Down 13-0 at halftime, the Newton North Tigers roared to life in the second half, making big defensive plays and scoring two late touchdowns to defeat the Brookline Warriors 14-13 at a pre-Thanksgiving Day game at Fenway Park.

“This is very us,” said head coach Nick Capodilupo after the win. “Just finding a way to do it in this fashion, having to pull ourselves back up.”

In the 130th meeting between the two schools, Brookline was the aggressor in the first half, with their offense moving the ball easily against the North defense. When North did get the ball, the Brookline defense stifled quarterback Freddy Torcasio in the air and on the ground.

North finally showed some signs of life in the third quarter, moving the ball down the field behind running back Dylan Leone, though a promising drive ended with a turnover on downs in the Brookline red zone.

North’s fans who had traveled to Fenway for the historic game were finally rewarded in the fourth quarter. Leone broke through for a short score, cutting Brookline’s lead to 13-7. Then, on Brookline’s next possession, Jacob Goodwin blocked a punt deep in Brookline territory, setting the Tigers’ offense up in prime real estate. A Torcasio touchdown pass to Milo Schneider made it 14-13. With the momentum now firmly on North’s side, the Tiger defense stepped up and smothered the Brookline offense to seal the win.

Mike Jackson, North’s athletic director, said that the experience of playing at Fenway Park was unbelievable.

“The student athletes, the families, the coaches, it’s been an amazing experience [for them], one that everybody will always remember for the rest of their lives,” he said.

With the game having been postponed a day, one of Jackson’s favorite moments of the day was just seeing the team run onto the field.

“The excitement that they had…for them to take the field was really cool,” he said.

With the win, the Tigers finish the season with a record of 6-5—their first winning season in years.

“A few years ago we were at the bottom of the barrel,” said Capodilupo. “We had great kids but we just didn’t have enough to win games. We went from getting blown out to being in games to winning a couple, and for us to win a majority of our games this year is just unbelievable. I’m so proud of them, so proud of the way that they did it.”

Senior Jack Caissie described the tilt against Brookline as the biggest game of his life. “This is the last time I’ll ever play football with everybody who I grew up with,” he said.

Here are some photos from  Wednesday’s game.

Nattaf Levi (20) cheers for his team during the fourth quarter of a pre-Thanksgiving Day football game at Fenway Park on November 26, 2025. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Milo Schneider (11) celebrates a game winning touchdown for the Tigers. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

The Newton North Tigers rush the field after defeating the Brookline Warriors 14-13 on a pre-Thanksgiving Day football game at Fenway Park on November 26, 2025. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Freddy Torcasio (4) scrambles for yards in the second quarter. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Newton North super fans cheered on their team during a pre-Thanksgiving football game against Brookline at Fenway Park on November 26, 2025. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Dylan Leone (1) runs past the Brookline defense in the third quarter. North would eventually turn the ball over on downs just outside the Brookline end zone. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Jacob Goodwin (6) blocks a punt in the fourth quarter. Newton North would capitalize on the play, scoring a few plays later to take a 14-13 lead over Brookline on a pre-Thanksgiving Day football game at Fenway Park on November 26, 2025. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Fenway Park was a majestic site for the 130th meeting between the Newton North and Brookline football teams on November 26, 2025. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Andreas Douglas Jr. (68) tries to get past a lineman for Brookline. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Head Coach Nick Capodilupo (center) strategizes with his assistant coaches ahead of a pre-Thanksgiving Day football game against Brookline at Fenway Park. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Dustin Proia (5) and his Tiger teammates run out of the dugout tunnel onto the field for pre-game warmups. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Nattaf Levi (20) and Dan Phaneuf (77) collaborate on a tackle, bringing down a Brookline running back in the second quarter. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Jack Caissie (3) and Gio Chandler (12) collaborate on a tackle in the fourth quarter. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon