North Reading ties Andover (Oct. 28)
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
NORTH READING — It was a tale of two halves for the North Reading High boys’ soccer team on Tuesday afternoon as they hosted Newburyport.
The Hornets stormed out to a 3-0 halftime lead to take command, however, the defending Division 3 state champs turned the tables and scored twice before the Hornets were able to stop the bleeding and hold on for the 3-2 win.
“We took the foot off the gas,” admitted Hornets head coach Mark Bisognano. “They came out charging in that second half.”
Max Gulino scored the first goal 14 minutes in assisted by Finn Rodger. Eight minutes later, Rodger made it 2-0 scoring unassisted.
The final Hornet goal came in the 26th minute as freshman Asher Schulz found the back of the Clipper net assisted by Matt Fleury.
Newburyport scored their first goal four minutes into the second half and their second one with 21 minutes remaining to make things interesting.
“We didn’t give them too many chances once they scored that second goal,” pointed out Bisognano.
Hornet goalkeeper, Davi Leao, made three saves to go to 9-2-2 in net.
North Reading went 1-0-1 against the Clippers this fall as the first game ended in a 1-1 draw on Sept. 26.
The Hornets improved to 11-3-2 overall and 11-2-2 in the Cape Ann League with the victory.
Last Friday afternoon, the Hornets lost to mighty Hamilton-Wenham, 2-0, on the road. This game was going to be played the next day but was moved back due to the wet forecast since the Generals play on a grass surface.
The Generals, who improved to 11-1-1, scored twice in the game’s first 13 minutes. They are in first place in the CAL Baker Division.
“They have a very good team that should do well in the (Division 4) tournament,” said Bisognano. “Our slow start in the game’s first 15 minutes hurt us.”
Leao made six saves in that defeat.
It was the third time this year the Hornets have been shutout.
On Oct. 18, North Reading beat Georgetown, 6-2, at home in the team’s lone meeting of the season.
The six goals matches a season-high for the team as they blanked Essex Tech, 6-0, back on Sept. 5 in the season opener.
Gulino and Schulz both scored twice while Fleury had one goal and one assist.
Gavin Wesley also had a big night with one goal and two assists.
Those were Schultz’s first career goals and one of them was assisted by senior Brendan McBain.
The Royals actually scored first but the locals scored the next three to go up 3-1 at the break. They were then up 4-1 when Georgetown scored their second goal.
Leao made four saves in that game.
“We played pretty solid,” said Bisognano.
It was also the Hornets’ Senior Night as the six seniors were honored before the game.
On Oct. 26, the Hornets visit Triton at 4:30 p.m in their final Cape Ann League game of the year. North Reading won the first meeting 4-1 at home on Oct. 5.
On Oct. 28, they visit Andover at 11 a.m. in the regular-season finale.
North Reading, who is in second place in the CAL Kinney Division, entered this week seeded 21st by the MIAA in Division 3. The top 32 teams at the end of the regular season automatically qualify for the state tournament.