Move over Patriots, the MIAA high school football Super Bowls are invading Gillette Stadium this week.
Eight Massachusetts high school football Super Bowls will be held in Foxboro over the course of the next three days.
The actions kicked off on Wednesday with the Division 6 and 7 state championships. It continues with three more games on Thursday. The middle matchup is the Div. 1 Super Bowl, as Xaverian look to defend their title against undefeated challengers Needham, who eliminated the Hawks' rivals in top-seeded St. John's Prep in the semifinals. Kick off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., but could change depending on how long the Div. 4 Super Bowl between Duixbury and Scituate goes.
Stick here for live updates throughout the Div. 1 Super Bowl.
More:Framingham's Bryce Todd seals Xaverian's D1 Super Bowl win over Needham with interception
More:MIAA Super Bowl week is here. What to know before heading to Gillette.
FINAL STATS: Division 1 Super Bowl - Xaverian 14, Needham 7
In the win, Vincent Busa ran 23 times for 140 yards and a TD. Will Wood (4 of 5 passing, 105 yards) threw an 81-yard TD pass to Dave Chiavegato.
In the loss, Needham's Aidan Williams turned 16 touches into 99 yards and a TD. Griffin Carr was 8 of 17 passing for 75 yards, 1 TD and 1 interception.
FINAL: Division 1 Super Bowl - Xaverian 14, Needham 7
The Hawks defend their state title.
1:35 LEFT IN THE FOURTH QUARTER: Xaverian 14, Needham 7
Xaverian's Will Wood keeps it himself on a naked bootleg and he picks up the first down before smartly sliding at the Needham 9. Rockets use their last timeout. Hawks have a first-and-goal.
1:52 LEFT IN THE FOURTH QUARTER: Xaverian 14, Needham 7
Xaverian's Bryce Todd intercepts a Needham pass and returns it to the Needham 20. Needham has two timeouts remaining.
2:02 LEFT IN THE FOURTH QUARTER: Xaverian 14, Needham 7
Needham gets a much-needed stop. Xaverian will punt and the Rockets will start at their own 4.
2:51 LEFT IN THE FOURTH QUARTER: Xaverian 14, Needham 7
Xaverian with a third-and-long from the Needham 45.
7:54 LEFT IN THE FOURTH QUARTER: Xaverian 14, Needham 7
On a fourth-and-12 from the Xaverian 34, Needham turns it over on downs.
9:17 LEFT IN THE FOURTH QUARTER: Xaverian 14, Needham 7
Aidan Williams breaks open for a 51-yard run. Needham on the Xaverian 42.
9:29 LEFT IN THE FOURTH QUARTER: Xaverian 14, Needham 7
Needham's defense holds up again to force a punt. The Rockets will start from their own 7.
11:44 LEFT IN THE FOURTH QUARTER: Xaverian 14, Needham 7
Needham goes three-and-out and punts from its own 5. Xaverian will start from midfield.
AFTER THREE QUARTERS: Xaverian 14, Needham 7
The Rockets will have the ball to start the fourth quarter.
49 SECONDS LEFT IN THIRD QUARTER: Xaverian 14, Needham 7
Big swing here as Needham's Nick Sewall intercepts a pass inside the Rocket 5.
7:57 LEFT IN THIRD QUARTER: Xaverian 14, Needham 7
Needham is on the board in the form a 30-yard TD pass from Griffin Carr to Aidan WIlliams.
9:44 LEFT IN THIRD QUARTER: Xaverian 14, Needham 0
Needham's defense holds up to force a three-and-out. Will McDonald with a QB sack on third down. The Rockets will start at the Xaverian 36.
12:00 LEFT IN THIRD QUARTER: Xaverian 14, Needham 0
The second half is underway as Xaverian starts with possession.
HALFTIME: Xaverian 14, Needham 0
The Hawks go into the half with a two-score lead.
2:11 LEFT IN SECOND QUARTER: Xaverian 14, Needham 0
On a fourth-and- 9 from the Needham 37, Xaverian opts to punt. Needham will start at its own 15.
6:23 LEFT IN SECOND QUARTER: Xaverian 14, Needham 0
Needham punts after the defensive stand. Xaverian takes over on its own 22.
8:02 LEFT IN SECOND QUARTER: Xaverian 14, Needham 0
Needham's Will McDonald comes up with a third-down sack. On the ensuing fourth-and-7 from the Needham 31, Xaverian stuffs a screen pass to force a turnover on downs.
10:08 LEFT IN SECOND QUARTER: Xaverian 14, Needham 0
Xaverian's Micah Amadee recovers a fumble and Xaverian takes over at the Needham 34.
10:15 LEFT IN SECOND QUARTER: Xaverian 14, Needham 0
Vincent Busa caps a scoring drive with a 2-yard TD run. A 46-yard Busa run paved the way for the score.
AFTER ONE QUARTER: Xaverian 7, Needham 0
The Hawks will start with the ball near midfield to open the second quarter.
19 SECONDS LEFT IN THE FIRST QUARTER: Xaverian 7, Needham 0
On a fourth-and-10 from the Xaverian 17, Needham's 33-yard field goal is attempt is blocked by Xaverian's Luke Bell.
