Everett Rolls to First Round Victory as DiBiasio Earns 300th Career Win

John DiBiasio Earns 300th Win in Playoff Victory

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

Everett - It may have been a contest filled with future college football stars, but on Friday night the most important statistic belonged to the head coach.

Everett coach Jon DiBiaso secured the 300^th victory of his career on Friday as the Tide, behind three first half touchdown passes from quarterback Jake Willcox, defeated No. 6 St. John’s Prep, 49-14 in the first round of the MIAA Division 1 North playoffs.

The feat of 300 career victories is nothing short of amazing. DiBiaso joins Northbridge head coach Ken LaChapelle (352 wins) as the only two active head coaches in MIAA football history to reach the 300 win plateau.

DiBiaso, who has 12 state titles, now is 300-75-1 all-time over 35 years at the helm.

“It’s 300 wins for me but it’s 300 wins for the whole program,” DiBiaso said. “I’ve got great kids and I am lucky enough to work in my hometown, the best town in Massachusetts. It’s been great to be here for 39 years as a teacher, 26 years as a coach. I’m blessed.”

For DiBiaso the only number that mattered was on the scoreboard.

All night long Everett’s offense, as it has been all season, was simply unstoppable.

The Tide scored on seven of their first eight drives (the only drive Everett did not score on was a knee before halftime).

Over the course of the first two quarters Everett compiled 300 total yards, 173 yards courtesy of Willcox.

Defensively the Tide were equally as lethal. Lewis Cine, Duane Binns and Jhamal Simon (two sackes) led a unit that held the Prep to just one first down without the benefit of a penalty in the opening half.

That first down came on the final play prior to the intermission when Matt Crowley hit Luke Brennan for a 64 yard score.

The opening drive for Everett was a sign of things to come.

On third and 10, Willcox (4/6, 226 yards, 3 TDs) drilled Jason Maitre on a slant route over the middle and Maitre took off taking it to the house for a 77 yard score.

A Simon sack forced a Prep punt and gave Everett possession for the second time on the night.

Immediately the Tide offense pounced. Jacob Miller trucked up the gut for 19 yards and one play later Willcox hit Isaiah Likely on a screen pass who then took off down the left sideline for a 42 yard touchdown.

Willcox to his explosive weapons was a pattern throughout the contest.

A touchdown pass from the junior quarterback on a perfectly placed deep ball to Likely for 56 yards put the Tide up 21-0 and on drive later Kevin Brown took an inside handoff and went 41 yards to give Everett a four score lead.

“The guys around me, its such a luxury,” Willcox said. “I can throw them a simple screen pass and it’s a 70 yard touchdown pass. They just fly. They’re the best receivers in the state.”

Leading 35-7 entering the third quarter Mike Sainristil put on the finishing touches.  The speedy Sainristil picked off Crowley on a crossing route and went 47 yards for a pick six.

While there were a number of notable performances to go around the evening belonged to DiBiaso. The famed Everett coach picked up win number 300 but if the Tide are anything close to what they were on Friday for the rest of the postseason, DiBiasio will take home what he is focused on most – his 13^th state title.