Riding the big wins on Nantucket, the girls and boys Vineyard high school soccer teams are ready for postseason play, beginning Monday at home. The girls team plays at 3 p.m. and the boys teams follows at 5 p.m.
Both Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School soccer teams saw success Saturday on Nantucket, where they defeated their sister island rivals to win the Golden Anchor trophy.
The girls capped off the regular season with a league championship, thanks to their 5-0 win over Nantucket. They are now 13-4-1 overall. The boys team defeated Nantucket 4-2 in penalty kicks, after playing to a 2-2 tie in regulation. They finished the regular season with a record of 9-5-4.
Girls train this week ahead of playoffs.
Girls train this week ahead of playoffs.
“That’s awesome for our girls soccer program to finally be able to hang a banner,” girls coach Matt Malowski said last Saturday. “It is just remarkable. It’s a really special team.”
Now, both teams are turning their attention to the playoffs. The girls team plays Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical High School at 3 p.m. on Monday at home, and the boys team follows at 5 p.m. against Cardinal Spellman.
The girls team is seeded 24th, and their opponent is seeded 41st. The boys team picked up the 28th seed, and their opponent is seeded 37th.
In addition to practice, the boys team prepared by recently bleaching their hair to get ready for their playoff run.
A successful season wasn’t a foregone conclusion at the start of the year.
“During tryouts, [I remember] thinking, it’s going to be a long season,” senior Lucas Souza said with a laugh during practice this week. “We had a new coaching staff, and last year we didn’t have the best year.”
First year head coach Rodrigo Honorato said his main goal was to reignite a fire within his team.
Senior boys, from left to right: Grady Stalgren, Beckett Kochin, Chris Marcal, Yury De Moraes, Lucas Souza, Caleb Miller, Joao De Oliveira and Matheus Lacerda.
Senior boys, from left to right: Grady Stalgren, Beckett Kochin, Chris Marcal, Yury De Moraes, Lucas Souza, Caleb Miller, Joao De Oliveira and Matheus Lacerda.
“I think the biggest accomplishment was trying to [get them to] have that passion for the game,” he said. “Making them fall in love with the game, I think that’s the biggest thing.”
On the girls side, senior co-captain Elle Mone credits the season’s success with having a team that supports and challenges each other.
“The bar this year was super high,” she said. “Whether it was actual drills or running a mile, or whatever it was, everyone was giving 100 per cent and it was a challenge, like a competition between each other, not in a bad way but a healthy, good way.”
According to senior co-captain Reese Malowski, playing with the same girls since they were just starting out as mini-kickers contributed to their consistency.
“We have strong connections and chemistry already, so I think that really makes us successful,” she said. “We’re always showing up and putting in the effort, no matter what.”
Coach Malowski said almost 60 girls tried out at the start of the season, meaning they had to make cuts for the first time. He credits the current and previous classes for the high turnout and enthusiasm.
Girls Coach Matt Malowski.
Girls Coach Matt Malowski.
“They’ve really encapsulated what high school sports really should be all about, with a sense of pride and community,” Coach Malowski said. “And they have played every game that way, win or lose.”
Displaying their depth at Nantucket, the girls team’s scoring was led by junior Leah Thomson who netted a hat trick. Freshman Laney Light and junior Ava Townes each contributed a goal of their own to shut out the Whalers.
The boys team played a gritty, physical game last weekend. Senior co-captain Chris Marcal put the Vineyarders on the board first, with only two minutes into the game. The Vineyarders were later awarded a penalty kick, which senior co-captain Yury De Moraes converted successfully.
Goaltender senior Grady Stalgren made two key saves on the Whalers’ penalty kicks before junior Victor Daghetti sealed the win with his goal.
Boys Coach Rodrigo Honorato.
Boys Coach Rodrigo Honorato.
Coach Honorato calls his teaching style “old school,” emphasizing hard work and discipline to create success.
“I just want them to be here on time and want to be part of a good program, and who can make this a good program is them only,” he said. “I can teach them everything I know, but at the end of the day...you have to want to win. You have to want to be at practice.”
He once showed the team a picture that could be a rabbit or duck, emphasizing that everyone should be seeing the same thing if they want to be successful as a cohesive unit.
“If we’re all on the same page, we’re all committed to come to practice, to show up, to try our best, we’ll get far and we’ll achieve things that haven’t been achieved in a couple years,” he said. “Thank God they’ve been seeing a rabbit, not a duck.”
While the season is not officially over yet, Mone has already thought about what she will remember when she hangs up her high school cleats.
“I think this program is so special, especially on the Island and with these girls, I think it’s such a positive environment,” she said. “I can’t imagine being on a team where we didn’t uplift each other or want the best for each other.”
Editors note: the article was updated to include playoff seed and first game information.
Comments
Congrats to the Girls and
Frederick Rundlet TisburyCongrats to the Girls and Boys for a great year of soccer. We watched each of the Girls games over the past four years and watched in awe this year of how well each player and the team did in excellent play. Special kudos to their defense which resulted in low scores and keeping the ball for the offense to then score. Total team effort results in their championship play. We will miss the Seniors but look forward to their future success on and off the field.
Thanks coaches for their supporting each player and team. Well done……. Goallllll !
Good luck team, yay to all
Bruce Cumming KatamaGood luck team, yay to all your success.
It's been such a wonderful
Andrew sicyamore Norton EdgartownIt's been such a wonderful experience to watch these kids grow and enjoy all their success.
Why was a field thatched and
Cement Truck Driver V HavenWhy was a field thatched and plug aerated before a playoff game? Has anyone gone and looked at the playing conditions now, they are horrific. Was this something that was scheduled to happen by the landscaping company a long time ago? Why didn't McCarthy contact them and let them know a playoff game was scheduled for Monday on it and to hold off performing maintenance? Unbelievable.
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