On November 18, Deerfield Academy’s Boys Varsity Football team won the inaugural New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Danny Smith Bowl Game against Belmont Hill. This was the third NEPSAC bowl game that Deerfield has won in the past five seasons.
The bowl game capped off a winning season, with an overall record of 7–3, a complete reversal from their 3–6 record last season. With new recruits such as Zell Lassiter ’24 and a more experienced core group of players who learned from their season last year, the team were able to bounce back this year and win a NEPSAC title. The team was coached by Varsity Football Head Coach Brian Barbato and captains Caleb Kirkpatrick ’24, Ethan Roossien ’24, Triston Ward ’24, and Cole Geer ’25.
Although the game only lasted a few hours, the road to victory started way before. Geer commented on the night before the game as the team stayed overnight in Boston, saying, “Staying overnight with the team was cool. I felt like everyone was pretty locked in and ready to roll that night and the day of the game.”
Lassiter made three touchdowns and Malachi Costello ’24 rushed a total of 155 yards helping the Big Green to victory.
As the offense turned on, so did the defense; Deerfield Academy’s defending side had a recorded eight sacks and limited Belmont Hill’s offense to only twenty-nine yards in the first half.
Jon Sainma ’26 stressed the significance of this defensive performance. The Deerfield team was successful in “stopping a lot of drives and causing turnovers,” said Sainma, which allowed Deerfield’s offense to score early. This strategy generated momentum throughout the game, carrying the team against Belmont Hill.
Deerfield holds close ties with the Danny Smith Cup. Danny Smith ’85, son of former Deerfield Academy Football Coach Jim Smith, grew up as a faculty child at Deerfield Academy. After playing four years of football at Deerfield, Danny Smith played another four years of Division 1 at the University of New Hampshire. This year, the family connection came full circle: Smith’s nephew, Charlie Smith ’25, played for the team that brought home the title for Deerfield.
Overall, the Danny Smith Bowl game proved rewarding for the Deerfield football community. Next year, the football team will be led by Geer, who recently committed to playing Division 1 football at the University of Virginia. Geer said that he looks forward to a “great season” for the football team next year.