The football team kicked off their season with a powerful 13-7 win against defending State Champions Nashoba, demonstrating teamwork and tenacity on September 9. However, the team had been practicing the true meaning of teamwork and community long before that.

The players recently came together in support of cancer awareness and in honor of Ashland football player and junior Jake Silver, who was recently diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in his knee.

“Back in May we got word about a young man in Ashland named Jake Silver that was struggling with a rare form of cancer, and [Leadership Council] came to a consensus as a group that we wanted to do something for him to raise some money for him,” coach Justin McKay said.

Silver had an extensive surgery on his upper leg and knee that discontinued his ability to play football, but his coaches still wanted to include him in the team. Silver helps the team as an assistant coach, attending all the games, practices, and pasta parties that he can.

The Algonquin team showed their support by organizing a car wash at the Transfer Station in Southborough to raise money for cancer awareness and donated over $1,000 to Silver’s cause through his GoFundMe page.

“We were all touched by his story and wanted to do something to help,” senior Patrick Duffy said.

The players also added a personal touch by drafting and writing handwritten letters to Silver.

“We sent that to them in July, and just speaking with Jake’s mom, those letters made a huge difference for him in the recovery process,” McKay said. “He had just had surgery, and it was kind of a down time for him, but he would read the letters, and it would make him feel a bit better.”

The players got the meet Silver for the first time at their scrimmage against Ashland on September 2. The team went over to the bench and got to talk to Silver, a special moment for both teams.

“It was really a life lesson to show that there is more to life than football,” captain and senior Ryan Barry said. “It wasn’t about the wins or the losses, or two opposing teams playing each other in a preseason scrimmage competitively. It was about a group of people trying to make a difference in a kid’s life.”

The team first heard about Silver’s story during a Leadership Council meeting. Being from Ashland, McKay felt a personal connection to the cause.

“At the end of Leadership Council we paused to talk about how unfortunately there are other people who are facing difficult situations, and that you could unfortunately lose everything that you have played for, you could be this young man,” McKay said.

“Leadership Council wanted to show Jake that we couldn’t possibly imagine what he is going through, but that he had people who were thinking about him and that we cared,” senior Max Cerasoli said.

Athletic Director Karrah Ellis and the MIAA both recognized the team’s honorable actions.

“I am absolutely proud of our football team that they care about the members of our community,” Ellis said. “They are going to be receiving an MIAA Athletic Achievement Award, presented during one of the upcoming games, and I am so proud of them.”