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NORTH ATTLEBORO - What a manner in which to end a career - to have your jersey number commemoratively retired; to be selected the L.G. Balfour Trophy Award winner; to beat Attleboro High on Thanksgiving Day.

"I'm sure a few years from now, I'll think back and remember the day," related North Attleboro High senior quarterback Joe Kummer, who rushed for 33 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 138 yards and two touchdowns in a 33-point victory over the Bombardiers at Raymond Beaupre Field Thursday.

More significantly, the jersey that Kummer has worn, No. 12, was also the jersey number of the late Kyle Van De Giesen, the USMC helicopter pilot who was tragically killed in Afghanistan last month.

And Kummer was the last member of the Rocketeer football family to ever wear the jersey, No. 12 being "retired" in a pre-game ceremony, during which the North flagpole and a commemorative bench at Beaupre Field was named in honor of Van De Giesen.

With the Van De Giesen family and friends joined by the 2009 North Attleboro High football team and staff and a roster of Rocketeer football alumni for the ceremony, Kummer was overcome with emotion to be a small part of the dedication, to become an embodiment for the values that Van De Giesen exalted during his days as a Rocketeer, then as an American serviceman. "When we all went to the vigil (at Community Field in honor of Van De Giesen), I remember a lot of his classmates and former North players there telling me to wear his number proudly," said Kummer. "I wasn't sure if they (the NAHS administration) were going to retire his jersey, I had heard something about it.

"I was just glad that I was able to represent what he stood for and also get a victory over Attleboro on Thanksgiving Day."

Kummer led North on scoring drives of 56, 67, six, 58 and 54 yards during a 35-point first half explosion of offense. He finished off the Rocketeers' second offensive series with a one-yard TD run, then finished off their fourth scoring drive of the first half with a 17-yard run - boosting his season TD total on the ground to nine.

Kummer completed nine passes overall to four different Rocketeer receivers, including a pair of scoring strikes to Ryan Flannery, a 40-yarder with 1:10 left in the first half and a two-yarder with 56 seconds left in the third quarter - boosting his season TD toss total to 13.

All told on the season, Kummer threw for just over 1,200 yards and rushed for just over 400 yards, the catalyst for an offense which was the second most point prolific (308) in the area; for a team which won its final four games of the season; for a team which won eight games overall; and for the Rocketeers who won for the 15th time over the past 16 meetings with the Bombardiers.

"He's a hard-nosed kid," related Rocketeer boss Donny Johnson of the physically un-imposing Kummer, who stands barely 5-10 and might weigh 150 pounds soaking wet. "We were worried if he'd survive the season," chuckled Johnson of Kummer being able to withstand the physical punishment of playing the position in a highly competitive Hockomock League.

Kummer more than survived - he had two rushing touchdowns in a 24-0 blanking of MIAA playoff bound Bishop Feehan and was the architect for one of the greatest North comebacks in football history, throwing for three TD's, two in the final three minutes of play, to beat Mansfield by three points.

"I wasn't nervous at all," said Kummer of his Thanksgiving morning routine - a bowl of cereal, reporting to NAHS by 8 a.m., reviewing the game plan, getting taped, pulling a Red Rocketeer jersey over his head for a final time. "I really have no interest in playing football in college," said Kummer, planning on majoring in engineering. "I knew that it'd be my final football game, that hopefully it'd be a good one."

Kummer shared the quarterbacking duties as a junior with Steve Rollins, but this season the job was his alone. With quick feet, quick hands and an apprentice year in decision-making in 2008, Kummer became an ideal quarterback for North's spread offense.

"Decision-making is huge for a quarterback," said Kummer, "a lot of times you just have to take what's there. If a man (defender) is in your face, you just try to get away and scramble. Or you have to look downfield and throw the ball. If nobody's open, then you take what you can get." For Kummer, being elusive with the ball in his hands, running left or running right was a weapon. "I love this offense," he said, "there are so many different options.'

For Kummer and the Rocketeers, there was no option Thanksgiving Day morning - it was beat the Bombardiers and deservedly honor the memory of Van De Giesen.

"We were a very athletic group," Kummer said of his teammates. "When you look back at the games that we lost (three by margins of one TD or less), it was just two or three big plays. Ryan (Van De Giesen, North's assistant coach and brother of Kyle) just told me to wear his number proudly.

"To do what we did, to be the last guy to wear jersey No. 12, then to receive the Balfour Trophy, it's something what you dream of."