This Sunday, 95.9 WATD announced the finalists for the 2024 Bill Wilhelm Award, recognizing the most outstanding high school football player on the South Shore.
Announced during the Sports Exchange, airing every Sunday at 5 p.m., three student athletes from the area were announced from the pool of 10 semifinalists that were named last month.
Those finalists are Lawson Foley (Scituate), Tor Maas (Marshfield), and Jack Rees (Duxbury).
You can listen to the announcement and more below.
The Finalists
Listed in alphabetical order
Lawson Foley, SR, Scituate
It’s hard to say for sure which side of the ball of the ball Foley was better on this year.
For a second straight season, the Sailors’ captain was one of the most prolific receivers in the area. He punctuated a 42 reception, 966 yard, 18 touchdown season with a pair of scores at Gillette.
It was the second straight season that Foley finished with over 900 yards receiving.
Defensively, Foley was one of Scituate’s leading tacklers on the back end, finishing the season with over 60 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles, six interceptions and a pick six.
LISTEN: Scituate Football Recounts Perfect Season
Tor Maas, SR, Marshfield
The future Tufts Jumbo is the only repeat semifinalist on the list, after being nominated for the Bill Wilhelm Award in 2023.
Maas backed up a sterling junior campaign with a similarly successful senior season.
The Rams signal caller finished with 1,778 yards and 19 touchdowns through the air, adding seven scores and 345 yards on the ground.
In a win against Hingham, Maas set a program record for touchdown passes in a game after firing five first half scores.
After a trip back to the Final Four, Marshfield closed their season by ending Duxbury’s 15 straight Patriot League titles streak on Thanksgiving, with Maas putting together another five touchdown performance in storm conditions.
LISTEN: Marshfield Recaps Come From Behind Win Over Methuen
Jack Rees, SR, Duxbury
For the second straight season, a Duxbury running back checks in as a Bill Wilhelm Award semifinalist.
Replacing the now-Bentley Falcon Alex Barlow was going to be a tall order for the Dragons on both sides of the ball, but Rees provided near identical production.
The senior captain finished with over 1,400 yards rushing and 22 scores on the ground, while catching another touchdown pass and throwing for a score at Gillette.
On defense, Rees led Duxbury with over 70 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, six sacks, two forced fumbles, and an interception.
Rees will be taking his talents to Trinity College in 2025.
Bill Wilhelm receiving the President’s Award at the Massachusetts Basketball Coaches’ Association meeting in 2011
Bill Wilhelm
Bill was our station’s first Sports Director, overseeing and participating in four decades of high school football, basketball, and hockey broadcasts, as well as hosting the weekly Sports Exchange talk show.
Tirelessly working to make sure that every accomplishment of local student athletes was given appropriate recognition, Bill Wilhelm was, for so many on the South Shore, the first name that came to mind when they thought of high school sports.
Last year, Bill was inducted into the Duxbury High School Athletics Hall of Fame; recognition of his over 30 years as head coach of the junior varsity boys soccer team, as well as his innumerable contributions off the field.
Nowhere are those contributions felt more than here at 95.9 WATD. Here, entering our 47th year, we are still able to provide coverage of South Shore high school athletics thanks to the groundwork Bill laid over so many years.
Matt Festa, winner of the Bill Wilhelm Award, poses with WATD’s Brendan Connelly, Johnny Rorke, Bill Wilhelm, and Quinn Kelly.
Past Winners
The Bill Wilhelm Award was founded in 2022, with Matt Festa of Duxbury High School being named the award’s inaugural winner.
Festa led the Dragons to a 12-0 record and Division 4 state title to close his incredible career, compiling 50 total touchdowns, 2,931 yards passing, and 469 yards rushing on the season.
In the process, he set the Duxbury High School record for single season passing yards.
Festa, now playing football at the University of New Hampshire, was joined by fellow finalists Owen McHugh (Milton, Williams College) and Casious Johnson (Plymouth South).
Ben Scalzi (center with trophy) is the 2023 Bill Wilhelm Award winner, pictured with Quinn Kelly (left), Brendan Connolly (center right) and Johnny Rorke (right).
Last year, Hanover High School’s Ben Scalzi took home the Bill Wilhelm Award.
Scalzi, a senior captain, led the Hawks to an 11-2 season and an appearance in the Division 5 Super Bowl. He finished the season with 41 total touchdowns and 2,621 yards passing. His 39 passing touchdowns were good enough to claim the top mark in the state last season.
Fellow finalists included Tyler Lennox (Carver, UMass Dartmouth) and Alex Barlow (Duxbury, Bentley).
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