Hollis Brookline football turned adversity into first ever appearance in D2 title game

The season was on the brink for the Hollis Brookline High School football team.

On paper, the Cavaliers had just dropped a 20-15 decision to Pelham, the third year in a row they'd lost to the Python, and with two losses in Division II, HB still had three games against teams that had made the playoffs in 2018.

But behind the scenes, there was trouble. HB played through some injuries early in the season and were just starting to get some of those players back, lending to a bit of mistrust on the field.

Perhaps the biggest blow was the loss of Shawn Aubut, the team's offensive coordinator and play-caller on offense, who stepped down for personal reasons a few days before the game. That left head coach Chris Lones as the only person on the coaching staff who knew the offense well enough to call plays, something he hadn't done for almost six seasons.

"There was a lot of questioning, are we going to be able to play with our head coach calling plays for the first time in six years," Lones said. "A lot of things we were questioning about ourselves. I told the kids, we’ve got a choice to make.

"We have to come together and start trusting everyone in this room. Believe that the guy next to you is going to do his job. We have got to have faith in each other and everybody bought in. Since that game, this has been the tightest football team that I’ve coached."

Since that game, fifth-seeded HB (9-2) has won six games in a row, including last week's win over No. 1 Bow, and during that stretch, the Cavs have averaged 44.5 points per game on offense, while allowing 15.3.

That success has put the Cavs some place they've never been before, as HB will face No. 6 Plymouth (9-2) in the D2 championship at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the University of New Hampshire. It's the first time HB has ever advanced to a championship, while the Bobcats, the three-time defending champs, are playing in their fourth in a row.

"Playing at UNH on the big stage, it’s going to be a big difference," HB senior Quinten Wimmer said. "They obviously have the experience, their coaches are used to it. I have no doubt the confidence this team has already shown is immense."

That confidence comes after the Cavs started switching some things up on offense. Over the six-game win streak, HB has turned a little more to its running game and found success, getting a boost from the return of Marc-Andre Thermitus.

With the junior running back, along with quarterback Sander Wimmer, plus receivers Quinten Wimmer and AJ Johnson capable of picking up yards on the ground, the Cavs have been able to vary their rushing attack.

"Since Marc has gotten healthy, he’s been on a tear," Lones said. "So if you stop (Thermitus), then Sander is rushing the ball. He doesn’t look that fast until you’re trying to catchup to him. Then we bring (Quinten) in motion or we run the ball with AJ."

The ability to run the ball has had a big benefit for Sander Wimmer.

"It takes a lot of pressure off me having to throw the ball a lot," he said. "It also highlights the offensive line. They get overshadowed, but they are a huge part of our offense. Using the run game has made defenses have to pick, do we line up to stop the run or do we line up to stop the throw. They know either way we can burn them."

That versatility on offense will be important against Plymouth, which has won seven games in a row and allowed an average of 8.4 points per game during that stretch. While the Bobcats aren't as big up front as Bow, they are athletic, which is more like the Cavs' line.

"Every single one of their players flies to the ball," Quinten Wimmer said. "We have to try to be more physical than them. We have to stop the run because they’re a run team."

With HB playing at UNH for the first time, Lones has a plan in place to try to get the Cavs accustomed to the stadium and the atmosphere.

"We’ll handle the playoff game the same way we’ve handled every playoff game since I’ve been here," he said. "When you go into a situation you’ve never been in before, the best thing you can do for the kids is give them the opportunity to idle down. You get there early.

"You never know what is going to happen, so enjoy that moment. You’ve earned the opportunity to be there. We might even be there early enough to watch the game before us. Enjoy the moment and take it in."