THE FIRST Lynnfield High boys’ soccer state champion team officially concluded their historic season with their annual awards banquet on Nov. 29. (File Photo)
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
LYNNFIELD — The Division 4 state champion Lynnfield High boys’ soccer team had its end-of-season awards banquet on Nov. 29 at the Lynnfield Middle School. Five awards were handed out by head coach Brent Munroe.
The Most Dedicated Award went to senior defenseman Nate Clancy.
The Best First-Year Award was given to junior exchange student Alessandro Raimondi.
Senior Dylan Damiani took home the Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award while senior Brendan Sokop received the Team Player Award.
The final award went to senior midfielder Dhimitri Dono who got the Big Game Award. Dono was a Cape Ann League First-Team All-Star and he also made the eastern Mass. All-Stars as well.
Munroe also gave out two game balls for the postseason. He gave out the Offensive Game Changer Award to junior forward Dillon Reilly and the Defensive Game Changer Award to junior goalie Kelan Cardinal.
Reilly made the CAL First-Team All-Stars for the second year in a row. The junior striker was also named the CAL Kinney Division MVP as he had 27 goals and 14 assists.
Cardinal made the CAL Second-Team All-Stars this fall going 19-2-2 overall as his goals-against average was 0.32.
“It was a great night,” stated Munroe, who just finished his 23rd year at the helm.
Lynnfield won its first-ever state title defeating Monomoy, 1-0, at Scituate High School on Nov. 18 as they finished 19-2-2 overall.
They were also the CAL Kinney Division champions going 13-1-1 in the league.
“I am very happy,” stated Munroe. “This is the best team in school history and will always be remembered as the first Lynnfield High team to win the state championship.”
Along with Raimondi, the team will also lose seniors Sokop, Dono, Clancy and Damiani.
“They were a terrific group,” stated Munroe. “Those were our core defensive players and that was the best defense we have ever had. They also got short-changed their freshman year because of the shortened (Covid) season.”
Lynnfield’s defense only allowed nine goals in 23 games.
Next year, the Pioneers will try to defend their state title as they are expecting 11 veterans back.
“We have our goalie, two great defenders and our top scorer coming back,” said Munroe.
Along with Reilly and Cardinal, two other CAL All-Stars will also be back. Junior Chris Calnan was a CAL First-Team All-Star playing center-defender while junior outside defender Charlie Morgan was a CAL Second-Team All-Star.