Last year Jason Lages held the high school state scoring record for all soccer divisions across the state with 34 goals. This year he broke his own record by scoring 35 goals in the regular season, leading his team to the playoffs once again.
“We have to keep in mind what it felt like to lose last year,” Jason said, during practice this week. The team faces Seekonk at home in the first round on Friday. Start time is 2:30 p.m.
The team finished fifth in their division with a 12-3-2 record. Coaches Esteban Aranzabe and Ryan White encourage the team to take it one game at a time.
“It’s a good group of kids, a good team,” said Coach Aranzabe. It is also a young team. Last year there were 14 graduating seniors; this year there are just three. Because they are so young, the team was not facing a lot of pressure to make it to playoffs.
“We were kind of underdogs,” said Nevin Wallis, a junior.
The team has also been helped by guest coach and retired soccer star Stanley Startzell, who played in the North American Soccer League for the New York Cosmos and Boston Minutemen.
After the starting goal keeper sustained an injury, Julian Carter has been successful filling in on the season. To keep Julian sharp and prepared for a skidding ball, a goal keeper’s worst nightmare, Coach White and the team spent the day throwing soccer balls, mini soccer balls and tennis balls off a wet tarp in front of the goal for him to block.
“We would have lost games if he was not in the net,” Coach White said.
Across the grass from the soccer field, the girls' field hockey prepared for their postseason play which begins on Thursday when they take on Mashpee at home in the first round of the playoffs. The team’s record this season stands at 12-3-1; the girls have scored a total of 46 goals while giving up only nine.
“We go out and attack,” said coach Lisa Knight.
Practices are also relentless, with constant drills under the guidance of the same three coaches they’ve had since freshman year. Coach Knight said the consistency in coaches has instilled a level of confidence in the girls.
“They really feel a sense of camaraderie out there,” she said. “They understand and trust each others moves.”
The playoff game begins at 2:15 p.m. at the high school on Thursday.
“I keep telling them to wash their white jerseys, we’re going to have another home game,” a confident Coach Knight said.
The high school golf team finished up its season last week in grand style by taking second place in the division three state championships, losing to Weston in the finals. Early this week the players were out on Farm Neck playing a pizza scramble, an annual end-of-year tradition, and savoring their best performance in memory.
“It felt great knowing we were one of the most successful teams,” said co-captain Mason Jeffers, a senior. “It’s one of the most mentally physical games the world has to offer.”
The team finished the season at 9-6-1, at the top of the Cape and Islands division. They won the sectionals with a score of 315.
At the state championships, Finn Simpkins placed second overall individually with a score of 72. The other three high scorers were Mason Jeffers with an 84, Chris Mayhew with an 85 and Kaitlyn Marchand with an 86. The team total was 327 compared to Weston’s 305.
Coach Doug DeBettencourt said he is proud of the players.
“Near as I can tell there’s been a golf team for 45 years and this is the best the Island has ever done,” he said.
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