Players were unbothered by the dramatic weather during both games. Martha’s Vineyard and Stoneham beat CAU at MTOC. CAU ends season ECYSA MTOC 1 Champions. Great run! Thank you Jim and Pat for coaching this season so CAU could compete.
Thank you Jim Sperry, FYS, and GHS for years and years of dedication and support so these teams can play and build years of memorable experiences on and off the field!
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courtesy photo – FYS Girls 2022 G6 county champions.
Pingree hosted the regional tournament. Exciting recap from FYS.
“The team had an incredible undefeated season all the way through the playoffs. The regular season had the team leading their division with a record of 7-0-1.
The record is impressive, but two things about the record only show up when looking into that stats:
– 5 of the 8 games were decided by 2 or less goals. So, nearly all games were very tight and hard played.
– Only 4 goals were scored against the team over the regular season. Excellent defense and goal tending by this team, highlights not found when looking at just the record.
For the playoffs, this team received a first round BYE.
The Semi-Final game occurred on a hot Friday evening. The team looked like it was cruising into the final game with a 2-0 lead with 10 minutes remaining when the unthinkable happened. The team allowed 2 goals to score with minutes left in the game. Regular time ended at 2-2, and the heat was really cranking on this team now. This team has gone into OT in the past during their winter season, so they knew what to do. The team scored the game winning goal with just minutes left in OT, avoiding the dreaded Penalty Kick tie-breaker.
The Final game was early Sunday morning, on father’s day. The girls were ecstatic and ready to go at game time which is good because the other team came out strong. The opponents appeared bigger and stronger than our young team, but our defense being our strength all season was up to the challenge. The game was tied 0-0 at half. After a brief halftime, the team was more determined than ever and came out aggressive and started to dominate play. The team just could not find the back of the net.
Until.
Until about 5 minutes remaining when they finally broke the draw and went ahead 1-0.
ECYSA CHAMPIONS!!
Congrats to the FYS Hurricanes team on an impressive season!”
Yahir Collado is a high school student who resides and works in Gloucester, Massachusetts. He is currently working on filming basketball and hockey for the year, and writing articles on sports.
Dazzling sports compilations
His rare compilations can be found here, Instagram YahirMedia. Be patient! Compilations require seasoning, as in coverage of sports teams’ season, photography, writing, filmmaking, curating and editing. The whole package.
excerpt from review of “Colin in Black and White” directed by Ava DuVernay:
“…The drama then transitions to Kaepernick talking about his idol, Allen Iverson. At a young age Kaepernick wanted to have cornrows like Iverson but after many people compared him to a “thug,” and called him “unprofessional,” he deferred. In the show, Kaepernick expressed that cornrows represented the culture in his blood and that it was unfair how he was profiled.
An extensive part of the drama depicts Kaepernick’s choice between football and baseball. Kaepernick was talented and gifted in many sports but his best sport could have arguably been…”
Shout out and thanks to Danny Williamson who is such a positive boost for the sports teams whether on the New Balance Field at Newell Stadium or inside the GHS fieldhouse!
He’s always hustling. One of the new protocol tasks for the 2020 Covid-19 season is sanitizing the soccer balls.
Players mention how the New Balance Newell Stadium is the best field in the league.
The next game is today, Wednesday November 18, 2020: Boys varsity soccer 4PM vs Swampscott ⚽ and JV 6pm. The final game for boys soccer 2020 is on Friday.
The team is half way through its 2019 season. Pump up the volume! For Joey and other spectators: mark your calendars with 4 more chances to see season home games.
Gloucester Daily Times sports writer, Nick Curcuru, describes the boys varsity soccer team as one not to miss: “Gloucester is not only good, it is one of the most exciting teams in the conference as it can light up the scoreboard and put up goals in bunches against any defense.” excerpt from The Contenders article. His report on the Malden game, Resilient Fishermen, is a great read about that exciting game.
Cape Ann’s Head Coach, Kyle Hurd (GHS 2011): “Composure, bringing a sense of urgency and being able to play with controlled aggression were key for us. Being able to keep your head and your wits about you to open up space, and not just to sprint forward, was key. There’s a lot of preparation, some yelling and some headaches. We struggled in the middle of the season, but after that we turned it around immediately and hit the ground running.”
and from Essex County Youth Soccer Assoc (ECYSA):
Dear Players, Families and Friends of ECYSA,
We began the season in April with 502 teams across five age groups and four divisions. We battled a tough weather season but we managed to get most of the games played and as a result of all of the work of each of our 32 organizations and hundreds of coaches and volunteers we provided an excellent soccer experience to over 8000 players.
