It took 12 games into the season, but the Frontier Regional School boys’ soccer team finally suffered its first defeat Tuesday afternoon.
The host Red Hawks conceded an early goal that proved to be the difference, as Pope Francis High School handed the squad their first loss of the season in a 1-0 defeat in an independent game played in South Deerfield.
“We just didn’t play with our normal intensity,” admitted Frontier coach Dale Totman, whose team fell to 9-1-2 with the loss. “We started kind of poorly and when you do that, you leave it up to chance.”
Matt Nogueria scored the lone goal for the Cardinals (7-4), staking the visitors to a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute. Simba Pelletier’s initial shot was turned away by Frontier goalkeeper Peter Bronke. The rebound came out to Nogueria at the top of the 18-yard box, and he powered in a one-timer for the game’s lone tally.
Frontier picked up its play in the second half, and the Hawks ultimately finished with an 18-11 advantage in shots. Bronke made five saves in net, while Liam Sears recorded nine saves to earn a shutout for Pope Francis.
“We responded well and played strong in the second half but (Pope Francis) packed it in and we weren’t able to finish anything,” Totman said.
Frontier is off the rest of the week before traveling to play Moriarty Division foe Holyoke High School on Monday.
“I think the guys will respond very well,” said Totman of his team following the loss. “We didn’t get too high during the winning streak … they really didn’t talk about it. We don’t get too high or too low because our goals are to win a title, not go undefeated.”
Mohawk 0, McCann Tech 0 — Matt Taylor turned aside 14 shots and Mohawk Trail Regional High School earned its second straight scoreless tie with a 0-0 draw against McCann Technical High School in an independent boys’ soccer game Tuesday in Buckland.
McCann outshot the Warriors, 14-6, but Taylor turned aside them all. Mohawk had been playing with less than a full team due to injuries, but coach Larry Poirier said his squad is getting healthy.
“This is two games in a row that we’ve finished with a full squad on the field,” he explained. “We are starting to come around. We’ve had a couple players really step up as well.”
One player that Poirier named was Reuben Bassett, a freshman defender who impressed in Tuesday’s draw.
Devon Griswald made six saves in the McCann Tech goal.
Smith Voke 2, FC Tech 1 — Jaden Sadloski’s goal in the 60th minute cut the deficit to 2-1, but host Franklin County Technical School was unable to find the equalizer as Smith Vocational & Agricultural High School picked up a Tri-County League boys’ soccer win Tuesday in Turners Falls.
Cameron Perry scored in the 29th minute to stake the visiting Vikings to a 1-0 lead into halftime.
Kyle Cyr made it 2-0 in the 47th minute, before Sadloski tallied an unassisted goal 13 minutes later to make it a 2-1 contest.
Smith Voke held a 10-6 edge in shots for the game, with FC Tech goalkeeper Grayson Funk recording seven saves on the afternoon.
The Eagles (6-5-1, 2-2-1) host McCann Technical School Thursday at 4.
Charlemont 6, BART 1 — Hendrik Pepermans, Liam Fisher, Nat Boyd-Owens, Ishan Summer and Jeremy Forbes all scored goals, as the Academy at Charlemont boys’ soccer team picked up a 6-1 win over Berkshire Arts & Technology Charter Public School Tuesday in a River Valley Athletic League contest.
Tucker Zakon-Anderson had two assists for Charlemont, while Kyle Nitzsche recorded six saves in net.
Athol 2, Mohawk 0 — Ally Raymond and Grace Dufour scored within one minute of each other, and Athol High School blanked Mohawk Trail Regional High School, 2-0, in an independent girls’ soccer game Tuesday at O’Brien Field in Athol.
“We controlled a good portion of the play and had some really good opportunities that we couldn’t knock in,” said Athol coach Tim Cleveland.
Raymond made it 1-0 with a penalty kick in the 16th minute, and Dufour doubled the advantage one minute later when she placed a shot over the goalie from 15 yards out for a 2-0 lead.
Athol (6-5) held a 16-6 advantage in shots over Mohawk (2-8-1), with goalkeeper Haley Wrigley recording five saves to pick up the shutout for the Red Raiders. Lilly Seaver made nine saves for the Warriors.
FC Tech 5, St. Mary’s 1 — Brooke Adams found the back of the net twice and added an assist, and visiting Franklin County Technical School thumped St. Mary’s Parish School, 5-1, in a Tri-County League girls’ soccer game Tuesday afternoon at Westfield North Middle School.
“The girls played well,” offered FC Tech coach Dan Prasol. “It was a nice team effort.”
The Eagles (6-5, 5-5) led 4-0 at halftime, as Adams got the scoring started in the sixth minute with a goal from Olivia Whittier.
Vanessa Moreno made it 2-0 in the 10th minute, while Adams scored her second of the game seven minutes later. Kate Garcia extended the lead 4-0 with an assist from Kelton Socquet.
After St. Mary’s cut the deficit to 4-1 midway through the second half, Maralee Wiles finished things off, scoring off a rebound to account for the 5-1 victory.
Tabi Hamilton recorded seven saves for Tech, which has a big game today when it hosts Smith Vocational & Agricultural High School at 4.
Charlemont 2, BART 0 — Calla Jones and Ruby Chase found the back of the net to lift the Academy at Charlemont girls’ soccer team to a 2-0 win over Berkshire Arts & Technology Charter Public School Tuesday in a River Valley Athletic League contest.
Lilah Feitner earned the shutout in goal for Charlemont.