ATHOL — Before the Mahar Regional boys soccer team can focus on a possible McGrath League title, it had some local business to attend to on Monday night.
The Senators avenged an earlier loss in the season, defeating crosstown rival Athol High School, 2-0, in front of a sizable and vocal crowd at O’Brien Field under the lights.
Mahar (13-2-2) scored quickly in the independent match when a corner kick by Jonathan Mahony found the net off a deflection.
“It was nice to get a little comeback after the last game,” Mahony said.
A win over Sabis International on Wednesday will give the Senators a league championship.
“It’s very big, we have to win that game to win the league,” Mahony said. “It’s great to have this kind of a feeling going into that game. It would be nice to get one.”
Riley Drew missed the first game against the Red Raiders with a knee injury. The Senators certainly felt Drew’s presence throughout the game and especially late when a goal with 6 minutes, 57 seconds left in the match helped seal the win for the Senators.
“It was different personnel that changes things,” Mahar coach Dan Guertin said. “When you have your senior captain on the field. Playing without him your first time is kind of a big change. That first game we made a lot of uncharacteristic defensive mistakes.”
Drew used his speed to burst up the right side past the Athol defense before firing a shot to the far post that gave Mahar a 2-0 lead.
Mahony assisted on Drew’s goal. Getting the early lead helped Mahar settle in to the match.
“It takes a little pressure off,” Guertin said. “The first 15 or 20 minutes were pretty frantic. Our focus was not getting to hyped for Athol not focusing on our opponent just making sure we play our game defensively.”
The defense for the Senators, especially in the middle with Simon Powell and Andrew Herk, shored up the defense against the Red Raiders.
“It was really just talking with the outside backs,” Herk said. “Just making sure we have each others backs. We played really well this game as a team. We just need to keep the same energy throughout Sabis and the playoffs and we can make a good run.”
The Red Raiders (7-6-4) peppered Mahar keeper Logan Dodge with shots throughout match but could not find the net.
Bryce King, Dilan Fountain and Maysin Tarbell all had chances for the Red Raiders, who controlled most of the possession in the second half.
“It can be anybody’s day any time any place,” Athol coach Ruddy Paulino said. “Today was just not our day. We had opportunities just like they had opportunities so it could have gone either way. We just didn’t have the footing. Connection wise we were right there, we were moving the ball well.”
Fountain left the game with an injury in the second half fighting for possession of the ball with Powell on Mahar’s side of the field.
Dodge made 12 saves for Mahar in the shutout, while Casey Mason made five saves for the Red Raiders.
James Temple just missed getting on the score sheet in the second half for the Senators. The patient Temple lined up a shot around the 18-yard line that hit the post with around 23 minutes left with Mahar leading 1-0.
Athol travels to the Berkshires to play Wahconah on Wednesday to close out the regular season.
Mahar 2, Athol 0
|
Mahar |
1 |
1 |
— |
2 |
|
Athol |
0 |
0 |
— |
0 |
Goals: (M) Drew, Mahony.
Assists: (M) Mahony.
Saves: (M) Dodge 12. (A) Mason 5.
