For Marblehead football fans tuning into the Super Bowl championship games from Gillette Stadium on Dec. 6, they saw a familiar face wearing No. 8 for St. John’s Prep. Then, when they heard the announcers behind the TV38 mics marveling at his speed and pass catching ability, while realizing he was only a sophomore, they knew they must have been talking about Riley Selvais, somebody they have been watching play the game he loves since he was six.
“I have been playing flag football since I was six years old, but I started playing tackle football in the seventh grade for Marblehead (Youth Football),” said Selvais, the 6-foot, 185-pound all-star Prep wide receiver, who’s the youngest of three brothers — Cody, 20, and Brady, 18. Fred and Paige are their proud parents.
“I have enjoyed playing the game (in any form) my whole life, but my passion for it really got started when I played with my older brother Cody and his friends. Playing against the older kids brought out the competitive spirit in me that I (still have) to this day.”
Selvais caught three passes — one for a touchdown — in that Division 1 Super Bowl game against Xaverian for 81 yards, and also got another score after running the opening second half kickoff back for 80 more yards to keep his teammates close on the scoreboard in a game that they eventually lost by a mere six points, 41-35.
Veteran St. John’s Prep coach and former NFL quarterback Brian St. Pierre knows about Riley’s competitive spirit, which helped him set new single season school records for receptions (52) and yards (1,053). Both were attained after 11 games, and prior to the two Xaverian showdowns on Thanksgiving and in the Super Bowl. He caught 19 more passes in those two games, adding to his single season school record, which now stands at 71, while also finishing up with an equally historic number of receiving yards at 1,230. All of these extraordinary statistics compute to 14 touchdowns in 13 games. He had 12 going into the Super Bowl game at Gillette. He was then able to showcase his immense talents in front of a larger New England television audience.
But football being a team game played a role in those two high water marks. It was helpful that he has had a longtime connection with the Prep’s five-star quarterback Chris Vargas, who resides in Danvers.
“We have been playing football with each other for over six years now,” said Selvais of his friend and teammate Vargas. “We started off playing together on a flag football team — NEFFL (New England Flag Football) — out of Middleton that travels around the country playing in national tournaments.”
But while growing up, Selvais understood that football players have to show their versatility to play multiple positions on both sides of the ball. But make no mistake about it, he loves being in that position to make electrifying plays.
“On offense I have always played wide receiver, but when I played for the Marblehead youth tackle team, I was also a linebacker on defense,” he said. “Overall, playing wide receiver is my favorite position, because it brings me joy every time the ball is in my hands.”
All athletes, who ascend past their peers, learn what it takes to succeed through past coaches or role models, and once again Riley credits his big brother Cody for his success to date.
“Watching my older brother Cody play football sparked an interest in this sport for me,” he said. “What I loved about the sport right away was the competitive and team aspect of it that no other sport on the planet has.”
Riley can make that statement, because he played those other sports. “Growing up, I also played baseball and basketball, and I had a lot of success playing youth baseball, in particular, at Gatchell’s. My teams won four championships out of the five years that I played in the league,” the Marblehead native said. “I loved playing baseball and basketball growing up, but when high school started football and track took over the best of my (athletic) interests. They are the ones that I participate in now.”
Selvais has been at the Prep since the seventh grade, but before that he was a Veterans Middle School student. He has been playing on the varsity football team the last three years, and even though he’s only a sophomore, he already has that special moment that he won’t soon forget.
“The most memorable moment to date has to be playing in Gillette Stadium,” he said. “Playing there was extraordinary. I enjoyed every moment inside that stadium with my teammates, coaches and family. I am truly blessed to have such amazing people around me, who support me. But I tried not to pay too much attention to the (video) scoreboard during the game. I have and will always have full confidence in my teammates and coaches, so my main focus during that game was on just making that next play.”
But even at this young age, Selvais has been in contact with a number of Division 1 colleges, and among them are Boston College, Syracuse and Harvard, to name a few. But his dream school to attend has always been the University of Florida. He also has another dream, and that’s turning pro someday.
The kid from Marblehead has plenty of time to make those possibilities come true, but his concentration in athletics is now solely on winning the state championship with his St. John’s Prep teammates at the home of the New England Patriots.
