If You are Just Tuning in, Watertown Football is Now 5-0 After a Blowout Win
By Jim VershbowSports Columnist
Watertown football, folks, is on the map in 2026! And in a big way through five weeks of football.
They started out on the road and pulled out a 14-8 win over Whittier. Then it was home and a strong performance over Carver, 42-7. Brookline was the last of three non-league tune-ups, and the Raiders played an almost-perfect game while winning 35-7. Stoneham came to Watertown last week and the Raiders moved to 4-0 and 1-0 in the league with an impressive 14-0 shutout win. In to town came Wakefield tonight, with a 3-1 record, and about to play their first Freedom Division game of the year. Well, Watertown greeted them with a good-old-fashioned whooping, to the tune of 54-0. And now Watertown Football stands 5-0 (2-0), with visions of competing for the Freedom Division crown and playing tournament games.
Watertown came into the game sixth in the MIAA Power Rankings in Div. 5, while Wakefield was ninth in Div. 4. The Raiders won the coin toss, and deferred. After one first down, Wakefield committed the first of a slew of turnovers when Mason Lamacchia played the safety position perfectly and stepped up and timed an interception of Wakefield QB Jason Willis. It was the first of two picks by Mason on the night. With the ball on the Wakefield 37, Watertown immediately got to work on taking advantage of the excellent field position. Eight plays later QB Coleman Keuchkarian-McKeen (CKM) hit Max Velazquez who ran it in the end zone for a 12 yard TD pass and run to make it 7-0 Raiders. Watertown was just getting started.
Watertown scored four touchdowns in the second quarter and went into the locker room leading 34-0. Everything the Raiders touched turned to gold in the second quarter. Lamacchia had a second interception. Lineman Joe Connors forced a fumble, recovered by Andy Riefstahl. Another fumble by Wakefield included a highlight hit by Velzaquez, a clean hit off a full sprint covering kicker Milo Gjgerji’s kickoff, after the Raiders had scored to make it 21-0 at the time.
And among all the turnovers, and even though the film Coach Joey Carroll shows his team on Monday will point out more than a few offensive penalties, the Raiders ran their offense with diverse play-calling and even more diverse execution. Power and speed running by Pineda and Velazquez, instinctive runs by the elusive QB CKM, another night of spreading the ball around in the air, and an offensive line that continues to give CKM time to throw and opens lanes for the running game.
The highlight of the four-TD second quarter would have to be a first down bomb from CKM to Cash Bailey covering 40 yards. It just missed hitting Bailey in stride, but it didn’t stop Bailey from catching the excellent throw and getting in the end zone. Wakefield was already on their heels and trailing 14-0.
Up 34-0 at the half, and receiving the opening kick off to start the third, the Raiders biggest fears had to be complacency and injury. They seemingly dodged a scare in the third quarter when Peter Pavlidis was slow to get up. The two-way lineman seemed in a lot of pain laying on the field, and seemingly upset at the prospect of being seriously injured, but he was able to get up after a few minutes and walk off the field on his own.
Two second-half highlights include Max Velazquez inctercepting a pass on Wakefields first possession of the second half and alraedy down 41-0. Velazquez took the pick and ran it to the house, a 27 yard interception return for a touchdown. By this point, per high school slaughter rules, the clock was running without stop, and before you knew it, the Raiders were 5-0, in convincing fashion, with the 54-0 win. The Raiders last score, by the way, and while not purposely trying to score, was by freshman running back Luca DeFrancisco. He ran the ball well in garbage time, with five carries for 23 yards and one TD.
No need to worry if the Raiders will stay hungry or get full of themselves in the weeks ahead. The next three weeks on the schedule are Melrose (No. 2 in Div. 3 ), Burlington (No. 26 in Div. 4) and Wilmington (No. 12 in Div. 6). All three teams bring a strong pedigree of play versus versus Watertown, and the Raiders will do themselves a favor by preparing this week as though they are 0-0 and looking for their first win.
But, on this night, and while looking to prove that the win to Stoneham last week was not a fluke, Watertown made a statement and let it be known that they are here to play winning football in 2026. On to Melrose Friday night Oct. 16th (Senior Night) at Victory Field, and a chance to go 6-0.
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1 2 3 4 – F
Wakefield 0 0 0 0 – 0
Watertown 7 27 13 7 – 54
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1st Qtr.
Watertown 7 Wakefield 0 … Coleman Keuchkarian-McKeen(CKM) to Max Velazquez, 12 Yard TD PASS, PAT KICK, Gjgerji
2nd Qtr.
Watertown 14 Wakefield 0 … CKM to Mason Lamacchia, 8 Yard TD PASS, PAT KICK Gjgerji
Watertown 21 Wakefield 0 … CKM to Cash Bailey, 40 Yard TD PASS, PAT KICK Gjgerji
Watertown 27 Wakefield 0 … CKM, 5 Yard TD RUN, PAT KICK Failed
Watertown 34 Wakefield 0 … CKM, 5 Yard TD RUN, PAT KICK Gjgerji
3rd Q
Watertown 41 Wakefield 0 … CKM to Charlie Lamacchia, 28 Yard TD PASS, PAT KICK Gjgerji
Watertown 48 Wakefield 0 … Max Velazquez, 27 Yard Interception Return For TD, PAT KICK Gjgerji
4th Q
Watertown 54 Wakefield 0 … Luca DeFrancesco, 10 Yard TD Run, PAT KICK Failed
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Unofficial Watertown Stats:
Passing
CKM, 9/12, 174 yards, 4 TDs
Rushing
CKM – 6 carries/59 yards, 2 TDs
Pineda – 9/46
Riefstahl – 1/0
Velasquez – 2/33
DeFrancesco – 5/23, 1 TD
C.Lamacchia – 1/21
Receiving
M.Lamacchia – 3 for 27 yards, 1 TD
Garey – 1/23
Bailey – 2/43, 1 TD
C.Lamacchia – 1/28, 1 TD
Velazquez – 2/53, 1 TD
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Upcoming Schedule
Home vs. Melrose, Friday Oct. 16, 7 p.m. (Senior Night)
@ Burlington, Friday Oct. 23, 6 p.m.
@ Wilmington, Friday Oct. 30, 7 p.m.