Football, lost 41-0 to Wellesley Friday, Oct. 1 at home, in the annual Friday Night Lights game. 

“Our boys worked tremendously hard and they don’t quit on each other and we are proud of that, but we don’t prepare to have moral victories, that’s not the plan,” said special education teacher Nicholas Capodilupo, the head coach. “Tonight was really devastating for these kids who work really hard.”

In addition to the football game, the focus of the night was on gender equity.  Earlier in the day, Capodilupo, along with the team’s captains, released a video showing their support for female athletics. During lunch, shirts were given out with the slogan “The Future is Female.” Many of these shirts in support of the movement were seen in the crowd and at the girls’ volleyball’s 3-1 victory against Melrose, which was hosted in conjunction with the football game.

“We have talked as a team about how we can utilize our place as athletes in a sport that has a good amount of influence just by the sheer number of guys we are and the fact we are the biggest sport in the school,” said Capodilupo. “Football has a pretty significant sway so, to me, it was a really good opportunity for us to use our influence for something that was bigger than ourselves.”

Almost as soon as the game began, North took a major blow, losing junior Adam Landry, the starting quarterback, to injury. Wellesley went on to take the lead scoring two touchdowns in the first quarter. 

The second quarter followed a similar trend as Wellesley dominated offensively and locked down North’s receivers. The Tigers trailed 34-0 at the half.

Despite having to fight an uphill battle, Capodilupo said that the players never lost grit. “You can fold or you can fight and this team is committed to consistently working,” he said.

In the second half, the Tigers struggled to defend against Wellesley’s constant attacks, and again the Tigers failed to rack up any points.

“We are going to play harder, work harder, be ready, come in focused and prepared, and hopefully win,” said senior Colin LaRosee, a captain, along with seniors Bryce Busa, Clinton Jacobs, and Nathan Leone.

North, 1-3, looks to bounce back in an away game Friday, Oct. 8, against Framingham.