high school soccer

Local teams eager to kick off season

August 21, 2023 by pkzadmin

FITCHBURG — It didn’t take long for the Fitchburg High Field hockey team to break a sweat Monday.

Under slightly hazy skies and with a scenic view of Wachusett Mountain not far off in the distance from their practice field, the Red Raiders got to work in the first session of the fall at the Game On complex in Fitchburg with a bit of humidity.

Picturesque vantage aside, the Red Raiders weren’t alone in getting in the opening reps of the 2023-24 school year. Other than football programs, which kicked off workouts on Friday, the MIAA mandated Monday as the first day for practices and tryouts for the remaining fall sports.

Soccer, field hockey, cross country, golf and girls volleyball got their initial tastes of what lies ahead for the upcoming season and at Game On, spirits were high.

“They’ve been putting in a lot of work. We had some girls who put together some workouts all summer long at Fitchburg State, so they’ve been working on their conditioning and skills,” second-year Fitchburg head coach Kelly O’Connor said. “They’ve been working on team-building and all that stuff, so they’re ready to get going.”

Similar to most teams in North Central Massachusetts, the first practice of the fall season gave O’Connor a glimpse at some very basic things, like program size and her players’ level of conditioning on Day 1.

“We have a pretty number of girls signed up with some girls trickling in,” said O’Connor, whose team opens the season Sept. 6 at Lunenburg High School. “We lost seven seniors and a couple girls who were going to be seniors this year. We’ve got three seniors so far for the season, as well as some pretty solid juniors and sophomores. I think they’re ready to work hard and they’ll improve as we go.”

The Fitchburg High field hockey team practices at Game On Fitchburg on Monday. (Sentinel & Enterprise / Nick Mallard)

Game On also played host to Fitchburg High’s soccer teams and Monty Tech’s field hockey team for practices on Monday afternoon. The Red Raiders will use the facility for home games throughout the season, save for volleyball — which calls the Doug Grutchfield Field House home — and football, which will be played at Crocker Field.

Across the city on the grounds of St. Bernard’s, multiple fields were in use as the Bernardians saw soccer programs, the field hockey team and the football team all getting in practices. Inside the school’s Activity Center, the girls volleyball was getting in its initial workouts.

“The kids are excited. It’s been great to see multiple teams out here working,” Bernardians athletic director and football assistant Ray Cosenza said. “It’s been busy here today and that’s a good thing. We like to see our teams out here working.”

Most local teams will get a couple weeks of work in before starting their seasons during the week of Labor Day.

Blue Devils come up just short at home

October 5, 2022 by pkzadmin

LEOMINSTER – Despite a gritty effort by the Leominster High School girls soccer team, the Blue Devils came up a little short.

Senior captain Calista Vlahos netted the only goal of the game when she beat Leominster goalie Abigail Goodwin during the 67th minute as Shrewsbury notched a big road win Tuesday afternoon. The traveling Colonials spoiled Leominster’s annual Pink Game as they pulled out a narrow 1-0 triumph at Doyle Field.

The Colonials improve to 7-1-1 with the victory while the Blue Devils drop to 6-5 overall with the setback.

“We’ve been competing all season long so I told the girls after this one to keep their heads up, but we have to light that fire right from the beginning of the game, from the word go and not wait until the second half,” said Leominster head coach Katie Gingras. “When we play against the quality teams with really talented players who have been playing together for a while, it will hurt us when we come out flat.”

Goodwin was solid in the defeat as she made 15 saves on the 16 shots she faced. At the other end of the field, Shrewsbury goalie Grace Conti stopped all six shots she faced to preserve the shutout.

Scoreless through the first hour of action, fans had the feeling that the first team to score was going to come out of this one with a victory.

During the 27th minute of the second half and the 67th minute of the match Vlahos found the ball on her foot on the right wing in the attacking third of the field. Vlahos blasted a shot on goal from 20 yards out that beat Goodwin by the right post to give the guests a 1-0 lead.

Leominster had opportunities during the second half. Senior captains Kiley Cuddahy, Sarah Potter and junior Shannon Smith all had golden scoring chances during the final 40 minutes, but Conti refused to give in as she maintained the goose egg on the Doyle Field scoreboard.

“We had a couple of small adjustments from that first half. It wasn’t anything major,” said Gringas. “It was more about lighting that fire in them and stepping up our game and we did that.”

In the opening 40 minutes, neither team could cash in as the goalies and the defense in front of them were solid. Leominster senior captain Lindsey Arseneau, Ava Mazzaferro and Molly Arseneau were stellar on the back line in limiting the Shrewsbury chances.

“Abigail was solid in net for us today. She’s a glorified goalie for us. She played last year as a defender and we needed a goalie because we didn’t have a set keeper back there,” said Gingras. “She’s stepped up and done a wonderful job for us. She understands the game and she understands the fluid motion of what’s expected. Having her back there has been really helpful.”

Both teams are back in action on Thursday afternoon. Leominster travels to the Morgan Bowl to battle the host Hawks of Hudson High. Shrewsbury visits Lane Field where Wachusett Regional will be waiting.

McColl named girls soccer coach at North Middlesex

May 28, 2021 by pkzadmin

TOWNSEND — When previous North Middlesex Regional girls’ soccer coach Kristi Montolio stepped down from the position after two years, athletic director Cam Fisk knew exactly who he wanted to replace her.

Fisk announced last week that NM has hired former Fitchburg State University women’s soccer coach and Lunenburg resident Patti McColl as the new girls’ soccer coach on Route 119.

The job is essentially a promotion for McColl, who originally came to North Middlesex three years ago to take on the Patriots’ girls’ junior varsity position, after she left FSU following four years in 2018.

Fisk approached McColl after Montolio announced she planned on hanging up her whistle.

“We’re pretty excited to lock (McColl) in,” Fisk said. “She had been looking to stay involved in soccer after leaving Fitchburg State, and to think our sub varsity girls received a high quality of coaching the last few years.

“It’s Patti’s turn. There wasn’t a shadow of a doubt in my mind that I wanted her to succeed Kristi when the position opened up. She expressed interest and we had a few conversations to talk through the details. I’m excited for the program.”

McColl’s experience as a coach is impressive.

Prior to FSU, McColl was an assistant at Lunenburg under Mike Gutzler for a number of years, as well as coaching at Dover Sherborn and as an assistant at Curry College, where she was a two-time Division 3 All-American during her time with the Colonels, and was inducted into the Curry Hall of Fame in 1994.

She spent from 2014-18 as the Fitchburg State women’s soccer coach, winning 16 games.

“You speak to that experience as a coach, but as a player, as well — you’re talking about a two-time All-American and a Hall of Famer at Curry, and I make sure our kids are aware of that going in. She’s legit. Then you see the way her teams play, they play the right way and it’s fun to watch,” Fisk said.

He noted that he has yet to hire a junior varsity coach but will look to have at least that position filled by the start of the season in mid-August.

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