Nauset Football Hopes Increased Numbers, Veteran Leadership Produce Exciting Fall

The Nauset Regional High School football team is ready to turn the page. 

 After making it through a 2023 season that was full of peaks and valleys — and plenty of impactful and costly injuries — with a 2-8 record, the Warriors are eager to return to action with increased depth, experience and enthusiasm. 

 “The attitude in camp has been great,” Nauset coach Jesse Peno said. “They come out positive and excited every day. I’m hoping they can take some of last year’s experience and turn it into a positive for this year. That kind of brings some of the younger guys along and creates some excitement for the program.”

 Nauset started last year with between 30 and 32 players, according to Peno, but that number drastically shrank as the season wore on and the Warriors were bitten by the injury bug. 

 “At one point with all of the injuries I want to say we were down to like 17 guys,” Peno said. “Numbers are up this year. I want to say we have 43-44 right now.”

 One silver lining to the injuries the team battled last year was it forced many players into the lineup. This year’s team will start with more experience, especially at the offensive line, where four seasoned seniors lead the way up front. 

 Senior tackle and captain Peter Silvernail is the anchor of the group after being named a Cape and Islands League All Star a year ago. 

 “I don’t think he missed a snap last year,” Peno said of Silvernail. “He’s a hard-working guy and the leader who sets the tone.”

Senior Ashton Lutz returns at right tackle after playing limited time last fall due to injuries, Gabe Amaral is back at center, and senior Mason Santos returns to the gridiron after previously playing as a freshman. 

The Warriors feature plenty of experience and talent behind their line, with junior quarterback Brendan Peno returning for his third season behind center and senior Isaiah Robinson back as his favorite receiving target. 

Senior Owen White will lead the backfield after suffering a season-ending injury during the team’s 35-32 loss to Dennis-Yarmouth on Thanksgiving, and he’ll split reps with junior Jake Doherty to ensure both have enough stamina to play on defense, too. 

“It’s nice to have two guys who can complement each other,” Peno said of White and Doherty. 

While Peno is excited to have a core group of veterans returning, he’s also optimistic that some Warriors are going to take big strides this fall. Junior Seamus Mahoney is one player he expects to make an impact.

“He’s a talented kid,” the coach said. “You go from being a sophomore to being a junior, and that third year is really when we see guys take off. He’s had a good camp on both sides of the ball and is in the mix to get a lot of playing time at receiver.”

At quarterback, Brendan Peno will have the luxury of throwing to a familiar target despite the pair never linking up for a throw and catch in game action. His younger brother Jack, a freshman, is expected to see playing time at slot receiver after a big summer. 

Adding Jack to the mix is a thrill for the Peno patriarch. 

“It’s cool,” Peno said. “I didn’t coach them much when they were little because they were in the youth stuff and I was always with the high school. Having them both in football and lacrosse (at the high school) is cool. I'm going to be able to be there firsthand and see them go through high school and have their experience.

“The two of them have been throwing the ball in the backyard since they were little, so there’s a little more comfort there with quarterback to receiver. They know each other’s games and they are both competitive, and that kind of spills into the field, too”

Nauset opens its season on the road at Dighton-Rehoboth at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 6 before hosting Lunenberg in its home opener at 1 p.m. Sept. 14.

Peno said the Warriors are ready and motivated to write a new chapter when the action kicks off. 

“I think we have a chance to win some games and definitely be competitive in every game,” he said. “I want these guys to know last year is last year. I think we had the pieces to have a really good team but we didn’t have all of the pieces come together at once. The guys were able to push through and make it through that. They realize that they faced about as much adversity as they can face in a season and they can really take anything head on.”