48th Shriners Classic a special moment for cousins Wally and Steve Dembowski to share on sidelines
WESTWOOD — Ahead of the 48th annual Shriners All-Star Classic at Xaverian Brothers, Winchester football coach Wally Dembowski was only willing to coach the North team if his younger cousin, Steve Dembowski, agreed to take charge of the South squad.
It didn’t take much for Steve, the head coach at Milton, to agree to his cousin’s terms. For the first time, the two longtime Massachusetts football coaches stood on opposite sidelines.
The South prevailed, 6-0, in a defensive battle, giving Steve Dembowski his first all-star game victory in his fourth attempt.
“To win one, it was nice,” he said. “We turned the ball over late in the game twice in our own end, and our kids were able to keep them out. That was just guts.”
Wally was Steve’s motivation in football. Steve played at Swampscott, where he also coached for 16 years, and Wally played in Danvers. Wally went on to star at Holy Cross and even had a couple of professional tryouts, so Steve looked up to him and ended up playing tight end at UMass.
It was only a matter of time before Wally served as a coach in the event. North representative Jimmy Pugh has been requesting his presence for years, and it finally came to fruition after nursing his own cousin.
“He’s done it before, I’m a little bit older than him, and I was just like, ‘One time, I’ll go against him and have some fun,” said Wally, who played 1984 Shriners Classic.
The family affair did not end there. Wally’s uncle represented the Shriners by holding the flag during the national anthem. His mother, two sons, and Steve’s wife were all in attendance Friday night.
Read more Influencer elections are here: How 2026 campaigns are tapping creators to spread their message
The lone points came courtesy of Medfield star Brady McCormack, who punched in a fourth-quarter 1-yard rush. But the extra point didn’t make it past the line of scrimmage.
Defenses were on top throughout the night; a number of turnovers and fourth-down stops consistently denied any offensive momentum. Winthrop’s Seth Sacco snatched two interceptions, earning defensive player of the honors for the North.
For the South, Stoughton linebacker Jackson Arnold was the defensive MVP. Offensively, wide receivers Ben Christopher (Tewksbury) and Ronan Sammon (Milton) were the MVPs.
The game’s best connection developed between Taunton quarterback Dylan Keenan and Sammon. On the first drive, Sammon picked up 64 yards on four receptions, including a wild one-handed catch between the numbers.
Above all, the game serves as a fundraiser for pediatric medical care and to teach the players about the importance of generosity and giving back to the community.
“The thing that stuck with me in 1984 was they used to go on a tour of the Shriners hospital,” Wally Dembowski said. “As an 18-year-old kid who has all the answers, then you walk in there, you’re getting goosebumps … I’m going off to college and these kids are here in this situation.”
“These kids are all leaders in their communities and their schools, and we stress to them to take that with them and continue to give back, and hopefully that sticks,” Steve Dembowski added.
Read more Yankee doodle dandy of a World Cup opener for the United States
Post Comment