September 14, 2025 – Story and photos by Joshua Ross
New turf. New mascot. New cheerleading team. Same “All In” mentality for Head Coach TJ Byrne’s football team.
The Harbormen needed every second of Friday night’s season opener at home vs Hanover to secure the win.
Because of an unusual glitch in the scheduling, Hingham had their bye the first week of the season, while Hanover had a game last week vs Somerset Berkley Regional High School. Byrne was a little worried going into the game with his team’s ability to find their game speed.
“My biggest concern coming in was I didn’t want us to wait a quarter to adjust to game speed,” explained Byrne after the game. “It was the first time where seeing speed. They’re a fast team, so my concern was how would that look? I mean they could move the ball, they’re effective, but I think some of it was us adjusting a little bit, it was like it was like a paper cuts, you know, they just kept moving the chains, moving the chains, but we adjusted, I thought from that (first) drive on, our first half defense was was fantastic.”
Hanover took most of the first quarter to take the game’s opening kick-off down the field before senior Aedan Milligan intercepted the ball inside the 10 yard line. Junior Riley Bello would more than make up for fumbling Hingham’s first possession of the game, leading to a Hanover score.
Senior quarterback Jake Varholak settled his team down and ran in the Harbormen’s first TD of the season from 8 yards out in the second quarter sending the game into halftime tied at 7. Picking up where he left off with his legs, Varholak, who had 75 yards on the ground, gave Hingham their first lead of the game with his second rushing TD in the third quarter, 13-7 (missed extra point).
His throwing wasn’t half bad either. Varholak’s first passing touchdown was to senior captain Cavan Nicholas (7 rec., 86 yds, TD) in the corner of end zone. Nicholas, who Byrne refers to as “Mr. Third Down,” is no stranger to making big plays at big moments.
“Cavan is a steady of a player as they come,” says Byrne. “He’s always runs precise routes. I don’t remember seeing him dropping many balls over the last three years. He’s just Mr. Reliable.”
With a comfortable Harbormen 20-7 lead in the fourth quarter, Hanover kept fighting and cut the lead to 6 and on a third and 10 from midfield, scored the game tying TD and go ahead extra point with just under 90 seconds to play.
While senior Chase Beighley had two huge catch and runs on the game winning drive and before Bello’s catch and run of his life, sophomore JT Reale lining up wide outside, taking two defenders with him, set the table for the heroic comeback. Byrne credits his offensive coordinate Coach Brain Chamberlain for recognizing the coverage and calling plays to allow Beighley to take advantage in the open space in the middle of the field.
The final play of the game came with :11 seconds at Hanover’s 21 yard line, a little out of reach for a field goal. Bello, who is a running back, set up in the slot as a receiver and cut underneath the goal line coverage heading towards his sideline. He caught the ball in stride at the 10 yard line, and the 5’10”, 170 lb. junior somehow turned into Derrick Henry sidestepping two defenders at the 5 yard line, continued driving his feet when hit by two more defenders at the 2 yard line, spun and stepped over a third and fell across the goal line for the improbable win and full team pig pile.
“I was just gonna to take it to the house,” described Bello with a smile on his face. “It was my moment. I felt it. I was not going out (of bounds). I wanted that so bad.”
It certainly was his moment and fully capitalized on it.
Bello played sporadically last year, but in a season with pretty high expectations, he made the biggest play of the young season. He experienced low of the first play fumble and the high of the game winning play in a span of about two and half hours.
“He’s a tough kid, a tough mental kid,” describes Byrne. “The way to bounce back at the end. He got a little help from his friends in momentum there, but what a game.”
It’s always good to win the season opener, especially against a team that’s beaten you the last two season. Hanover was Hingham’s only loss in their first five games last year falling 35-18 at their place and losing 37-15 at home the year before. Next up is one of only three road games this season at Abington on Friday night at 7pm.
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