Sophomore quarterback Rory Funke has been a driving force behind Dexter Southfield’s impressive 6-2 record and their berth in the Class A NEPSAC bowl. And the best news? He’s only getting better.
Dexter Southfield coach Casey Day recognized Funke’s talent from the very beginning. “We’ve had a couple other guys in between years, but Rory was a Day 1 starter from the first day he came on campus,” said Day. “He just had a maturity, competitiveness, and really an advanced level of leadership for a kid who was a freshman in high school at the time.”
Athletics run deep in the Funke family. Rory’s parents were both athletes at Boston College—his father, Jerod, played football, while his mother, Gabrielle, excelled in multiple sports, starring in field hockey and lacrosse. Rory’s older brothers are linemen: his oldest sibling, Jack, is a junior offensive tackle at Boston College, and Dominic is a dominant senior edge-rusher at Xaverian who has also committed to BC.
“We’re all different types of athletes,” Rory shared. “I think it’s also just very good to see their hard work and their dedication. It truly led me to want to follow in their footsteps and work hard at everything.”
Choosing to play quarterback, Funke has compiled an impressive stat line this season with 735 yards passing, 639 yards rushing, and 17 total touchdowns. Coach Day compares him to former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL pro Tim Tebow due to his athletic style and ability to scramble for big gains when plays break down.
“He just has those intangibles of all those great athletes that we all sit down to watch,” Day said. “He’s got it. He just does everything. You can come to one of our practices and see him going through every drill with the exact same amount of focus and attention to detail.”
There had been questions about how Dexter Southfield would perform in the newly revamped NEPSAC, but Funke took his game to a new level during his sophomore campaign. He led the Brookline-based school to six straight wins to open the season.
One standout performance came against Loomis Chaffee on October 18, where Funke completed 12-of-13 passes for 109 yards and rushed for 116 yards, finishing with three total touchdowns in a 23-10 victory. This win clinched a NEPSAC bowl berth for Dexter Southfield.
The following week, Dexter Southfield narrowly fell to Avon Old Farms, 29-28. Nevertheless, Funke shone against this regional powerhouse, rallying his team back from a 14-0 deficit with 163 yards passing, 153 yards rushing, and three more touchdowns.
In addition to football, Funke also plays baseball and hopes to compete in both sports collegiately if the opportunity arises at a Division 1 school.
“To put it into short terms, I think the passion I bring is really what separates me,” Funke said. “I’m a really good athlete, I think, but what separates me is how much heart I show and how I lead my team. At the end of the day, I try to do everything I can to win. I don’t care about the stats I put up or anything. I just want to win. I think my teammates respect that, and they show that same passion as well.”
https://www.bostonherald.com/2025/11/02/football-notebook-qb-rory-funke-a-day-1-starter/
