Greenfield High School earned a tough win and got some help from an unlikely source to move closer to winning the PVIAC Northern Division field title.
Shortly before the Green Wave was putting the finishing touches on its 2-0 win over Mahar Regional School, Mohawk Trail Regional High School stifled Frontier Regional School’s vaunted defense and earned a 0-0 draw.
That means Greenfield (12-0-2, 6-0-0) moved three points ahead of the Red Hawks (11-1-2, 3-1-1) and can clinch the outright North crown Tuesday night at home against Mohawk. That game is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Greenfield 2, Mahar 0 — Greenfield used a pair of first-half goals and rode the solid goalkeeping of Samantha Smith to blank the Senators and inch even closer to the division title.
Raegan Hickey put the Green Wave on the board with un assisted goal 8 minutes, 49 seconds into the game, and Audrey Bresciano drove home a feed from Olivia Joy with 4:17 left in the half.
Smith rejected all 9 shots she faced for her sixth shutout. Hannah Birch stopped 11 of 13 shots for Mahar.
Greenfield held a 9-7 edge in corners.
“My girls played hard the whole game,” said Senators head coach Lauire Saisa. “We changed up the defense and tried something new to shut down the inside passing, and it totally worked, but their goalkeeper was that good. She phenomenal. She’s quick, she’s long and she gets to everything.”
Saisa credited Hannah Bergquist, Sam MacDonald, Joslyn O’Brien and Kacy Ninteau with strong performances.
Mahar hosts Narragansett Regional High School Wednesday night at 6.
Frontier 0 Mohawk 0 — Frontier held a 9-2 advantage in shots, but Isis Moon was perfect in goal for to help Mohawk earn the draw in Buckland.
Christina Lively and Abby Sinistore played well on defense to support Moon, who finished with 9 saves. Skyla Burniske made 2 saves in the Red Hawks’ goal.
Frontier had 7 corners to Mohawk’s 3.
Mahar 2, Greenfield 2 — McGrath North Division leader Mahar needed a pair of late goals to tie upset-minded Greenfield, 2-2, in boys’ soccer action Friday night at Veterans Memorial Field in Greenfield.
The Green Wave’s Asier Areta scored the only first-half goal in the 13th minute, assisted by Alejandro Diaz. It stayed a one-goal game until Areta struck for an unassisted tally in the 65th minute to make it 2-0.
The Senators got one back with seven minutes remaining when Levi Baruch booted home a pass from Hunter Apteker, then Jamie Temple tied it three minutes later with his unassisted marker.
Mahar held a 14-9 advantage in shots. Hunter Campbell made 12 saves for the Greenfield, while the Senators’ Bryce Cleveland was credited with 7 stops.
“We outplayed them for about 72 minutes,” said Greenfield head coach Kent McGahan. “The guys played best they have all year and the should have won.”
Greenfield travels to John J. Duggan Academy in Springfield on Monday.
FC Tech 2, Commerce 1 — Franklin County Technical School scored two second-half goals, including the game-winner with two minutes remaining, to overtake High School of Commerce, 2-1, in a Tri-County League boys’ soccer game Friday in Springfield.
With the game tied 1-1 in the 78th minute, the Eagles’ Joel Farrick arched a cross into the box and the ball was jammed home by Ryan Campbell for the deciding marker.
“The second half was one of the best halves of soccer we have played all year,” said Franklin Tech coach Kurt Richardson. “The guys really woke up at halftime, came together and controlled the second half.”
Franklin Tech (4-7-4, 2-2-2 TCL) tied the game in the 60th minute when Jovanni Ruggiano scored on a pass from Rueben Galvez in support of Grayson Funk, who made 7 saves.
Commerce (6-4-1, 2-2-0 TCL) opened the scoring in the second minute on a goal from Kemar Ferguson, assisted by Yimy Morales. Jose Masariegaz stopped 2 shots in net.
The Eagles return to action on Tuesday at Westfield Technical Academy.
Monty Tech 3, FC Tech 1 — Jessie Sylveira totaled 9 aces and 4 kills to help Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School defeat Franklin Tech, 25-8, 25-13, 18-25, 25-14, in an independent girls’ volleyball match Friday in Turners Falls.
Melissa Cartier added 7 kills and Colleen Fitzgerald contributed 4 aces for the Bulldogs.
Isabelle Duga led the Eagles with 2 aces, 2 assists and 5 digs. Reagan Fiske added 2 aces and 5 digs, and Riley Barton chipped in with 3 digs
Franklin Tech travels to Pioneer Valley Regional School today at 11 a.m.