. I don’t ever want to see him lose unless it’s against me. I love him. I told him that.”
Vaughan, who led English to an undefeated regular season and MIAA Super Bowl berth in 1990 and is in his eighth year leading the Rams, will never enjoy a loss, but he was able to crack a smile when talking about the job McDonald did this year in leading English to an MIAA playoff berth and 7-4 record, after working as an assistant for Vaughan at Classical.
“He was with me the last four years,” Vaughan said. “And then he had the opportunity to come here. I was excited for him because I knew he was going to do a great job. I’m so happy for him. Me going against my little cousin was special.”
Vaughan was an assistant at English when McDonald was a sophomore on the 2008 team and worked with his cousin leading up to his junior year, before taking the head coaching job at Pope John in Everett right before the start of pre-season practice. He is not surprised at McDonald’s early success.
“I knew that was going to happen right off the bat because I know what type of coach he is,” Vaughan said. “I know what type of guy he is. I know how he gets after it. I know how he was as an athlete. And then also it’s family. It runs in our blood. We’re competitors.”
There were plenty of competitors roving the field Thursday, none better than English senior quarterback Jaiden Rosario, who completed 17 of 20 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns. He wasn’t perfect, but he was close.
“It’s awesome,” Rosario said. “No one wants to end this game with a loss or throwing a couple of picks. So it was just good to have some fun, throw a bunch of passes, a bunch of touchdowns. I couldn’t ask for anything better, other than no rain, but that doesn’t really matter.”
It was a spectacular way to end his career for someone whose life circumstances have been far from perfect, through no fault of his own. When McDonald was hired last December, Rosario didn’t realize he would be getting a father figure in addition to a new head coach.
“He’s a coach, but he’s also an older brother/father figure,” the 6-1, 192-pound quarterback said after his command performance. “He’s helping us be better human beings, better athletes, better students. So it’s just good to have him around, and it just motivates me a lot.”
McDonald has played that role for all of his players, but at a different level for Rosario.
“Me personally? I go through a lot of things, and he’s right there, right by my side to pick me up, and I’m just thankful for that,” Rosario said.
McDonald wouldn’t have it any other way.
“So, for Jaiden, he’s like a son to me,” he said. “I’ve taken him under my wing since day one. He’s a great kid. He’s a 3.0 student. He’s easy to get along with. He’s a smart kid. In our relationship, it’s like it was meant to be. I mean, he needed me, I needed him. And then we just made it work this year. I spend so much time with not only him, with everyone, but I’m with Jaiden a lot.”
When the head coach is a former quarterback, you know which position gets the most scrutiny.
“Honestly, I’m the hardest on Jaiden,” McDonald said. “I’m on everyone, but he gets it the worst. And he never shuts down. That’s the thing about Jaiden. He’s mentally tough. He’s one of the toughest kids I’ve ever been around. He’s a big kid, too, on top of being physically tough and mentally tough. He’s got a bright future.”
Whenever a new coach comes in there is some level of trepidation among the players, especially the seniors. That was eliminated almost immediately with McDonald.
“Yeah, I mean, it was my senior year, so regardless, I knew I was going to ball out,” Rosario said. “Coach Mac came in December 14th, and right away, he was 100 percent invested, 100 percent committed. And it just showed me what he wanted, and we wanted the same thing, and we did that.”
Rosario said the extra support has been welcome – and necessary.
“Just home situation and things going on,” he said. “He’s always talking to me, calling me aside, just making me feel good and better about myself.”
That’s what family’s for.
When it was mentioned to Vaughan that his cousin has bragging rights for the next year, he suggested it would behoove McDonald not to take it too far.
“He knows I could still body-slam him.”
