Hockomock football: King Philip and Mansfield battle for top seed

King Philip and Mansfield have not shared the same Hockomock League division since 2021, but the two programs are set to compete directly for the Division 3 top seed on Friday.

The Warriors host the Hornets at 7 p.m. in a matchup that serves as the final regular-season game before the playoff run begins.

King Philip enters the contest with a 5-2 record and a 4-0 mark in league play, leading the Davenport division. Mansfield holds a 6-1 record overall and a 2-1 conference slate. The Hornets have a chance to share the league title if they win Friday and Foxborough loses to the 4-3 Foxborough team later in the day, a scenario that depends on the 95th Thanksgiving matchup result.

Mansfield head coach Mike Redding noted that the rivalry has returned with force after five years apart in the standings. "You have to win to stay in the race and the winner probably gets the top seed in Division 3," Redding said. "It's been five years coming, but [the rivalry] is back with a bang."

The Hornets' defense has been a primary factor in their success, allowing just eight total points in four nonleague victories. Senior Ben Boni leads the unit with 67 tackles, a pace that puts him in position to challenge the program record of 108 set by Vinny Holmes in 2017. Boni is joined by Johnny Butler with 51 tackles, Gabe Lavigne with 49, and PJ Redding with 41. The team also welcomed seven new starters on that side of the ball this season.

King Philip faced a steeper adjustment period after graduating 26 seniors, including 20 of 22 starters, and replacing head coach Brian Lee, who stepped down after two decades. Offensive coordinator Anthony Vizakis assumed head coaching duties, while Chris Perchard moved to defensive coordinator following the departure of Matt Wassel. The Warriors dropped their first two games to Walpole and Milford before finding their rhythm.

Since that early stumble, the Warriors have scored 143 points over five wins. Freshman tailback Ethan O'Connell has rushed for 999 yards and 12 touchdowns, supported by an offensive line that includes new starters Garrett Fisk, Parker Gianfrancesco, Justin Winer, and Gabe Zaffalongodoi alongside senior captain Sebato Moses. Senior linebacker Owen Hurwitz contributes 483 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns.

Vizakis described the season as a tale of two halves, noting that the team has improved considerably since Week 1. "You can't replicate game speed in practice," Vizakis said. "After the first couple weeks they settled down and understood that we can be a pretty good football team if we're all working together as one."

The two teams have met in the playoffs twice since 2021, with King Philip winning both encounters. Friday's result will determine the final conference standing and likely the seeding for the postseason.

Mansfield's defense secured a 19-14 win over Canton last week after committing three turnovers deep in their own end zone. King Philip's last league victory came against North Attleborough, a win that gave Mansfield a loss the following week. Both teams will look to translate their recent form into a decisive result on Friday night.