Christian D’Antonio isn’t bashful when discussing his goals for Natick High’s football team.
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound quarterback, who’ll be starting his third year for the Redhawks, wants to get to the Super Bowl and win it. D’Antonio directed Natick into the playoffs his first two years but he’s optimistic the 2017 campaign will produce better results. The Natick native experienced first-round losses in the tourney as a sophomore and a junior, bowing first to Mansfield then to Bridgewater-Raynham.
“We’re aiming to win a Super Bowl,’’ said D’Antonio, who led the Redhawks to a 9-2 record last year. “We believe we can achieve that goal because we’ve got experience, talent and athleticism. Another plus is our team chemistry.’’
Several other objectives on D’Antonio’s to-do list include beating Wellesley and winning the Herget Division of the Bay State Conference. Natick has yet to beat Wellesley during his first two seasons or capture the Herget Division with D’Antonio calling signals.
As a junior last year, D’Antonio ran for eight touchdowns, passed for eight others, averaged six years a carry and had two interceptions in four games at safety. He’s intent on improving those numbers.
“Some individual goals I’m aiming for are 10 interceptions and 30 total touchdowns,’’ said D’Antonio, who is one of the Redhawks’ captains. “I’d like to get 30 TDs by scoring on runs, passes, and interceptions,’’ he said. “Those are lofty goals, but if I get close to them and we win a Super Bowl, I’d consider that successful. Another objective is to have the kind of season that would enable me to be voted a BSC all-star on offense and defense.’’
D’Antonio, who’s an honor-roll student, isn’t afraid to aim for the stars, and his coach, Mark Mortarelli, isn’t afraid to heap lots of praise on his QB-safety.
“Christian has major strengths,’’ Mortarelli said. “He’s got a great attitude, he leads in a positive way and he’s the hardest worker in the weight room. A great role model, he’s physically tough, solid on defense, has a high football IQ, and provides the coaches with amazing feedback.’’
At QB, D’Antonio has a plethora of strengths. He’s calm under pressure, runs with power, has exceptional field awareness, and is vocal in Natick’s no-huddle offense. “Where I can improve is reading defenses better and being more accurate as a passer,’’ D’Antonio noted. “Christian may not rank his passing ability with his running talent but he is a clutch passer,’’ Mortarelli emphasized.
Two games are excellent examples of the QB’s ability to throw and run. They came against Norwood when he was a sophomore and against Milton as a junior.
“We scored with nine seconds left to beat Norwood, 21-17,’’ D’Antonio recalled. “I had two third-and-long situations and I was able to complete two passes for first downs in the drive. Malik Williams scored on a rushing play for the victory. Against Milton, we had previously lost to Wellesley and needed a win to go 3-1. We were big underdogs but we won, 26-7, and I rushed for three TDs, one going for 60 yards.’’
A captain with Williams, Tim Ramstrom and Peter Ryan, D’Antonio likes the role of responsibility. “It gives me a chance to offer advice, help younger players and build a good culture,’’ he said. “Our other captains are talented leaders, hard-working, and competitive.’’
Calling his coach a “strong motivator,’’ D’Antonio admires Mortarelli because “he communicates fully, encourages young players and ranks academics first.’’
Mortarelli expects to start D’Antonio at safety and QB. “He’s too good not to go two-ways,’’ Mortarelli said. “He’s a football player and he’s likely to be a defensive prospect at the college level because he’s so solid at safety.’’
D’Antonio hints that he’d prefer to play defense because “I love the contact and I like to hit.’’ However, he enjoys directing Natick’s offense and doesn’t mind the pressure associated with being a QB. “Pressure makes you work harder and focus more,’’ he said. “If you let pressure get to you, then it’s easy to lose confidence and second-guess yourself. You can’t have many doubts when you play quarterback.’’
D’Antonio, who also is a sprinter in outdoor track, spent much of his summer preparing for the coming season, which gets underway on Sept. 8 against Needham. He worked diligently on his passing. “I got a lot of reps, throwing to my receivers,’’ he noted. “I played in a lot of seven-on-seven drills and focused on sharpening various techniques.’’
Still undecided on where he may play in college, D’Antonio plans on majoring in business administration, possibly at the Division 2 level at a school like Bentley. “Christian is such a good student he’ll be able to pick the school of his choice,’’ Mortarelli said.
Relying on a competitive philosophy that combines winning, reaching one’s potential, and having fun, D’Antonio firmly puts the emphasis on winning. “That’s why we compete and it’s the ultimate situation,’’ he said. “Competing, especially in football, builds character. That’s what assistant coach Scott Dixon always stresses. It’s all about giving 100 percent.’’
Christian D’Antonio started playing football at age nine at the Pop Warner level. Now, at the age of 17, he’s entering his final varsity season focused on Natick High winning a Super Bowl. A victory at that venue would be very fitting for this dynamic competitor.
Issue Date:
September, 2017
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