TAUNTON TIGERS FOOTBALL
A Defeat in North Attleboro for the Tigers
By Trei Mendes | September 28, 2026
WEEK 3 FINAL
Taunton
14
--
North Attleboro
33
Not Just Autumn Wind; But a NOR’EASTER
A Nor’easter was just moments away from impacting Bristol County. Still, it did not stop this storied Hockomock Division matchup between the Taunton Tigers and the North Attleboro Red Rocketeers.
With warmups being riddled with strong gusts from Mother Nature and slight signs of rain from the clouds, the teams prepared to begin this Week 3 matchup.
Leo
I just want to take a moment to pay my respects to Leo, a member of the North Attleboro Class of 2027, who passed away in 2024 after a tough battle with cancer. He was honored before kickoff.
A Burst of Wind Means a Touchdown
To begin the game, Taunton deferred to North Attleboro, and the Red Rocketeers immediately established the strongest point of their offense: the run game.
A 10-yard run and a 9-yard run opened the drive for North Attleboro. The run game focused heavily on quarterback Nathaniel Robin early in the possession.
That opened the door for Joseph Ruggiero to break off an 18-yard carry and put North Attleboro into the red zone. The drive would lead to a 10-yard touchdown run by Ruggiero with 4:29 left in the first quarter.
North Attleboro 7 — Taunton 0
4:29 remaining — 1st Quarter
The Response
North Attleboro would squib kick the ball to No. 1 Joali Alves. The Tigers tried to establish the run game themselves but were immediately stumped by the North Attleboro front.
This led to a third-and-10 situation for returning senior quarterback No. 16 Evan Kane. Kane was sacked, and the Tigers were forced to punt.
The Foundation
North Attleboro opened its second drive by continuing to run the ball, a trend that would continue throughout the game.
As we came to the end of the first quarter, Robin continued to run effectively. Then, in the opening sequence of the second quarter, Ruggiero broke loose for a 41-yard rushing touchdown.
North Attleboro 14 — Taunton 0
11:14 remaining — 2nd Quarter
Showing Life
Taunton would show life as they began their drive with a run to Luis Sanchez and continued to slowly push down the field.
A play-action pass for a 12-yard gain was important on this drive as the Tigers slowly began to build momentum. A run on third-and-10 for seven yards by Sanchez, followed by a defensive pass interference call on fourth down, put the Tigers in the red zone with 6:06 left in the half.
But a false start and a sequence of unfortunate events turned the drive into a third-and-27 with 4:22 left. Kane would be sacked, forcing a fourth down.
Kane was picked off on fourth-and-29, but a flag was thrown. It did not change the situation, and North Attleboro would start with first-and-20.
Running Away With It Into the Half
North Attleboro would get a 16-yard reception, and a holding call would put the Red Rocketeers at the 49-yard line.
Then, immediately on the next play, Robin broke loose for a 49-yard touchdown run to give North Attleboro a 20-0 lead going into the half.
HALFTIME: NORTH ATTLEBORO 20 — TAUNTON 0
Key Takeaways From the Half
- The flags on Taunton: The Tigers were flagged numerous times.
- North Attleboro's run game: The Red Rocketeers showed a dominant rushing attack.
- The elements: Wind and rain played a major factor in the Tigers' offense not getting going.
New Half, No Change
The Tigers got the ball to begin the half. A seven-yard run and a 15-yard reception to Diovanni Silva would begin the drive for Taunton.
But the drive would be stopped quickly, and North Attleboro would stall them out. The Red Rocketeers would get the ball and go right back to the run game with a breakout run by Ruggiero.
Malachi Touron would make a shoelace tackle to prevent the touchdown. A run to Nick O'Brien and Ruggiero would put the Tigers on their heels.
On fourth-and-goal, North Attleboro would hand the ball back to Ruggiero for another touchdown, making it 26-0 with 2:01 left in the third quarter.
North Attleboro 26 — Taunton 0
2:01 remaining — 3rd Quarter
Trying to Flip the Switch
The Tigers got the ball, and Kane ended the third quarter with a 17-yard keeper.
Mother Nature would play a huge role in the next sequence, as what would have been a massive passing touchdown was blown away by the wind and rain.
But a run by Sanchez and an offsides penalty would continue the drive. A 23-yard reception to Silva would put the Tigers in the red zone. Another defensive pass interference call would put the Tigers at the 6-yard line.
On fourth down, a flea flicker from Kane to Sanchez would create the first score for the Tigers. Sanchez would then find Jeremy Rhoden for a touchdown with 6:02 left in the game.
NORTH ATTLEBORO 26 — TAUNTON 6
6:02 remaining — 4th Quarter
Eliminating the Comeback
North Attleboro would immediately run the ball like they had all game. Robin would get a first down that would set up another Ruggiero run.
Once again, Robin would break free, this time for a 26-yard touchdown for North Attleboro's final score of the game, making it 33-6 with 2:55 left in the game.
North Attleboro 33 — Taunton 6
2:55 remaining — 4th Quarter
Continuing to Fight
A personal foul on an onside kick would put the Tigers at midfield.
A 14-yard reception by Silva and a 24-yard reception by Sanchez would set the Tigers up in the red zone.
On what was thought to be their final play of the game, a bobbled tip-and-catch by sophomore Derek George would result in the final score for the Tigers.
FINAL: NORTH ATTLEBORO 33 — TAUNTON 14
The Tigers continued to fight until the final whistle.
Kicker Alex Ozcan would lay a perfect onside kick, and the Tigers would recover. Taunton was not able to capitalize on the possession, however, and that would be the game.
Final Thoughts
A tough matchup for our Tigers. North Attleboro established its run game early and continued to rely on it throughout the game.
The end of this game really showed how good and creative this offense can be when it finds its rhythm. The Tigers will now look ahead to Lynn English on Friday, back on the road.
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