The Chieftains hired many new coaches for this upcoming football season, and are looking to reinvent the program to reach new heights.
After an underwhelming season, Masco looks to rebuild to a football juggernaut and so far, it starts with the new coaches that have entered the program.
Masco was in the hunt for a new head coach for quite some time after head coach Gavin Monagle retired. After many interviews, Masco landed their guy for the future, head coach Pat Sheehan. Sheehan was most recently coaching in the Reading football program as the varsity offensive coordinator, and before that was the head coach for Triton.
“This has been his dream job, and I really believe he’s very sincere when he says that. That really stood out to me because this is the place he wants to be, long-term, and his inclusivity also stands out,” said athletic director John Daileanes. “He has shown that he cares about all the football players he’s ever coached, whether it’s the best player on the team or a kid who just came out to play. Not even just the players but the entire school community, whether it’s connecting with other staff members, teachers, students, administration, boosters, he’s just very inclusive and this is a proud moment.”
Sheehan interviewed for the same position around 9 years ago and didn’t end up getting the job, but always knew the stars would align eventually for his dream of coaching Masconomet football.
“Having played and coached in the Cape Ann League for over 15 years, Masconomet has always stood out to me as the epitome of excellence in high school athletics. Particularly in football, Masconomet boasts a proud history of success rooted in toughness and integrity,” said Sheehan.
The Northeast Conference is a tough challenge for any team to be in, but Sheehan can’t wait to jump in head first and get back to a winning culture.
“As someone who thrives on competition, I am driven to succeed, and I see the competitive landscape of Masconomet Football in the Northeast Conference and Division 3 as an exciting challenge. By fostering a championship-caliber culture at Masconomet Football, I am confident that we will achieve success both on and off the field,” said Sheehan.
The coaching staff is nearly all new from last year, except for the return of defensive coordinator Brian Collins. Collins has been with Masco for a few years now and has always run a stellar defense, and last year’s young, talented defense was among the team’s bright spots. Collins is excited about the future of this program and is excited about the hire of Sheehan.
“[There will be a] little breath of fresh air with some new faces and some new energy, and I’m happy they’re keeping me around. Pat comes very highly recommended and I’ve worked with coach Weidman before, who’s an offensive genius, so I think we’ll get things turned around pretty effectively and start to win a lot of games real quickly here,” said Collins.
The offensive genius mentioned by Collins is Masco’s new offensive coordinator, Neil Weidman. Weidman has tons of experience coaching football as he coached for programs like Danvers, Lynnfield, and Masco in the past. He also has experience with a majority of the sophomore talent, coaching many of them coming up in the youth program, so he knows their capabilities as well as anyone.
“We want to keep the hardnose toughness that’s always been here that Coach Pugh started a long time ago and that Coach Monagle continued. Whatever knowledge that we have is what we want to bring here and try to be in sync with the philosophies of the coaches and get the players on board while doing things the right way and putting our best foot forward,” said Weidman.
To prepare for the season, the coaching staff has already put in place workouts that are hosted in the Masco Gym three nights a week for the football players. So far at the workouts, the turnout has been fantastic and players are already starting to form bonds.
“It’s been a little less than a month now since the hiring of Coach Sheehan, and since day one as a team, I’ve seen our mentality change in an instant. It has been very easy to buy into Sheehan’s philosophy of what he has going on. Some of my favorite things that coach has already brought to the table has definitely been his emphasis on working out and being one team. I can assure you we’re in good hands and we look to make noise in the NEC and compete for the conference title,” said sophomore starter Nino Steffanelli.
Steffanelli is one of many who have been pleased already by the workouts and new system. Sophomore quarterback Drew Gustafson has been putting in lots of work in hopes of a big junior season and has been a good leader for the Chieftains.
“I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing and continue to work hard and trust my coaches. Coach Sheehan and the coaching staff have been great in getting the kids motivated and ready for this season. It’s been great getting with the guys and working out with them and I can’t wait for our season,” said Gustafson.
The Masco Chieftains’ overarching goal for next season is to win the NEC and make some big noise in the state playoffs.
“Qualifying for and competing in the Division 3 State Tournament is a goal. We have a very competitive schedule beginning with Newburyport in the “Bunker” on September 6th. Preparing to beat them will be our focus once the season starts on August 16,” said Coach Sheehan.
With a whole new system and high hopes, the Chieftains are excited to be in preparation for a big 2024 season.