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State crowns are up for grabs: Boys soccer top 10

eric mchugh, the patriot ledger
·8 min read

The South Shore took home one boys soccer state crown a year ago as Oliver Ames stormed to the Division 2 championship. Now it's time to see if the area can equal or better that achievement this fall.

The MIAA on Wednesday released the five divisional playoff brackets, and local teams seem well-situated for deep postseason runs.

More: MIAA releases Divisions 1-5 high school boys soccer state tournament fields

More: Breaking down the brackets: MIAA announces high school girls soccer playoff field

Before the action kicks off, though, we'll take one more tour through the area for our third (and final) regular-season edition of The Patriot Ledger/Enterprise Boys Soccer Top 10 ranking. There hasn't been a lot of movement from our second ranking, on Oct. 12, with nine teams returning to the list. Plymouth North is the lone newcomer.

Final regular-season records and previous ranking are in parentheses:

1. Hingham (17-1, 1)

Could be a heck of a swansong for retiring coach Ken Carlin, whose team easily holds onto its No. 1 spot in these rankings. This is Hingham's second-best regular-season mark in Carlin's 25 years. The Harbormen have outscored opponents 60-11, have not drawn a single yellow card, clinched their 11th Patriot League Keenan Division crown under Carlin's watch and long ago wrapped up a 25th straight playoff berth. Goalkeeper Jacob Riker has a 0.61 goals-against average with 10 clean sheets and has saved two penalties. Midfielder Alessandro Neyra leads the way with 14 goals and 7 assists, and Mason Lemieux (9 goals, 12 assists) is the other half of a dangerous 1-2 punch. MIAA playoffs: No. 3 seed in Div. 2

More: In coach's last season, Hingham High boys soccer team in midst of special season

Norwell's Ben Garland and East Bridgewater's Zachary Higgins battle for the ball during a Round of 32 game in the Division 3 state tournament at the Norwell Clipper Community Complex on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022. Norwell would go on to win, 3-0.
Norwell's Ben Garland and East Bridgewater's Zachary Higgins battle for the ball during a Round of 32 game in the Division 3 state tournament at the Norwell Clipper Community Complex on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022. Norwell would go on to win, 3-0.

2. Norwell (15-2-2, 3)

Last Friday's 3-0 loss to Wayland snapped the Clippers' 15-game unbeaten streak (14-0-1). Norwell claimed another South Shore League crown and has allowed just 7 goals all season. The Clippers are motivated by last year's second-round exit, although it came at the hands of eventual Div. 3 state champ Newburyport. Ronan Blake and Will Morse have combined for 15 goals, and coach Michael O'Dea calls senior midfielder/captain Zach Bello "the heart of the engine room." Sophomore midfielder Ben Garland also has been vital, along with backs Alex Bello and Josh Kue and goalkeeper Nolan McKenna. MIAA playoffs: No. 3 seed in Div. 3

Pembroke keeper Jack Eva makes a save off a Hingham corner kick to Harborman Matthew Cummings in Pembroke on Oct. 10, 2023.
Pembroke keeper Jack Eva makes a save off a Hingham corner kick to Harborman Matthew Cummings in Pembroke on Oct. 10, 2023.

3. Pembroke (14-2-1, 2)

A 2-0 loss to Hingham on Oct. 10 snapped the Titans' 40-game regular-season unbeaten streak dating back to 2021. Pembroke lost again over the weekend, 2-1 to Nauset, but coach Adam Scott's guys will gladly trade some regular-season smudges for that elusive Div. 3 state crown. The Titans were hit hard by graduation, but Wil McManus (14 goals, 6 assists), Quinn Reilly (7 goals, 11 assists) and Matt McAuliffe (8 goas, 4 assists) have kept the offense humming, and goalkeeper Jack Eva boasts a 0.68 GAA. The best news − junior midfielder Shane Crowley (fractured foot) is back in the lineup, and senior back Thomas Halloran (same injury) could rejoin the team if it can make a deep playoff run. MIAA playoffs: No. 4 seed in Div. 3

Weymouth goalkeeper Bo Carley leaps to grab a BC High shot during boys soccer Division 1 playoffs at Weymouth High School, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022.
Weymouth goalkeeper Bo Carley leaps to grab a BC High shot during boys soccer Division 1 playoffs at Weymouth High School, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022.

4. Weymouth (12-3-4, 5)

Of course, the Wildcats are good ... again. This will be the program's 34th consecutive postseason appearance, the second half of that run coming on the watch of current coach Bill McEachern. Weymouth made a spirited run to the Div. 1 state semifinals last fall, losing to Needham, 2-0. The Wildcats were sharp down the stretch of the regular season, going 7-1-1 over their last nine games while allowing just a pair of goals. Senior goalkeeper Bo Carley has 10 shutouts and a 0.63 GAA. The offense is led by last year's playoff hero Bruno DeSouza (12 goals, 11 assists), backed up by Cam Walty (8 goals, 7 assists) and Mason Fasoli (4 goals, 8 assists). MIAA playoffs: No. 5 seed in Div. 1

5. Oliver Ames (14-3-1, 6)

Coach John Barata is 15-for-15 in making the tournament at OA, and he recently celebrated his 200th career win this season. He's up to 203 now and if he can push that number to 208 this fall the Tigers will have a second straight Div. 2 state championship. OA comes in hot − winners of 11 straight before losing their regular-season finale to Concord-Carlisle, 1-0 − and the Tigers were Hockomock League champs for the fifth straight season. Ryan Linhares leads the team with 27 points and Joey Carney has 20. "We are looking to keep up our team defending philosophy and continue to bring creativity to our attack," Barata said. "We are looking to peak at the right time." MIAA playoffs: No. 6 seed in Div. 2

More: Oliver Ames High boys soccer team clinging on to every bit of championship DNA from 2022

Cohasset's Nathan Askjaer looks to get around Abington's Damien Monteiro at Cohasset Middle High School on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023. Cohasset would go on to win, 3-0.
Cohasset's Nathan Askjaer looks to get around Abington's Damien Monteiro at Cohasset Middle High School on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023. Cohasset would go on to win, 3-0.

