After a difficult season a year ago, Archbishop Williams started over.
What a difference a year makes. Behind 14-year-old quarterback Hudson Garrity, the Bishops are 5-0.
Mark Landolfi took over as coach at Archbishop Williams in December 2023. He had coached as an assistant for a decade alongside his brother Chris at Hanover High School. Chris later took a job at Lawrence Academy for one season to coach his son Michael, before the two siblings reunited at Archies. This time, the roles were flipped.
Following a 2-9 season last fall, Mark, Chris and their fellow staff members started constructing their 2025 roster. Suddenly, a certain name popped up on their radar through the school’s application process.
“We really didn’t have much contact with (Garrity) at all up until the time he applied,” said the head coach. “Once he applied, we started to find out more about him… he came to school for a shadow day, and that’s when we first met him. That’s really how it all started.”
Landolfi began to watch some of Garrity’s film. There was plenty. Garrity had been playing Hingham Youth Football since fourth grade. He competed in tandem with Mass Elite, Tenfold Football, and even M2 QB Academy, which has developed other high school quarterbacks such as Peter Bourque (Tabor), Will Wood (Xaverian), Kise Flannery (Catholic Memorial) and Chris Vargas (St. John’s Prep).
“I definitely thought he would be a very talented high school football player, and that we’d be lucky to have him,” said Landolfi. “It worked out, and obviously he’s showing his talent on the field now. He’s been great for us.”
“I knew I was reclassing,” said Garrity. “I came, met with the coaches. While I was there, I also met with some of the players and realized how great of a community they have here, as well as the overall atmosphere. It’s also close to my house (he lives in Hingham), which my mom was happy about.”
In his first game with the Bishops, Garrity threw for 242 yards while rushing for 45 yards, finishing with four total touchdowns during a 24-12 win over Oliver Ames.
He was just ramping up. When Garrity and his teammates defeated Tri-Valley League power Ashland (a 20-12 victory), they eclipsing the Bishops’ win total from 2024. It was the first time the program had started 3-0 since 2015.
When Catholic Central League play opened in Week 5, Garrity completed 12 passes for 270 yards with another four touchdowns as the Bishops toppled Bishop Fenwick 49-27.
In addition to Garrity, standout athletes such as Ethan O’Connell (also an eighth-grader), Zay Whigham and Luke Deftos have helped the program take a new leap.
The train kept on rolling in Week 6, as Archbishop Williams defeated Arlington Catholic 43-14 to improve to 5-0. As of Friday, the Bishops were listed No. 1 overall in the Div. 5 power rankings.
Garrity has thrown for 1,421 yards and 14 touchdowns, rushing for five additional scores. He has already received two FBS college offers from Syracuse and UMass.
“I’m taking it one game at a time,” said Garrity. “Winning the game. Winning the battles that you have in front of you. I think sometimes looking too far into the future is just a distraction. Realistically with winning, if you focus on the game in front of you, and you win each game, the success will come with it.
“(I love) everything about it,” Garrity said. “Especially playing the quarterback position, just leading the team. I think it’s super fun. Everything about the game, the pregame jitters, the atmosphere at home games, and especially now, playing at the high school level. It’s 10 times better than in middle school. Playing under the lights is something that I always wanted to do.”
