DiBiaso Named Globe Coach of the Year

Following another Super Bowl Championship, Catholic Memorial football coach John DiBiaso has another award to add to his already large collection of accolades and achievements.

 

DiBiaso has been named the Boston Globe Division 2 Coach of the Year. It is the second time in three years and that he’s received the award from the newspaper.

 

“I am honored to be named the coach of the year by the Boston Globe. It would not have been possible without our coaching staff and the great group of young men I had the pleasure to work with,” says DiBiaso.

 

This season, DiBiaso was at the helm of a team that was nearly unstoppable, averaging 41.2 points a game and giving up less than 14 points a game. With the exception of the three-point win over Xaverian, each win was by at least 12 points.

 

After a misstep against Cardinal Hayes of New York, the team won 12 straight games on route to beating King Philip for their third Super Bowl in four years and continuing what has been a historical run for DiBiaso.

 

“I think the team collectively decided they were not going to let that game define them and they worked so hard after that,” says DiBiaso of that first game loss. “Even though we never liked to lose, we did get something out of it.”

 

Since arriving at Catholic Memorial in 2018, DiBiaso has brought nothing but success to the school. He has produced six Catholic Conference Championships, five MIAA Super Bowl appearances, and three Super Bowl titles. His record at the helm of the Knights is 68-8 and in the past five seasons, they have only lost two games to in-state opponents.

 

In his four decades as a coach, DiBiaso has 373 wins and 17 state championships. He holds the state record for most Super Bowls wins for a coach, is the only coach in Massachusetts to win state titles with three school (Weston, Everett, and Catholic Memorial), and currently ranks second all-time in wins among high school football coaches in the state. An amazing accomplishment given the changes in football and the kids who have played the sport over the years.

 

“I have been doing this for 43 years and we're like fathers to these kids. Every kid you have as a parent is different. You don't treat them all the same. Some you need to be tough on and some you need to encourage more. This group was very self-motivated and didn't need much yelling,” says DiBiaso.

 

In addition to DiBiaso’s award, running back Mekhi Dodd ’25 was named the Boston Globe and New England Football Journal’s Division 2 Player of the Year. The Boston College-commit bounced back from a junior season lost to an ACL injury by rushing for 1,362 yards and 22 touchdowns.