High schools: Reuben Galvez PK sends Franklin Tech to State Small School Voke soccer finals

Reuben Galvez scored on a penalty kick with 10 minutes to play and Franklin County Technical School edged Old Colony Regional High School, 2-1, in the semifinals of the State Small School Vocational Boys Soccer Tournament Tuesday afternoon in Turners Falls.

The victory sends the second-seeded Eagles (17-2-0) to today’s championship game against top-seeded Westfield Tech at Roots Field in Westfield at 3:30. Westfield Tech beat Franklin Tech, 6-3, in the season-opening game of the season.

The Eagles opened the scoring in the third minute when Ryan Campbell finished off a pass from Jovanni Ruggiano, but Old Colony tied the game one minute before halftime as Joshua Vinagre scored from Max Smith.

The score remained that way until Ruggiano was pushed in the box late in the second half, which earned the hosts a penalty kick and Galvez buried the shot past Old Colony goalie Nathan Texeira

“This game could have gone either way,” Franklin Tech coach Kurt Richardson said. “Our kids played hard. I think they realize that they belong to be playing here.”

Old Colony outshot the Eagles, 11-7, but Franklin Tech goalie Grayson Funk stopped nine shots to backstop the victory.

Four Rivers 4, Dublin 0 — Sully Schnoor scored once in each half on Tuesday and Four Rivers punched its ticket to the River Valley Athletic League semifinals with a quarterfinal win in Greenfield.

Schnoor headed home a cross from Evan Leaf in the first half for a 1-0 lead, and Leaf then sent another cross into the box later in the frame that Muris Lonergan headed home for a 2-0 lead at the break. Toby Sol and Schnoor each scored in the second half to put the game away.

Four Rivers will host the Putney School Thursday at 3:45 in the semifinals.

Girls soccer

Athol 1, Mahar 0 — All that stood in the way of Athol and the postseason was a Mahar team that was playing for the Pioneer North title on Tuesday afternoon.

Still, the Red Raiders rose to the challenge.

Ally Raymond scored eight minutes into the game and the Red Raiders played solid defense from there to get into the WMass Division 3 field with a victory over the Senators in Athol. The Red Raiders (9-9-0) needed to win in order to hit the .500 mark for the season and get into the playoffs.

“We played a great game and it got us to tournament,” Athol coach Tim Cleveland said. “They responded to the challenge and now get to play in the tournament.”

Shelby Mailloux set up Raymond for the game’s lone goal and Athol turned to its defense, which included man-marking Mahar sniper Delaney Parker with Athol defender Grace Dufour, and packing in the rest of the unit to prevent the Senators from finding the back of the net. Scoring first was the key.

“That was the plan and the girls knew it,” Cleveland explained. “We knew that if we knock in that first goal, it changes everything.”

Mahar outshot Athol, 14-4, but Haley Wrigley made 12 saves to post the shutout.

“Haley was amazing,” Cleveland said. “She made some really big saves today, and as a second-year goalie, she has done a great job.”

Marie Nottleson stopped three shots for the Senators (14-4-0), who finished second in the Pioneer North.

Pioneer 3, Smith Academy 0 — Pioneer left nothing to chance in the second half of Tuesday’s home game against Smith Academy.

The Panthers needed a victory in their season finale and after taking a 1-0 lead at halftime the Panthers buried a pair of second-half goals to cruise into the postseason with a win over the Falcons.

“We had an excellent second half,” Pioneer coach Nikki Pullen said. “The girls started to feed off each other’s intensity and we started making smarter passes. Once we were able to read their defense and see the space, we were able to take some good shots.”

Tayla Sadlowski scored an unassisted goal in the 32nd minute for the one-goal lead at the break before Pioneer scored twice in a three-minute span in the second half to put the game away. Steph Scoville scored from Paige Loughman in the 65th minute for an insurance goal, and Loughman scored from Sadlowski three minutes later to seal the win. Leah Feuss made three saves to earn the shutout.

Smith Voke 2, Greenfield 1 — Ella Sherman scored with 11 minutes to play and Smith Voke defeated Greenfield in the regular-season finale for both tournament-bound teams Tuesday in Greenfield.

Greenfield (7-7-1) was already in the postseason field entering the day and was able to play the entire team. The Wave does have just one senior this season, but emptied the bench.

Smith Voke scored 90 seconds into the game when Sherman set up Marissa Meyhew, but the Wave responded 10 seconds later on an unassisted goal by Eva Pruitt-Dahl.

Sydney Cyr made 15 saves to earn the victory. Dina Samake stopped 11 shots in the Wave net.

BOYS SOCCER

FC Tech 2, Old Colony 1

Goals: (OC) Vinagre. (FT) Campbell, Galvez.

Assists: (OC) Smith. (FT) Ruggiano.

Shots: Old Colony 11. FC Tech 7.

Saves: (OC) Texeira 4. (FT) Funk 9.

GIRLS SOCCER

Athol 1, Mahar 0

Goals: (A) Raymond.

Assists: (A) Mailloux.

Shots: Mahar 14. Athol 4.

Saves: (M) Nottleson. 3. (A) Wrigley 12.

Smith Voke 2, Greenfield 1

Goals: (SV) Meyhew, Sherman. (G) Pruitt-Dahl.

Assists: (SV) Sherman, Weinstein.

Shots: Smith Voke 13. Greenfield 16.

Saves: (SV) Sydney Cyr 15. (G) Samake 11.

Pioneer 3, Smith Academy 0

Goals: (P) Sadlowski, Scoville, Loughman.

Assists: (P) Loughman, Sadlowski.

Shots: Smith Academy 4. Pioneer 18.

Saves: (SA) Bell 7. (P) Fuess 3.