Rivals 2025 Rhode Island high school football Player of the Year honors

The high school football season around the country has wrapped up and with that comes honors for coaches and players from the 2025 season. One state out of the New England region that is starting to produce some impressive talent and teams from around the country is Rhode Island high school football.

The Rhode Island Interscholastic League (RIIL) state finals ended a few weeks ago and we decided to get right to it when it comes to end of the year honors.

We continue into the Ocean State of Rhode Island as Rivals looked through the season and selected award nominees from this past season. Who were the best players for the 2025 Rhode Island high school football season, though?

Rivals give you the Rhode Island high school football honorees for the 2025 season.

Player of the Year: Parker Howley, QB, Classical

Tom Brady, is that you? Okay, might be going a bit far with the comparison, but if you look at the Division 3 state championship game and how that was playing out, the comeback Classical senior quarterback Parker Howley led them on was one for the ages. Trailing 28-14 at halftime of the state championship game, Howley carried the offense on his back and went to work. The senior led a dominant second half charge, finishing the contest completing 21 of 31 passes for 367 yards and two scores. For the season, Howley completed 158 of 267 passes for 3,103 yards and 38 touchdowns.

Offensive Player of the Year: Landon Husereau, QB, Westerly

If you needed a play through the air or on the ground, Westerly signal caller Landon Husereau made them all season long en route to the Bulldogs winning the Division 2 state championship at the end. Husereau put up superb numbers for Westerly as the junior quarterback finished the season completing 171 of 269 passes for 2,829 yards and 40 touchdowns. On the ground for the Bulldogs, Husereau rushed for 283 yards on 38 attempts and scored seven times. The state championship game performance was the best of them all for Husereau as the junior went 17 of 25 for 233 yards and four touchdowns in the 44-21 win over South Kingstown.

Defensive Player of the Year: Tali Watson, EDGE, North Kingstown Senior

As they say, the proof is in the pudding and for the Class of 2027 EDGE, the North Kingstown Senior defender was as good as they come in getting into opposing backfields in 2025. Tali Watson, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound hybrid, mostly came off the edge for the Skippers and putting together the best season for a defender in the state. The sophomore tallied 70 total tackles, 24 went for a loss, 13 sacks and pressured quarterbacks 31 times. When it came to defenders in Rhode Island high school football, Watson stood out amongst the rest.

Coach of the Year: Keith Croft, Bishop Hendricken

Year in and year out, Bishop Hendricken remains the team to beat in the Ocean State and 2025 didn’t play out any differently for the Hawks. Keith Croft, the longtime head coach of the program, continues to put the Hawks through a rigorous schedule and it paid dividends this past season. Though the club lost games to out-of-state opponents like Central Catholic (Mass.), Killingly (Conn.) and in-state foe La Salle Academy, Croft was able to navigate the team right back to the state’s Division 1 championship game. There, Croft and his staff led the Hawks to a masterful defensive effort in a 13-3 win over La Salle Academy, avenging the loss from the regular season.

How to Follow Rhode Island High School Football

For Rhode Island high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the Ocean State, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the Rhode Island high school football excitement across the state.