It was a tough match against Milton, but after a 27-24 victory, Dartmouth High School’s football team will be returning to the Division III Super Bowl.

Dartmouth’s team remained in a deadlock with Milton High School for much of the final playoff game of the season. But, in the end, Milton was no match for the Indians – or for the crowd’s unwavering enthusiasm. The Indians' undefeated run through playoffs carried them right to the state championships.

Fans filled the bleachers at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton on Nov. 21 to watch the match. Dartmouth entered the Div. III state semifinals on Oct. 30 with a crushing victory (44-7) against Sharon. The team kept the momentum alive, cruising its way through the playoffs.

Dartmouth entered the semifinals against Milton with an 8-2 record this season. Milton was undefeated at 10-0, until tonight.

Another trip to Foxborough's Gillette Stadium was on the minds of the fans. Dartmouth’s Dean of Students Janice Sharp had a picture of herself from last year’s Super Bowl game on her phone. In the photo, she’s sitting in the pouring rain bundled beneath multiple, soaked layers of clothing with a smile on her face.

J.T. Rose, Jacob Raposo and D.J. Oliveira – all members of the 2014 winning team – were sitting in the bleachers to watch the game.

Rose said that last year, Dartmouth came from behind to win during the last game of the playoffs.

“We had a good bond. We knew how to get it done,” Rose said of the 2014 team.

Dartmouth’s team won the 2014 Super Bowl match against Melrose High School 14-7. The three still remember the experience of heading to Gillette Stadium.

“Walking onto that field under the lights with the rain…there was nothing like it. It was the craziest feeling in the world,” said Raposo.

During the game on Saturday, both Milton and Dartmouth fought hard. By halftime, the score was tied at 6-6. The third quarter had spectators on both sides of the field stomping their feet on the bleachers as Dartmouth made its second touchdown with only three minutes left on the clock.

The winner was impossible to predict late in the game. With about five minutes remaining, the score was 20-18 with Milton in the lead.

Dartmouth’s players came alive as the crowd and the cheerleaders chanted. The band provided the soundtrack to the team’s every move. Christopher Martin advanced through Milton's defense, bringing Dartmouth ahead 27-18.

Milton made a last-minute push and scored a late touchdown, but it wasn’t enough to best their opponent. Dartmouth won 27-24.

“It was an unbelievable night. This was a great high school football game,” said head coach Rick White. “Offensively, defensively…they just never gave up. Milton’s a great football team, but we were able to pull it off in the end.”

As Dartmouth was declared the winner, football players, cheerleaders and high school staffers ran toward one another to hug.

“They defined, once again, what a team is,” said Principal John Gould, who watched the game from the sidelines. “There’s nothing better for a school community to have a great season like this.”

“We’ll see you at Gillette,” he added.