6. Cohasset (13-3-2, 7)

The Skippers made it to the Round of 8 last season in Div. 4 but lost by a goal to eventual champ South Hadley. They were a No. 9 seed back then; they're No. 1 now after a sterling regular season in which their lone losses came against Div. 3 power Norwell, Excel Academy Charter (the No. 6 seed in Div. 4) and Div. 1 Weymouth (in a finale in which they were shorthanded due to injury). Coach Jim Willis says, "We're on track to get everyone back by the time the tourney starts." Junior forwards Nathan Askjaer (29 goals, 13 assists) and Cian Casey (14 goals, 4 assists) and senior Zach Smith (10 goals, 6 assists) have been super productive, and goalkeeper Wylie Gardiner has a 0.82 GAA. MIAA playoffs: No. 1 seed in Div. 4

7. Brockton (11-3-2, 8)

The Boxers finished the regular season in fine shape, winning their last five games, including a 3-1 victory at Braintree that avenged a 4-1 loss to the Wamps just a week earlier. Edgar Andrade leads the offense with 16 goals, and Wolf Victor is a standout on the back line that heads into the tournament off back-to-back shutouts of New Bedford and Xaverian. Brockton is seeded 12th in the Div. 1 playoff field and will host No. 21 Somerville (15-2-1) in the first round. A win there could set up an intriguing Round-of-16 matchup against No. 5 Weymouth. The Boxers pulled off one upset last year, ousting No. 11 Newton North as a No. 22 seed. MIAA playoffs: No. 12 seed in Div. 1

BC High goalkeeper Jake McConville leaps to make a save as Weymouth's Alex Pineiro, right, moves in during boys soccer Division 1 playoffs at Weymouth High School, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022.
BC High goalkeeper Jake McConville leaps to make a save as Weymouth's Alex Pineiro, right, moves in during boys soccer Division 1 playoffs at Weymouth High School, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022.

8. BC High (10-5-3, 9)

Despite a midseason wobble in which they went 2-4-1, the Eagles finished the regular season on a five-game unbeaten streak (4-0-1). They should be well-prepared for the tournament, having gone 2-2-1 against teams in the top half of the Div. 1 field − they split with No. 4 St. John's Prep, beat No. 5 Weymouth, tied No. 12 Brockton and lost to No. 16 Leominster. One of their other losses came against Hingham, the No. 1 team on this list and the No. 3 seed in Div. 2. Goalkeeper Jake McConville has been strong, and the offense runs through sophomore midfielder Killian Doherty and junior forward Jack Gibbons. MIAA playoffs: No. 15 seed in Div. 1

9. Plymouth North (12-2-4, NR)

The Blue Eagles join our Top 10 thanks to a sizzling finishing kick in which they went 9-0-3 following a 3-2 loss to Pembroke (No. 3 on this list) on Sept. 28. Their only other loss came to Hingham (our No. 1) just five days earlier, and North came back to hand Hingham its only loss on Oct. 16. The Eagles made it to the Div. 2 semifinals last season, losing to eventual champ Oliver Ames, and could have another deep run in them this time, although they've bumped up to Div. 1. Senior Josh Murray (8 goals, 7 assists) leads the attack, and goalkeeper DC Brown has a 0.88 GAA, thanks to fine work from his back line. MIAA playoffs: No. 34 seed in Div. 1

Braintree's Calum McClorey is held by Bridgewater-Raynham's Tyler Moreira during a game at Braintree High on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022.
Braintree's Calum McClorey is held by Bridgewater-Raynham's Tyler Moreira during a game at Braintree High on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022.

10. Braintree (9-5-4, 4)

The Wamps scuffled down the stretch, going 0-2-2 over their final four games, although the results were all against playoff teams − draws against Weymouth (12-3-4, No. 5 seed in Div. 1) and Milton (3-11-4, No. 22 seed in Div. 2) and losses to Needham (14-2-2, No. 2 seed in Div. 1) and Brookline (11-6-1, No. 6 seed in Div. 1). Due to a slew of postponements early in the season, Braintree wound up playing 12 games over 26 days in the back half of the schedule, so getting some time to breathe before the tournament should help. The Wamps missed the playoffs by the narrowest of margins last season, so this year's berth was a welcome development. MIAA playoffs: No. 18 seed in Div. 1

On the bench: Hanover (9-5-4), Rockland (11-6-1), East Bridgewater (11-5-4), Archbishop Williams (11-4-4), Duxbury (7-5-5), Marshfield (8-7-3), Abington (10-6-2), Southeastern (11-3-2), Plymouth South (8-8-2), Scituate (7-7-4)

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: South Shore high school boys soccer top 10 rankings