As we have passed the midway point of the 2026 football season on the SouthCoast, it’s the perfect time to highlight the players who have stood out offensively during the first half of the season for local teams.
Of the area’s nine football teams, there are two undefeated teams in Apponequet and Fairhaven. New Bedford and Old Rochester are also off to 5-1 starts.
Below are the names of 13 football players that have stolen the spotlight through the first 6 weeks.
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Players are listed alphabetically by school.
Paxton Canessa, Apponequet
As a three-year starting quarterback, Canessa not only has provided leadership and experience, he’s also putting up big numbers. In the team’s 6-0 start, Canessa has thrown 11 touchdown passes.
Joseph Procaccini, Apponequet
After missing some games his junior year with an injury, Procaccini, a senior running back, has scored a SouthCoast-leading 21 touchdowns and added 3 2-point conversions for the undefeated Lakers.
Nathan Zexter, Bishop Stang
A senior running back, Zexter is enjoying a breakthrough season for the Spartans, scoring a team-high 12 touchdowns to go along with a pair of 2-point conversions, 15 PATs and a field goal. He currently ranks third in the SouthCoast with 94 points.
Carter Frates, Fairhaven
As the lone returning offensive starter from last year’s Div. 6 Super Bowl championship team, Frates has led the Blue Devils to a 6-0 start with a team-high 6 touchdowns and a 2-point conversion.
Jackson Ponte, Fairhaven
In his first year as the team’s starting quarterback, Ponte, a junior, has delivered in both the passing game and rushing attack. He’s scored 5 touchdowns and thrown for another 9 TDs to help the Blue Devils.
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Jacoby Ayano, GNB Voc-Tech
Ayano has come through for the Bears as a reliable receiver. He leads the team in touchdowns with 6.
Jordyn Correia, New Bedford
Known for his skills on the basketball court, Correia decided to give football a try his senior year and is having a major impact at wide receiver. Not only has he caught 5 touchdown passes and 4 2-point conversions, his big-play ability has stretched defenses.
Logan Desmarais, New Bedford
Desmarais’ hard work in the offseason and dedication to New Bedford football is paying off as he’s found the end zone 6 times while adding a pair of 2-point conversions to help the Whalers win 5 of their first 6 games of 2026.
Tru Gonsalves-Cosme, New Bedford
Gonsalves-Cosme, a senior transfer from Bishop Stang, switched from receiver to quarterback and he’s having a big year. Not only has he thrown 6 touchdown passes, he’s also scored another 4 TDs to help the Whalers.
Lyric Ramos, New Bedford
A senior transfer from Bishop Stang, Ramos has scored a team-high 7 touchdowns and 3 2-point conversions to help the Whalers erase a winless campaign a year ago.
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Benji Baptiste, Old Rochester
Baptiste, a junior running back, ranks second on the SouthCoast in scoring with 96 points on a team-high 16 touchdowns, powering the Bulldogs to a 5-1 start.
Davion Gonsalves, Wareham
Gonsalves has had a breakout season for the Vikings, finding the end zone 6 times and adding a 2-point conversion. He is ranked ninth in the area in scoring with 38 points.
Ty-Rell Pires, Wareham
Pires is making up for lost time. Coming back from an ankle injury that cost him most of his junior year, Pires has scored a team-high 10 touchdowns and a 2-point conversion to rank fourth in the area in scoring.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Who is the SouthCoast Football Midseason Offensive Player of the Year?
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