THE LHS BOYS’ SOCCER TEAM proudly displays the Division 4 state championship trophy after the second seeded Pioneers defeated ninth seed Monomoy 1-0 at Scituate High School on Nov. 18. (Dan Tomasello Photo)
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
SCITUATE — The Lynnfield High boys’ soccer team won its first-ever state championship last Saturday night as they edged Monomoy 1-0 at Scituate High School in the MIAA Division 4 state title game on a chilly, windy evening.
Dillon Reilly was the hero scoring the lone goal of the evening with 17:34 left in the second half. On the tally, Reilly took a pass from fellow junior Alessandro Raimondi and went up the right sideline. He then booted a 20-yard shot by Sharks’ goalie Paul Carlson to the right side of the net.
The goal came despite the wind being in the Pioneers’ face in the second stanza.
The Sharks, with the wind at their backs, threatened several times the rest of the night but were unable to tie the game.
When the final whistle went off, the Pioneers stormed the field and a wild celebration ensued.
“The defense was terrific,” stated Pioneers head coach Brent Munroe. “Kelan (Cardinal) came up big in net because they had the better chances overall.”
Cardinal, a junior, made eight saves to finish the year at 19-2-2.
With the victory, the 2nd-seeded Pioneers ended the year at 19-2-2 as they went unbeaten their final eight games of the season.
Meanwhile, the 9th-seeded Sharks ended the year at 16-4-3. Monomoy is located down in Cape Cod in the town of Harwich.
In the state semifinal game on Nov. 14 at Doyle Field in Leominster, the Pioneers beat Hampshire Regional 2-1.
Reilly, the team’s top scorer, netted both Lynnfield goals which both came in the opening half.
“He has just been terrific,” said Munroe, who scored seven of the team’s eight playoff goals. “He does a great job in finding the corners of the net.”
Reilly’s first goal came in the game’s third minute as he scored off an assist by sophomore Rocco Scenna who headed a pass to Reilly. Reilly’s shot then found the bottom left corner of the Raider net beating goalie Colin Holt (three saves).
Reilly’s second tally came in the 34th minute as he went bottom left again with his shot. The assist went to junior Joel Anthony who had a nice through pass.
The Raiders had a great opportunity to score with just under 10 minutes remaining in the game but a shot by Dan Martin, with nobody in his way, went over the crossbar as the Pioneers dodged a bullet.
Raider forward, Brendan Stevenson, scored off a scrum with less then a minute remaining but Lynnfield was able to hold on the rest of the way.
“They are the best team we have played so far, and that is including Masconomet,” said Munroe after that one. “We were fortunate to get that early lead.”
The Raiders put a lot of pressure on Cardinal who made 12 saves in the win as the Raiders out shot the Pioneers 13-4.
It was the first loss of the season for the 3rd-seeded Raiders who ended up at 18-1-3.
Hampshire Regional is located in the western Mass. town of Westhampton near the New York border.
