New coach, new quarterback, new schemes give Wareham football a fresh start for 2024

WAREHAM — Amare Rose had never played organized football until last year and he saw limited action as a freshman at Wareham High.

This year, Rose has accepted the challenge of the team’s starting quarterback.

“We came into this season without a quarterback. We didn’t really have a second quarterback last year,” said Wareham first-year head coach Cy Bariteau. “Amare stepped up in a big way for us this year.

“He's an athletic kid. If he puts the work in, he can do whatever he wants to. He's already made strides.”

Rose never envisioned himself playing quarterback, but knew it's what the team needed.

“I’m just the guy who fits the job,” he said.

Rose isn’t your typical sophomore.

A year ago, he emerged as an impact player on a senior-laden Wareham boys basketball team that won its second straight Div. 4 state championship. He scored 19 points in the title game.

“I’ve been under the pressure, and I’ve been under the fire. Now I know how to react to that,” he said.

FOOTBALL PICKS: Predicting the winners of every Week 1 SouthCoast high school football game

With a fast-growing knowledge of the game, especially Wareham’s playbook, Rose has taken on a leadership role.

“He knows every play right now,” Bariteau pointed out. “If some kids are messing up on plays not knowing what they’re doing, he’s already telling them, ‘You’ve got to do this or you’ve got to do that.’

“That's what we were looking for in a quarterback.”

In preparation for the 2024 season, Rose spent the summer playing in two 7-on-7 passing leagues.

“He's come a long way,” Bariteau said. “He's a very smart kid and we knew from the start that he’s a leader. The biggest thing we had to work on with him is physically throwing the ball. He was trying to throw the ball like he was throwing a baseball. He’s getting the throwing motion down.”

Rose said his biggest asset early on is going to be his vision of the field.

“I see the whole field,” he said. “I’m making sure I take my quarterback role. It starts with me, but it doesn’t finish with me.”

Rose’s teammates have confidence he’ll deliver.

“He's more of a dual threat. He can do whatever we need,” said Wareham junior running back/wide receiver Jeremiah Lawson. “He brings a great energy to the team. He gets the guys hyped.”

Wareham sophomore running back Ty-Rell Pires added, “He’s never played quarterback, but he’s just an athlete. He'll get it done.”

FOOTBALL HEADQUARTERS: Find all of our 2024 SouthCoast high school football coverage

FRESH START UNDER NEW COACH

With the third new head coach in four years, Payton Calvin is glad he stuck with the Vikings through their ups and downs as one of only three returning seniors on the team this year.

“I kind of just stuck around because I love football so much,” he said. “Our head coach now is so great because he knows where to put people in the right position, and he makes you better as a player.

“I'm glad I stuck around. I feel like it’s going to be a great season this year.”

Calvin said there’s a completely different vibe with the team this fall.

“It's great,” he said. “It's a new environment. It's a new team. It's just great out here.

“Coach Cy has brought a lot of energy and positive vibes. He reinforces you. He builds you up so you feel better about yourself, and you play better. I think the sky is the limit for our team.”

In his first year as Wareham’s head coach, Bariteau has found ways to get the most out of his players.

“He brings a lot to this team,” Rose said. “We're all focused and we’re all ready to put a lot more effort into this season than we ever had. It’s a different energy. We're going to do something this year.”

Lawson added, “The energy he brings, he motivates us, keeping our grades up and doing what we’re supposed to be doing. We've been trying to turn it around the past couple of years and it’s looking like we’re making it that way. We want to rebuild the program.”

KICKOFF TO 2024

The Vikings open the season at 4 p.m. on Friday at Carver, which reached the Div. 8 Super Bowl a year ago. “There's a reason they were where they were last year,” Bariteau said. “There are still some kids left from that team and those kids know what it takes to be good.” After a Week 2 bye, Wareham hosts Cohasset on Friday, Sept. 20.

Bariteau isn't looking too far ahead, but he sees a lot of potential in this team.

“I think we can win some games,” he said. “The goal is to go 1-0 every week. I think we can be a very good team this year and I think we can surprise some people.”

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Preview of the 2024 football season for Wareham High School