By Cary Suman
Former Winthrop Youth Football standout Duke Doherty completed a successful season as the backup quarterback for the Division 1 state champion Everett High football team.
A 5-foot-9-inch, 170-pound freshman, Doherty appeared late in Everett’s 35-10 victory over Xaverian in the Super Bowl on Saturday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. Everett repeated as state champion with an 11-0 record and the No. 1 ranking in the state.
“It was fun to be a part of a state championship season and to have the opportunity to play at Gillette,†said Doherty.
Duke played in several varsity games as the No. 2 quarterback behind junior Jake Willcox, who had 28 touchdown passes this season.
Doherty’s father, Rob, was a football and basketball player at Winthrop High. Rob was a starting linebacker for the Vikings, teaming up with Mark D’Ambrosio and Greg Dankner as a formidable trio of LBs for Tony Fucillo-coached teams. Rob is an assistant coach of the Everett High football team.
Everett High quarterback Duke Doherty, who played youth football in Winthrop, is pictured with his father, Rob Doherty, an assistant football coach at EHS, and Rhandy Audate, also an assistant football coach at EHS, following Everett’s 35-10 win over Xaverian in the Division 1 Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium.