Soccer: Parker, Mahar blank Athol

Lightning halted things early in the second half Wednesday night, but Delaney Parker and the Mahar Regional School girls soccer team struck for three goals before intermission to earn a 3-0 shutout of rival Athol in a Pioneer North contest in Orange.

Parker scored twice in the first half, notching her area-leading 16th and 17th goals of the season for the Senators (7-1 overall, 6-0 Pioneer North), which won their seventh game in a row after dropping their season opener to South Hadley. Mollie Burke also scored with 2:51 remaining before halftime, while Tori Tenney, Jazmyn Vautour and Parker all recorded assists.

The game was called due to lightning with 38:29 left in the second half.

“I was pleased with our sense of urgency right from the get-go,” Mahar coach Chad Softic said. “You could tell the girls really wanted it. Delaney had a couple of beautiful shots on net for goals and I loved the way we competed tonight. It was a bummer the game got called because both teams wanted to play but it was the right call.”

Marie Nottleson made two saves to pick up the shutout for Mahar, while Haley Wrigley and Taylor Cleveland combined for nine saves for Athol (4-4, 2-3).

“Marie made a great save as well coming off her end line which we have been stressing,” Softic said of his goalie.

Both teams host independent games Friday, as Mahar welcomes Smith Voke and Athol entertains Greenfield.

Four Rivers 2, Putney 1 — Behind a dramatic goal in the final minute of regulation from Alexis Dimitriou, the Four Rivers Charter School girls soccer team remained undefeated Wednesday afternoon with a 2-1 victory over Putney School in a River Valley Athletic League contest.

The Otters improved to a perfect 3-0 on the season, defeating another opponent it had never beaten before until Wednesday.

Putney led 1-0 at halftime before Dimitriou scored her first of the afternoon nine minuets into the second half. Chelsea Parczyk notched the assist, tying the game.

It stayed that way until the final minute, when Dimitriou found the back of the net and sent Four Rivers home happy.

“Putney outplayed us in the first half but we came alive and dominated in the second half,” Four Rivers coach Amanda McNamara said.

Goalkeeper Paige Fuller recorded five saves for the Otters.

Boys soccer

Belchertown 8, Mahar 0 — An offensive outburst, led by two goals from Zach Lajeunesse, helped perennial powerhouse Belchertown cruise to an 8-0 victory over Mahar in an independent boys soccer contest Wednesday afternoon in Belchertown.

The Orioles (6-2) led 3-0 at halftime.

Evan Fournier, Korey Houle, Jacob Torna, Joseph Bianco, Ben Laughner and Evans Payen all tallied in the victory.

Mahar, which fell to 5-3 on the season with the defeat, returns to action with a Saturday night game against rival Athol at 7 p.m. in Orange.

Sci-Tech 3, Greenfield 0 — Host Sci-Tech broke a scoreless game open with three second-half tallies, earning a 3-0 victory over Greenfield in a McGrath Division boys soccer game Wednesday in Springfield.

Alex Carballo recorded 6 saves in net for Greenfield (1-5, 1-4), which was looking to win its second in a row after picking up a victory Monday against Smith Academy.

Guillermo Diaz, Jorby Sandoval and Shemar Gabbidon scored for the Cybercats, which improved to 3-0 overall, 2-0 in the McGrath.

The Green Wave have an independent game Friday when they travel to play Westfield Tech.

Athol 2, Renaissance 0 — It wasn’t pretty, but host Athol made enough plays to get the job done Wednesday night. The Red Raiders held visiting Renaissance to just four shots en route to a 2-0 victory in a Schmid Division boys soccer game at O’Brien Field in Athol.

Bryce King got the scoring started for Athol (6-2, 4-2) in the 11th minute, tallying with an assist from Angel Rivera.

The lead doubled later in the first half, when King’s shot off a corner kick wound up being knocked into the Renaissance net by a defender. The own goal accounted for the 2-0 final.

Casey Mason made 4 saves in the Athol goal to record the shutout.

Four Rivers 4, Charlemont 3 — Edwin Anderson scored two goals, including the eventual game-winner, to help Four Rivers improve to a perfect 3-0 with a 4-3 victory over the Academy at Charlemont Wednesday afternoon.

Evan Leaf and Sully Schnoor also tallied in the win for the Otters. Schnoor headed in a beautiful goal off a corner kick to get Four Rivers on the board in this one.

GIRLS SOCCER

Mahar 3, Athol 0

Goals: (M) Parker 2, Burke.

Assists: (M) Tenney, Parker, Vautour.

Shots: Athol 5. Mahar 18.

Saves: (A) Wrigley 7, Cleveland 2. (M) Nottleson 2.

BOYS SOCCER

Athol 2, Renaissance 0

Goals: (A) King, Own goal.

Assists: (A) Rivera.

Shots: Renaissance 4. Athol 15.

Saves: (R) Neismith 10. (A) Mason 4.

Sci-Tech 3, Greenfield 0

Goals: (ST) Diaz, Sandoval, Gabbidon.

Assists: (ST) Gabbidon.

Shots: Greenfield 3. Sci-Tech 9.

Saves: (G) Carballo 6. (ST) Gamacho 3.

Belchertown 8, Mahar 0

Goals: (B) Lajeunesse 2, Fournier, Houle, Torna, Bianco, Laughner, Payen.

Assists: (B) Fournier 2, Torna, Caron, Picardi.