Tomorrow Peeples-Taylor with Suffolk County DA Kevin Hayden and her Mayor’s Cup Champion Lions team

The Boston Raiders football team, circa 1995

Raider Coach Dennis Wilson is flanked by City Councilors John Fitzgerald (left) and Brian Worrell.

This three-prong story begins with a salute to the Lady Cardinals of Madison Park High School, winners of this year’s Boston City Volleyball Championship, their second in the last three years.

Coached by William Harvey, the undefeated (17-0) Lady Cardinals are currently ranked number two in the MIAA (Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association) standings. They prepared for the upcoming state playoffs by beating the Lady Jets of East Boston in straight sets (25-22, 25-15, 25-9) in the title game.

Coach Harvey: “When we won the city title two years ago, I told people that our best was yet to come. Following a heartbreaking loss to Boston Latin Academy in the city championship game last year, a team coached by my mentor, Hardy Mondesseir, my team gained valuable experience, which helped prepare us for this year’s title run.” Mondesseir moved on from BLA to John D. O’Bryant High School to assist head coach Trudy Fisher.

“When we met O’Bryant in this year’s Boston City semi-final game, we were able to pull out a tension-filled 3-sets-to-2 victory before a packed house at Madison Park High. Part of my joy from that contest was beating a team coached by Trudy Fisher and my mentor. It was a game that my team and I will long remember. We closed the deal against a very talented East Boston squad in this year’s city championship game. Our straight-set win was fueled by the tremendous play of our ‘setter’ Noelia Guerrero (Tournament Most Valuable Player), ‘outside hitters’ Jazmine McKinney, Ryhana Edwards,and ‘Libero-defensewoman’ Emily Ramirez.

These four players anchored our strong team, with every team member playing well in their roles, returning Madison Park to championship glory.

“I am hoping that our play will help college recruiters take a hard look at our team and possibly open doors for our players to win scholarships to college.”

Hail to the 2025 Boston City Volleyball Girls Champions from Madison Park High School.

The Boston Lions Track Club has gained more headlines for athletic excellence following their second straight team title trophy for their collective work in the 35th Boston Mayor’s Cup Race. For the second consecutive year, Legacy Lewis dominated the competition in the eight-and-under division of the 1.1-mile event.

Lewis won the race in this division as a six year old last year and repeated as the top finisher as a seven year old in this year’s race. Trinity Franklin and Journee Camillo-Murad turned in impressive performances, which brought valuable points in the team competition category. Murad’s fifth-place finish in the eight-and-under division, along with Franklin’s second-place finish (7:01) in the nine- 10 age group, were key factors in the Lions Track Club winning the team title, coached by Tomorrow Peeples-Taylor. With two straight Mayor’s “Team” Cup Titles to her credit, Peeples-Taylor expressed her feelings: “I feel like the lion standing on the mountain, looking down at the work that I helped to create; I am very proud of the work by my athletes. They deserve the brunt of credit for the success of our program. And with the support (physical and financial) from people like Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden and several corporate entities, as well as our devoted fan base, the Boston Lions Track Club continues to thrive.”

The third component of this story is a tribute to the late Harry Wilson, his younger brother Dennis, his wife Gladys and every person who helped build the legacy of the Boston Raiders Pop Warner Football program. It was Harry Wilson’s idea, and the diligent work and sacrifice of his wife, Linda, and Dennis and Gladys Wilson, along with so many volunteer coaches and caring community members, to name Harry Wilson (a Vietnam veteran) “The Father of Boston Pop Warner Football.”

Said Dennis Wilson: “So much has gone into the Raiders Football Legacy. The ‘Raider Way’ was built on my brother’s dream to create an organization to mold the character of young men and women into a family unit and positively touch their lives. When I think of the ‘silent powers’ (like my wife, Gladys — who took on the responsibility of the most important component — the ‘registration duties’ for over 200 young men and women to be certified to participate as players and cheerleaders in this Pop Warner Football Program), along with coaching the Raiders cheerleaders and assisting in running the concession stand and being a surrogate mother to many young women as part of her myriad job titles, she, along with my sister-in-law Linda, made Harry and me truly appreciative of the old saying: ‘Alongside every great man is a great woman.’

“The work of great women was just as important as that of every person who gave of their time, money and enthusiasm to the Raiders organization. I can’t help but think of my brother’s ‘quiet-pride’ that was at the center of the Raiders dynasty years.”

The 40-plus years that the Wilson brothers ran the program produced five trips to the national Pop Warner Football Championships, held in Florida, and culminated in finishing as the number two Pop Warner Football team in America in 2005. So, how do you say ‘Thank you’ for all that the Wilson brothers established back in 1975, and that still exists today? The answer is a celebration that will take place Nov. 8 at the IBEW Local 103 Hall, 256 Freeport Street, Dorchester. Cochair Andre “Coach Chip” Dubose and the entire membership of the Raiders 50th Celebration Committee deserve kudos for their work in this special undertaking of putting this event together. I am praying for a large turnout to celebrate the 50th year of the “Raiders Legacy,” one of the most dominant and successful Pop Warner Football and Cheerleading programs in America.

Dennis Wilson: “My brother Harry would have a difficult time accepting praise for what he built and nurtured for a half century. He was all about ‘getting the job done, not about honorifics. And it wasn’t just about the Raiders football program. It was the establishment of the Boston Neighborhood Youth Football League (BNYFL) and the platform for thousands of young men and women who have benefited from his dream. Harry Wilson put God, family, the welfare of children, community and the U.S. Marine Corps (in that order) as his top priorities in this life.”

The community has the chance to thank this man for 50 years of greatness.

For information and tickets contact Evelyn Norman at 617-961-2117 or e-mail [email protected].

To make donations send checks or money orders payable to Boston Raiders 50th Anniversary Celebration, P.O. Box 240779, Dorchester, MA 02124.