Dighton-Rehoboth Battles in Back-and-Forth Clash, Falls Short Against Dennis-Yarmouth

Dighton-Rehoboth Battles in Back-and-Forth Clash, Falls Short Against Dennis-Yarmouth

Dennis-Yarmouth's Bryson Garcia returns the opening kickoff during Friday's game against Dighton-Rehoboth.

NORTH DIGHTON — After being shut out by Canton in Week 1, Dighton-Rehoboth’s offense came alive Friday night, putting up 32 points behind a strong effort from senior quarterback Joel DaSilva and the backfield. But despite the offensive surge, it wasn’t enough to overcome Dennis-Yarmouth, who edged the Falcons 34-32 in a thrilling back-and-forth contest.

“This week, I think we took a giant step forward,” said D-R head coach Kevin Gousie Sr. “Our effort was there. We did a lot of things well, but we made just enough mistakes that allowed them to capitalize and win the game.”

Dennis-Yarmouth was led by junior quarterback Jayden Barber, who threw for 275 yards and two touchdowns, and ran in another score. His go-to target, junior wide receiver Peyton Kellett, had a monster game with seven catches for 183 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore Oliver Doto also chipped in with 41 rushing yards and two scores, while Hudson Cambal recovered a key fumble.

Dennis-Yarmouth's Peyton Kellet dives for a touchdown while being tackled by Dighton-Rehoboth's David Hunt during Friday's game.

“We made enough plays to win, but we’ve got to keep improving—especially on defense and tackling,” said D-Y head coach Chris Marsh. “But when it mattered most, our kids made the plays we needed to win.”

Falcons Strike First, but Momentum Swings

D-R opened the game in commanding fashion. Kevin Gousie Jr. broke through for a 26-yard touchdown on the opening drive, though the extra point was blocked. The Falcons forced a turnover on downs and quickly struck again—this time on a 25-yard touchdown pass from DaSilva to Evan Thibert to make it 12-0.

But the momentum shifted at the start of the second quarter. Barber found Kellett for a 37-yard score, and after a quick D-R three-and-out, Doto ran in a 6-yard touchdown to give D-Y a 14-12 lead. Following a Falcon fumble, Barber connected with Kellett again just before halftime, giving the Dolphins a 21-12 lead at the break.

“That second quarter really hurt us,” Gousie said. “We started out strong and then just took our foot off the gas.”

Second-Half Shootout Falls Just Short

Both teams traded punts to open the third quarter before DaSilva hit Thibert again—this time for an 8-yard touchdown—to bring the score to 21-19. From there, the game turned into a shootout.

Barber added a rushing touchdown to make it 28-19, but D-R responded as Diaz-Tavares ran in a 3-yard score, narrowing the gap to 28-25 after another missed PAT. D-Y took advantage of a personal foul on the next drive, as Doto ran in a 30-yard touchdown. Gousie Jr. answered with a 14-yard touchdown run for the Falcons, and DaSilva converted the two-point try, making it 34-32 with just over four minutes to play.

Thibert came up big on defense with an interception to give D-R a shot at a game-winning drive. But Dennis-Yarmouth’s defense stood tall, forcing a turnover on downs and allowing the Dolphins to run out the clock.

“If you score 32 points, you should win the game,” Gousie said. “But we had some defensive lapses. They’ve got a lot of talented skill guys, and they made the right matchups count.”

Strong Individual Performances for D-R

  • Joel DaSilva: 12-of-24 for 111 yards, 2 TDs; 32 rushing yards

  • David Diaz-Tavares: 19 carries, 122 yards, 1 TD; 6 catches, 67 yards

  • Kevin Gousie Jr.: 5 carries, 45 yards, 2 TDs

  • Evan Thibert: 2 catches, 15 yards, 1 TD; 1 INT on defense

  • Cam Newman & Gavin Salera: 1 sack each

What’s Next

Dighton-Rehoboth (0-2) will look to rebound at home next Friday against Oliver Ames (0-2), while Dennis-Yarmouth (2-0) hosts Monomoy (1-1) as they aim to stay unbeaten.