This last weekend we closed out our 2019 Spring season with the MA Tournament of Champions(MTOC). ECYSA had 14 divisional champions and 5 wild cards representing our league at MTOC. Eleven of those teams advanced out of pool play and into the semi-finals. Five teams advanced to the final and one team won a State Championship. (G10 B MTOC 2 – Cape Ann United Longshoremen) ECYSA also had a team recognized with the Sportsmanship Award (G8 G MTOC 2 – Woburn Warriors). It was a great weekend and ECYSA was represented well.
Below I have listed all of the 2019 ECYSA Champions and wildcard winners. Congratulations to all!
On behalf of the entire ECYSA Board, thanks for a great season. Looking forward to seeing everyone back on the fields in the fall.
Dean Sidell
ECYSA President
2019 Essex County Youth Soccer Champions
North Reading Scorpions – G6 B MTOC 1 (MTOC semi-finalist)
Rockport Loose Cannons – G6 B MTOC 2 (MTOC semi-finalist)
Revere Eagles – G6 B County 1
Lawrence Rebels – G6 B County 2
Revere Nacional – G8 B MTOC 1 (MTOC Finalist)
Lynn Tornados – G8 B MTOC 2 (MTOC Semi-Finalist)
Woburn Aztecs – G8 B County 1
Triton Arsenal – G8 B County 2
North Andover Knighthawks – G10 B MTOC1 (MTOC semi-finalist)
North Andover Redstorm – G10 B MTOC 2 -Wildcard (MTOC Finalist)
Cape Ann United Longshoremen -G10 B MTOC 2 (MTOC State Champion)
Marblehead Flotilla – G10 B County 1
Woburn Sporting CP – G12 B – MTOC 1 – Wildcard
North Andover United FC – G12 B MTOC 1 (MTOC Finalist)
Cape Ann United Lumpers – G12 B County 1
Lynnfield Breakers – G6 G MTOC 1
Saugus Liberty – G6 G MTOC 2 (MTOC Finalist)
Ipswich Pride – G6 G County 1
Hamilton Wenham Surge – G6 G County 2
Andover Defenders – G8 G MTOC 1 (MTOC Finalist)
Woburn Warriors – G8 G MTOC 1 – Wildcard (MTOC semi-finalist and Sportsmanship winner)
Marblehead Thunder G8 G MTOC 2
Danvers Sky Blue – G8 G County 1
Cape Ann Unite Fathoms – G8 G County 2
North Andover Strikers – G10 G MTOC 1
North Andover Banshees FC – G10 G MTOC 2
Peabody Lady Tanners – G10 G MTOC 2 – Wildcard
Pentuckett Lady Sachems – G12 G MTOC 1
Haverhill Lady Hillies – G12 MTOC 1 – Wildcard
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Gloucester Fishermen Youth Soccer team, the Tridents, won the championship in the Essex County Youth Soccer Association’s Championship Tournament in MTOC 1. They are the top boys’ division for grades 5 and 6. “Next up for the Tridents: representing Essex County in the statewide Tournament of Champions this Saturday.”
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So the 64 geese move out of the way, the bathrooms will be opened, and Gloucester’s O’Maley middle school sports fields are a beautiful backdrop for spectators. Come see the games!
JV 2 home games
Tuesday September 19, 4PM, vs Malden
Monday October 2, 4PM, vs Danvers
Thursday October 5, 4PM, vs Beverly
Friday October 13, 4:30PM vs Medford
Monday October 16, 4:00PM vs Everett
Tuesday October 24, 4:00PM vs Somerville
Friday October 27, 4PM vs Marblehead
Wednesday November 1, 4PM vs Peabody
Thursday November 2, 4PM vs Revere
All the fields are in steady use. Gloucester Public School GHS practices and games for many sports utilize the fields year round, boys and girls. Flag Football (not GPS-GHS run) use the fields on the weekends. Community members walk and run to stay in shape. I wish it was used for recess and gym. Thank you to volunteers and donors who added amenities and care with the city for super green spaces city wide. Some of the good eggs that helped O’Maley are mentioned on the contributors sign of the Sandy Tucker Memorial Building, “Home of the Riverdale Rockets.”
The landscape design was well done when the school was built. Dramatic skies and expansive natural amphitheater are memorable bleachers.
