Hear From the Raiders: Coach Carroll and Players React to Watertown's 9-0 Start and Playoff Win

Postgame interviews by Jack LaRose and Jim Vershbow

WATERTOWN, Mass. — The Watertown High School football team kept its perfect season alive Friday, Nov. 6, defeating No. 14 North Reading 27-8 in a rain-soaked MIAA Division 5 Round of 16 matchup at Victory Field.

The third-seeded Raiders improved to 9-0, earning a victory in their first home playoff game since 2016.

Watertown opened the scoring with a 7-yard touchdown run by Andy Riefstahl, but North Reading responded with an 84-yard touchdown pass and successful two-point conversion to take an 8-6 lead.

Senior quarterback Coleman Keuchkarian-McKeen put Watertown back in front with a 1-yard touchdown run before halftime. The Raiders then pulled away in the second half behind an 11-yard touchdown run by Max Velazquez and a 1-yard score from Jayden Pineda.

Watertown's defense also delivered, with Shane Garey recording two interceptions.

"We struggled in the first half of the game. And then at halftime we all just relaxed," lineman Peter Pavlidis said afterward. "We knew what we had to do. And we went out in the second half and we just dominated."

Head coach Joey Carroll praised his team's determination.

"Our guys just never quit," Carroll said. "They fight and they finish. That's what they do."

The Raiders now turn their attention to sixth-seeded Norton (8-1), which visits Victory Field on Friday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m. for the Division 5 quarterfinals. The winner advances to the state semifinals.

WCA-TV will provide live coverage of Watertown's quarterfinal matchup against Norton on its Education Channel. Fans can watch on cable or stream the game online at wcatv.org/education.

"We're feeling good. It's a good way to move on, but we just got to get back to practice and prepare for Norton," Keuchkarian-McKeen said.