1:30 LEFT IN THE FIRST QUARTER: Xaverian 7, Needham 0
On a fourth-and-2 from the 20, Needham's Aidan Williams looked to be stopped in the backfield for a loss, but he somehow escapes and narrowly picks up the first down.
8:40 LEFT IN THE FIRST QUARTER: Xaverian 7, Needham 0
On Xaverian's first play, Will Wood throws an 81-yard TD pass to Dave Chiavegato. Luke Bell adds the extra point.
8:54 LEFT IN THE FIRST QUARTER: Xaverian 0, Needham 0
Needham goes three-and-out on the opening drive. Xaverian will start at its own 19.
KICKOFF: Division 1 Super Bowl Xaverian vs. Needham
The Hawks and the Rockets are ready to roll here. Needham receives the opening kickoff.
Coin toss
Xaverian won the coin toss and elected to defer. Kickoff is set for around 5:35 p.m.
Needham and Xaverian are on the field
Scituate defeated Duxbury, 29-13, in the Div. 4 final. Needham and Xaverian are warming up on the field and kickoff is slated for approximately 5:35 p.m.
Last public school to win Div. 1 MIAA Super Bowl
Needham is trying to become the first public school to win the Div. 1 state title since Springfield Central did it in 2022.
Div. 4 update
Scituate holds a 29-7 lead over Duxbury heading into the fourth quarter of the Div. 4 state final.
How Xaverian got here
No. 3 Xaverian defeated No. 14 Brockton (41-6) in the Round of 16, No. 6 Leominster (35-20) in the quarterfinals and No. 2 BC High (31-14) in the semifinals.
How Needham got here
No. 4 Needham defeated No. 13 Wachusett (49-13) in the Round of 16, No. 5 Central Catholic (35-13) in the quarterfinals and No. 1 St. John’s Prep (22-14) in the semifinals.
Xaverian football stats
The Hawks (8-4, 1-2 Catholic Conference) come into this contest having won five of their last six, with that lone loss coming on Thanksgiving as they fell 23-6 to rivals St. John's Prep.
Xaverian has outscored opponents 393-248, with the Hawk defense having not allowed more than three touchdowns to an opposing offense since a 30-13 loss to BC High on Oct. 18.
Sophomore quarterback Will Wood has stepped up and delivered in his first season as a starter, while senior fullback/linebacker/kicker Luke Bell has been a force on all sides of the ball, something he put on full display in the Div. 1 semifinals against BC High. Other notable figures for the Hawks include senior running backs Vincent Busa and Jayce Devine as well as junior wide receiver Dave Chiavegato. The latter two are also key members of the Xaverian secondary as a corner and safety respectively.
Xaverian Super Bowl history
This is the second straight Super Bowl appearance for the Hawks and 16th overall. The program is 9-6 overall in title games, and are 2-2 since the MIAA moved football tournaments to a statewide format in 2014. Xaverian defeated St. John's Prep 31-25 in last year's Div. 1 Super Bowl, in what was their first championship game appearance since making five straight from 2013-17.
Needham football stats
The Rockets (12-0, 2-0 Bay State Herget) have been a force all fall, and come into this contest off a 20-13 win over Wellesley in the latest edition of America's oldest Thanksgiving football rivalry, dating back to 1882.
Needham has especially excelled on defense, allowing just 90 points without giving up more than two touchdowns a game and recording a pair of shutouts. Offensively, the Rockets have scored 353, including a season-high 43 points against Newton North on Sept. 27.
Propelled by a 25-man senior class, including a trio of NCAA Div. 1 commits in running back/linebacker Aidan Williams (Lehigh) and linemen Will McDonald (Army) and Charlie Simeone (Holy Cross), Needham has no shortage of talent. Senior quarterback Griffin Carr is well-protected and has plenty of options to let it fly, especially to senior wide receiver/cornerback Brandt Bickford, while senior defensive back/running back Stephen Rocamboli is a pick specialist and scoring threat on both sides of the ball.
Needham Super Bowl history
This is just the second ever Super Bowl for the Rockets, with their only other appearance being a 21-7 loss to BC High in 2011.
MIAA Super Bowl Schedule
Wednesday, Dec. 4
Div. 7 - No. 1 Uxbridge 42, No. 3 Mashpee 20
Div. 6 - No. 1 Hudson 21, No. 3 Fairhaven 14
Thursday, Dec. 5
3 p.m. -- Div. 4 - No. 1 Duxbury vs. No. 2 Scituate
5:30 p.m. -- Div. 1 - No. 3 Xaverian vs. No. 4 Needham
8 p.m. -- Div. 2 - No. 1 Catholic Memorial vs. No. 2 King Philip
Friday, Dec. 6
3 p.m. -- Div. 8 - No. 1 Randolph vs. No. 2 West Boylston
5:30 p.m. -- Div. 5 - No. 1 Shawsheen Valley Tech vs. No. 2 Foxboro
8 p.m. -- Div. 3 - No. 3 Mansfield vs. No. 4 North Attleboro