FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Steve Dembowski's Milton High School football team put on a commanding performance against Wachusett Regional in a 35-7 victory. In the process, the Wildcats helped their coach claim the 200th victory of his coaching career that has spanned over 30 years. For this tremendous accomplishment, Coach Dembowski has been named the New England Patriots Coach of the Week.
The Wildcats brought the heat early against the Mountaineers, with two interceptions in the first quarter, one of which leading to a 40-yard strike from senior QB Patrick Collins to junior wideout Noah Tran for a touchdown. From there, Milton would only give up points once, locking Wachusett Regional out of the end zone and the scorebook for the final three quarters of the game. Milton, however, would continue to pour on the points, dropping in an additional 28 points the rest of the way to bring their record to 5-1 on the season and Coach Dembowski's career win total to 200.
NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Andre Tippett, who presently holds the role of Executive Director of Community Affairs for the New England Patriots, had a meeting with the Wildcats on Tuesday at Milton High School. During the meeting, he presented a generous donation of $1,000 to the football program on behalf of the Kraft family and the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation. The acknowledgment pays homage to Coach Dembowski's commitment to the development of the next generation.
"Coach Steve Dembowski's 200th career win is a remarkable milestone that reflects his dedication, consistency and commitment to excellence," said Tippett. "Throughout his career, he has built programs that not only win games but also shape outstanding student/athletes and leaders. The Patriots are proud to recognize Coach Dembowski for his enduring impact on high school football and the communities he's served."
The visit and donation presentation will be showcased on the Patriots' weekly television program, "Patriots All Access." You can catch the episode on Friday night at 7 p.m. on WBZ-TV in Boston, and it will also be available for immediate viewing on Patriots.com. The acknowledgment and support underscore the Patriots' dedication to community engagement and the recognition of exceptional individuals, exemplified by Coach Dembowski.
This is the 30th year in which the Patriots have joined the National Football League in conducting the High School Coach of the Week program, which recognizes outstanding high school coaches and promotes youth football throughout New England. The 2025 season marks the 15th year that Tippett has taken the award on the road to visit the schools that benefit from the program. At the conclusion of the fall, one of the weekly winners will be named the New England Patriots High School Coach of the Year and will receive an additional $2,000 contribution towards the school's football program.
For the 15th straight year, the Patriots will also be accepting nominations for High School Coach of the Week honors. Those who wish to nominate a high school football coach in New England who leads a team to an exceptional weekly performance or reaches a personal career milestone are encouraged to send submissions to nominatecoach@patriots.com. All nominations must be submitted following a team's Friday night or Saturday afternoon game to be considered for that week's Coach of the Week award.
The Patriots Foundation is the non-profit through which the Patriots support charitable and philanthropic organizations throughout New England. This support comes in the form of direct grants, in-kind donations and player appearances. The foundation assists a variety of charitable organizations and programs throughout New England by supporting their educational, family and health initiatives.
