In a season where the Holliston Panthers have absorbed more hits than the scoreboard can show, one player has refused to let the team’s spirit fracture: senior captain Max Maurao. The 6-foot, 190-pound spark plug has become the unshakable core of a squad that’s endured setback after setback—yet somehow continues to fight every Friday night with pride, grit, and belief.
Adversity arrived early for the Panthers when senior quarterback Tommy Quinn—the field general since youth-football days—was lost for the season in Week 3. From there, the injuries continued to mount. Senior captain Matt Gimblett—a two-way force and emotional leader—was recently ruled out for the year, dealing another heartbreaking blow to the roster. Fellow seniors Austin Rodenhiser, Sean Klein, and Liam Duross have also missed time, while Will Clasby remains week-to-week. Juniors Ethan Schmitt, Kyle Raffi, and Paul McGrath have each battled their own stretches on the sideline as well.
For a program built on depth and tradition, it was a test of both heart and endurance. At the center of it all stood second-year head coach Mike Yurof, who took over after the legendary Todd Kiley’s 21-year tenure. Yurof, a veteran of Massachusetts high-school football, didn’t just inherit a team—he inherited expectations. Yet his calm leadership and relentless positivity have become as vital to the Panthers’ survival as any big play.
“Every week it feels like we’re holding it together with tape and heart,” Yurof says. “But Max? He’s been our rock. He never complains, never slows down, never lets the locker room’s energy dip. He’s the reason we’re still competing.”
Maurao’s toughness didn’t appear overnight—it’s been built brick by brick since his earliest days in Holliston Pop Warner. From the moment he first strapped on pads in third grade, his relentless energy and love for the game were unmistakable. Under the watchful eye of Kevin Quinn, father of current senior quarterback Tommy Quinn, Max quickly made a name for himself as a fierce, fearless competitor.
“From the day he showed up on the field in third grade, I knew Max was going to be a superstar someday for the Panthers,” recalls Quinn. “The heart that kid showed from day one was unmatched. Other kids would switch lines just so they didn’t have to go against him in drills.”
Quinn says that even as a little kid, Max carried himself like a varsity player long before he ever wore the jersey. “He wasn’t just playing youth football—he was already practicing to be on the Holliston High varsity team,” Quinn said. “He worked like he belonged there even when he was ten years old. You could tell he was preparing for this moment his entire life.”
Those early years weren’t just about learning football—they were about forming bonds. The same group of boys who battled through long practices, muddy fields, and cold fall mornings in youth football grew into today’s senior class, the heart of Holliston High’s 2025 roster. “Back then, we’d huddle after practice talking about playing under the Friday-night lights,” Quinn adds. “They didn’t just dream it—they willed it into existence.”
Now, more than a decade later, Maurao’s leadership shines brightest in Holliston’s toughest season in years. He’s posted 338 rushing yards on 54 carries (a strong 6.3 yards per carry) and tallied 12 receptions for 138 yards and two receiving touchdowns, while leading the defense with 67 tackles—a team-leading defensive total.
And since the day he first picked up a football, he’s been known by a nickname that sums him up perfectly: “BDB” — Big Daddy Bronco. He gave it to himself back in elementary school, when he first started playing, and it’s stuck ever since. What began as a bold little-kid nickname has turned into a badge of honor.
Even now, the legend of “BDB TD” — a special Pop Warner play they’d run once or twice a season — lives on. Kevin Quinn laughs when he tells the story. “He still tries to convince Coach Yurof to run it,” Quinn says. “The first time they called it this year, I was thinking, I need to ask Coach if Max was tugging on his shirt to run that play. He always looks at me on the sidelines when they’re on offense and says, ‘BDB TD.’ It’s hilarious.”
Whether charging through a hole on offense or crashing down from the edge on defense, Maurao brings that bronco-style burst and power every snap. He plays through bruises, turf burns, and busted lips—and he finishes nearly every game with his uniform streaked with mud and blood, the unmistakable mark of a player who refuses to hold anything back.
“He’s always asking what else he can do,” said head coach Mike Yurof. “He came into the office before the Norwood game and said he would play guard or tackle if needed. As he told me, ‘Coach, I don’t care what number I have to wear or what position I play—I just want to win, and I want my team to win.’”
“That mindset,” Yurof said, “is what separates Maurao from nearly everyone he’s coached. He’s one of the most well-rounded football players I’ve ever seen. He has every tool it takes to be great—he has no flaws. He makes everyone around him better. He’s in that handful of guys I’ll never forget.”
“Max shows everyone what hard work looks like,” said senior lineman Sean Klein. “He never complains about anything—just shows up and puts in the work. When things get tough, he’s the one who keeps the team in check.”
Even as injuries mounted and key players were forced to the sidelines, Maurao refused to let the season unravel. He rallied the locker room around a single message: they would keep playing for one another, for every teammate who couldn’t suit up, and for the pride of the program itself. Every hit, block, and snap since has carried that shared purpose—a reflection of how Max leads not with speeches, but through action.
“Max has been my best friend since I’ve been a little kid,” said senior quarterback Tommy Quinn. “Seeing him play is bittersweet since he’s so fun to watch, but it’s been one of the hardest things about being on the sideline. Seeing him fight through pain and will our team to win is amazing. Knowing he’s pushing through so much for his whole team makes me want to get out there and return the favor more than anything. He’s the ultimate team player and leader.”
To understand where that leadership comes from, you have to look off the field—to his family. His mother Brenda, an assistant principal in the Holliston school system, and father Mike, a fixture in local youth sports, have been constants at every level of Max’s journey. His sister Lucy, now a junior softball standout at Roger Williams University, says she’s had a front-row seat to his growth both as an athlete and as a person.
“From tackling me in the backyard to playing catch with my dad in the living room, Max has been the most dedicated kid I’ve ever seen,” Lucy said. “He is the type to come home from practice and be itching to put in more work. He brings this drive to every single part of his life both on and off the field. It has been so fun to watch him turn into the player—and even better person—that he is today.”
“They raised him to win quietly, to hug harder than he hits, and to always lift others up,” says Kevin Quinn. “That’s who Max is—and that’s why he’s the kind of player every coach dreams about.”
It’s been a season that’s tested everything: bodies, hearts, and hope. The departure of Kiley to Franklin High last spring closed a storied chapter, and Yurof’s second season has brought fresh energy and focus. But amid it all, players like Maurao have kept Holliston’s identity alive—grit, brotherhood, and perseverance.
And through every challenge, one thing has remained constant: Max Maurao. His name might not dominate recruiting headlines, but his impact is etched in the fabric of Holliston football. He’s the kind of captain who leads when no one is watching, who makes his teammates better by sheer force of example, and who plays every down like it could be his last. As the Panthers head into the postseason—bruised, tested, and still standing—they do so with Maurao’s fire driving them forward. Because in Holliston, when you talk about heart, leadership, and legacy, it all starts—and ends—with #9, “BDB” Big Daddy Bronco — Max Maurao.
Senior captain Max Maurao (#9) breaks up a pass with a hard hit during a Holliston game under the lights.
Captains Matt Gimblett (#3), Max Maurao (#9), and Austin Rodenhiser (#2) lead the Panthers to midfield before kickoff.
Max Maurao stands with parents Mike and Brenda following a Friday-night win — a family that has supported his football journey every step of the way.
Maurao (#9) with teammates after the final whistle — a moment that captures Holliston’s brotherhood and heart.