Early vision proposal for Mill River area that became O’Maley is pretty accurate to the built out site (30 acre+ middle school site was estimated to cost $4,500,000 in 1971 which roughly equates to 28 million in 2017.) I’ll write more about the history of the O’Maley design and properties.
JV2 warming up
Before the game begins, geese are midfield, non-plussed at the action on the edge.
Ranked 7th overall going into the Division 4 North Tournament Manchester-Essex first took on Mystic Valley and fought to a 1-0 win this past Wednesday. The win moved them to Manning Bowl in Lynn where they had to face the number 1 seed in St. Mary’s on a cold (!) Sunday afternoon. This was Manchester Essex first trip to a championship game..ever. Leading for much of the game at 2-1 Manchester Essex saw St Mary’s score to tie the game late in the second half which is where the score stood at the end of regulation time. After two scoreless overtime periods the teams moved on to penalty kicks to decide the win. Manchester Essex took the win with a 5-4 penalty kick score and now moves on to the Division 4 State Finals! It was a great game with constant action at both ends of the field. On to the State Final!
Ready for the Start
Division 4 North Champions
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A somewhat crisp, early afternoon on a late summer day….
Children gather all over Evan’s Field in Rockport, families in tow, with a rainbow of colors representing the various teams that make up our little Rockport Youth Soccer League. Couldn’t be sweater, really.
The boys and I took Marlin, our German Shorthaired Pointer, to Finn’s early morning Kick Start Soccer Program and let him sniff the other dogs and then have a good romp around the field once the youngest players had scattered. We took a stroll down the dirt road and waved to the horses grazing in the field.
With just enough time to get home, regroup, and grab our bikes….we were off for Game #2. The boys are new to riding their bikes across town. I’m not going to lie, I slightly panic that Finn is going to swerve, fall off the curb accidentally, and get struck by a car. I’m trying to be less nervous…and they LOVE riding down South Street, through town, up Broadway, past the train tracks, and to the ball field. So, we do it.
Thatcher is a hockey player first and foremost, but he’s been loving soccer so far this season too. He has a fantastic coach and is a totally different player than he was just one year ago. I was just settling in after getting Finn a snack and watching him wander up the hill to pat a super cute puppy. I was enjoying a bit of a “my boys are pretty awesome….and things are getting easier as they’re growing up a bit” moment.
And then, Thatcher and another kid collided. Thatcher tripped, totally fine, but was on the ground fumbling with his cleat that had fallen off. The other child was also fine…and kindly took a second to turn around to check on Thatcher. As I was thinking, “That’s sweet….good job….way to check out the other player” my thoughts were quickly interrupted.
The grandmother of the other player shouted, “Don’t look back to see if he’s ok. Who cares.” I was flabbergasted. My first though was, “He’s fine, your kid isn’t that tough.” My second was, “Shame on you, lady.”
Seriously….shame on her.
I don’t really straddle the fence of Helicopter Parentville. I’m, as many people can attest, a pretty tough parent. I expect my boys to be polite, I don’t tolerate too much crappy behavior, and I offer up plenty of constructive criticism. I love them more than I ever knew humanly possible, but I don’t sugarcoat, and I expect them to be accountable and good kids.
While I wan’t compelled for even a second to run down and check on Thatcher….because A) he was fine and B) it is more my nature to let the coach assess the situation and summon me if necessary… I was still horrified by her “Who Cares” assertion. I mean, really. Who cares? Is that really what any of us want to teach our children. That is exactly the type of response I hope that my boys NEVER have as they continue to grow and live their lives. I hope that they always care.
As a parent, as a teacher, and as someone who hopes my kids are, above anything else kind, sympathetic, and compassionate to their friends, their classmates, their teammates, and even strangers, I was sad.
What did I do, you may ask. Not much. I’ve been regretting my lack of reaction all weekend. I simply looked over my shoulder, made eye contact with the mother of the child, and said, “Wow.”
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At Hyland Field in Manchester the Boys Varsity Soccer team took on the Georgetown Royals in their final game of the season. At the half the Hornets were up 1-0 but the Royals fought back in the second half with 2 goals and took the win with a final score of 2-1
42.577834 -70.767597
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The Hornets played the Lynnfield Pioneers to a 0-0 tie at Hyland Field in Manchester Monday October 14, 2013. Lots of chances with one incredible shot bouncing off the crossbar, the ground and a few other things but not getting in the net!
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