A veteran two-way lineup and projected sophomore quarterback Charlie Carnes give the Sailors a chance at a third straight Division 4 title.
Top 25 Public HSFB9/1/20265 min read
T25PS
Scituate will begin its pursuit of a third consecutive Massachusetts Division 4 championship with almost every starting role filled. The Sailors return nine offensive starters and eight or nine defensive starters from the 11-2 team that beat Tewksbury 42-41 in last year’s state final.
Sophomore Charlie Carnes is the projected successor to Jonny Donovan at quarterback. He is the only quarterback on Scituate’s current roster and was part of the varsity roster as a freshman during last year’s championship run. The scrimmages will give him two rehearsals before Duxbury visits for the opener.
The rest of the roster gives coach Herb Devine a strong environment for that transition. Grayson Foley is one of the state’s top returning two-way players. Owen Morley, Shamus Keefe and Nolan Caplinger bring experience on the line, and a veteran defense can help Scituate establish its identity without asking the new quarterback to carry it.
Team Snapshot
Location: Scituate, Massachusetts
Head Coach: Herb Devine
2025 Record: 11-2
2025 Finish: Massachusetts Division 4 state champion
Returning Starters: 9 offense, 8 or 9 defense
Projected Starting Quarterback: Charlie Carnes, sophomore
A Championship Roster Around the New Quarterback
Foley gives Scituate a proven centerpiece. He was a Division 4 all-state selection and a Boston Herald Super 26 pick, and he caught five passes for 137 yards in the 2025 championship game. His value as a runner, receiver and safety allows the Sailors to use him wherever the game demands.
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Chrysto Brown returns in the backfield, giving Scituate another senior runner. The line has unusual continuity for a team replacing its quarterback: Morley and Keefe return at tackle, while Caplinger is back at guard. Sam Huggins adds another experienced tight end and defensive end.
That group gives Carnes the kind of support most first-year varsity quarterbacks do not inherit. Scituate can run through proven players and protect a young passer without lowering its championship expectations.
The Defense Returns Its Core
Foley, Brown, Tyler Stelljes and Thomas Murray return behind a veteran front. Devine’s preseason questionnaire placed the defensive returning-starter total at eight or nine, which means the Sailors should not need a complete early-season rebuild on that side.
The standard is especially demanding because the last two Scituate teams finished as state champions. This roster has enough experience to carry that expectation on its own. It will not have to rely on the reputation of the teams before it.
Players to Know
Grayson Foley, RB/FS, senior
The all-state two-way player produced 137 receiving yards in the 2025 title game and is the most established playmaker on the roster.
Chrysto Brown, RB, senior
Brown gives the backfield another experienced option and helps Scituate distribute the rushing work.
Owen Morley, T/DE, senior
Morley is a returning two-way lineman and part of the experienced group surrounding the new quarterback.
Shamus Keefe, T/DE, senior
Keefe adds another senior tackle and defensive end to the core that returns on both sides.
Nolan Caplinger, G/DT, junior
Caplinger provides interior experience at guard and defensive tackle.
Charlie Carnes, QB, sophomore
Carnes is the only quarterback on the current roster and was with the varsity as a freshman. All available roster evidence points to him succeeding Donovan.
Schedule Breakdown
Scituate’s first counting game is Sept. 11 against Duxbury, giving the new quarterback an immediate test against one of Massachusetts’ strongest programs.
The Sailors then travel to Norwell before hosting Marblehead and Plymouth South. Quincy, Pembroke, North Quincy and Hanover complete the eight-game pre-playoff schedule.
Hingham visits on Thanksgiving after the state tournament. That game belongs on the complete schedule, but it is not part of the eight-game regular-season record used in the T25PS projection.
Complete 2026 Schedule
Sept. 11: Duxbury
Sept. 18: at Norwell
Sept. 25: Marblehead
Oct. 2: Plymouth South
Oct. 9: at Quincy
Oct. 16: at Pembroke
Oct. 23: North Quincy
Oct. 30: at Hanover
Nov. 26: Hingham (Thanksgiving)
Biggest Question
How quickly can Charlie Carnes settle into the varsity quarterback job?
Carnes does not have to transform Scituate’s offense by himself. Foley, Brown and the returning line give the sophomore an experienced supporting cast. The urgency comes from the schedule: Duxbury is the first counting opponent.
The two preseason scrimmages should help, but the opener will be a significant jump for a first-year varsity starter. How Carnes handles that transition is the clearest variable on an otherwise experienced team.
Bottom Line
Scituate returns nearly its entire championship lineup and one of the state’s best two-way players. The Sailors have every reason to begin 2026 as a Division 4 favorite.
Carnes is the projected quarterback, and the surrounding roster is built to help him pursue a third straight title from his first start.
This preview is presented as part of MISTER F00TBALL’s National High School Football Composite Rankings, partnered with and powered by Prep Gridiron Logistics, the only rankings to include every national poll and every team receiving a Top 25 vote.
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T25PS Prediction
Projected Regular-Season Record: 7-1 in eight pre-playoff games
Projected Postseason Finish: Massachusetts Division 4 state champion
Duxbury and the transition to a sophomore quarterback make a perfect pre-playoff record too aggressive. The experience everywhere else supports a 7-1 projection and another favorable position in the Division 4 bracket.
T25PS projects Scituate to win a third straight championship. That forecast rests on nine returning offensive starters, at least eight returning defenders and Foley’s proven impact, with Carnes gaining experience inside a veteran lineup.
Thanks for reading,
Alex | T25PS
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