The Somerville High Boys Soccer Team advanced to the Division North Semifinals for the Second Consecutive year before losing a tough 2-1 match to Brookline.

By Mike Rubin

Two months ago, the Somerville High School boys soccer team had lost six of their first eight contests and state tournament hopes were dimming.

Despite injuries, the Highlanders regrouped and won seven of their last nine and made a thrilling tournament run.

“We were banged up at the beginning of the season, and I think it showed,” said coach George Scarpelli earlier in the season. “We were able to weather the storms and come through with some key performances by some of our younger guys. That really helped generate some depth towards the end of the season and in tournament time.”

Included in the slow start was a 1-0 loss to Madison Park, a loss the Highlanders would atone for in the state tournament.

“We knew we didn’t have all of our guys,” said Scarpelli about the first loss. “Once we got everyone back, we were able to put it all together and come through with some key victories.”

As players returned to the lineup, the Highlanders were able to right the ship. Key victories along the way included a 4-0 shutout win over Malden along with a 5-1 victory over Burke. Capping the regular season, the Highlanders cruised to a 4-0 win over Andover.

With leading scorer Homero Morais nursing an assortment of injuries, several Highlanders rose to the occasion, including Rodrigues Pierre along with freshman Thayrone Miranda and Murilio Zanette.

“We had a lot of key guys step up to the plate,” said Scarpelli. “Defensively, we were able to tighten and limit some of their opportunities.’

In the Division 1 North tournament, the Highlanders sailed to a 6-0 shutout victory over Community Academy in a preliminary match. Led by a healthy Morais, who recorded two goals in the win, the Highlanders added another key asset to their scoring punch.

In the first round match-up against No.1 seeded Madison Park, the Highlanders delivered revenge and coasted to a 3-1 victory. Leading the way was Morais along with Zanette and Miranda, who all contributed to the scoring.

Advancing to the quarterfinal round, the Highlanders faced-off against familiar foe Medford. Having battled the Mustangs extensively throughout the season, the Highlanders prevailed 3-2, advancing to the semifinal round for the second consecutive season.

“It was great to come out and beat (Medford),” said Scarpelli. “They’re a first class organization and I really feel for a lot of the kids over there.”

In a match-up against Brookline, the Highlanders suffered a tough 2-1 defeat. Defensively, the Warriors limited the Highlanders to just six overall shots throughout the game.

“Defensively, they (Brookline) did a tremendous job, and they limited our opportunities,” said Scarpelli. “They did a nice job shadowing our top scoring guys.”

Despite the loss, the Highlanders finished with a 12-6-3 mark and a second consecutive state semifinal appearance.

Key losses to graduation include Morais and Toby Moynihan, who emerged as a stellar force on the defensive side of the ball.