The shores were weathered, but the distant sound of cheering could be heard echoing at Walden Pond, and well into last fall season, at that.
Concord-Carlisle fans were elated after witnessing the Patriots seal the 2023 Div. 1 boys soccer championship with an epic 2-0 victory over Needham, the perfect conclusion to an undefeated campaign (20-0-1).
It was the school’s eighth title appearance and its first championship since 2017, when the Patriots won the Div. 2 Eastern Mass. final. Now, Concord-Carlisle returns looking to validate its standing. The Patriots will rely on captain Jameson (Jamo) Velez for offensive firepower, and should be reenergized by the return of center back Cole Henschke, who re-enrolled after a stint with MLS Next.
Each of the past two seasons, Needham (18-3-2) has entered the Div. 1 state final only to come up empty. Is this the year the Rockets buck that trend? One would have to think they have a good chance with athletes like Max Edwards taking over the reins. The Rockets will also be fueled by Kiran Meloni and Maximillian Goodrow defensively. Needham has appeared in the state title game 11 times, including five since 2012.
The Bay State Conference could boast a few other contenders, as Weymouth reached the Div. 1 semifinals for a second straight season in 2023. The Wildcats (15-4-4) saw the departure of US Soccer Coaches Association All-American Bruno Desouza due to graduation, but brought back BSC All-Star Cam Walty (21 goals, 16 assists). Newton North is also a candidate to make noise in this vaunted league, as is Brookline.
Winchester (16-2-2) embarked on a Cinderella run to the Div. 1 Final Four as the No. 11 seed, and will attempt to prove that the journey was no fluke. The Raiders will hope to replicate their success as a premier Middlesex League team.
The usual Catholic Conference heavyweights should be back in the mix, with St. John’s Prep posing an immediate threat. Watch for BC High and St. John’s (Shrewsbury) as the campaign progresses as well.
After so much roster turnover entering last season, Oliver Ames fans were skeptical as to how their beloved (and successful) program would fare in 2023. Even decorated Tigers coach John Barata was a bit hesitant, still wondering himself.
Rather than wilting in the face of the challenge, Oliver Ames (19-3-1) simply reloaded, rolling right back to a Div. 2 championship appearance. In the final, Joey Carney sniped the game-ending goal in overtime, as the Tigers won their second straight crown with a stunning 1-0 victory over Wakefield.
Carney may have graduated, but the Tigers have grand visions of a three-peat. Look for athletes such as Craig and Luke Churchill and Jackson Mercieri to shoulder the load. The team will also have longtime goalkeeper Drew Hall as a backbone in net for his fourth year.
The Div. 2 title bout appearance was the first since 1997 for Wakefield (17-4-2), and the program’s fourth overall. Matt Angelo’s group will look for sustained success, but could have some challenges along the way, with Middlesex League rival Melrose among the toughest foes.
Another school to see in the Div. 2 field is Hopkinton, a perennial candidate to catch fire during the postseason out of the Tri-Valley League. Billerica could be one of the more explosive programs offensively with Jason Xintaropoulos (18 goals, 15 assists) and Ryan Jacob (26 goals, 14 assists) leading the charge. Bedford enjoyed a great season, as did Hingham. The Harbormen saw legendary coach Ken Carlin ride off into the sunset for retirement at the campaign’s end, but will look to a familiar leader with the experienced David Leahy taking over on the sidelines.
The Div. 3 championship came down to a pair of South Shore-based schools in 2023. Norwell (19-2-1) was able to claim its second title in three seasons with a thrilling 2-1 shootout victory over Pembroke. Can the Clippers repeat? It’s certainly possible with players like Nolan McKenna and Gavin Blake back.
For the aforementioned Pembroke (18-3-1), it was the first title game appearance in program history. The Titans sustained losses this past spring, but will have Shane Crowley and Jack Duperre returning as captains, with Jack Eva in net.
Oakmont is a Central Mass. team to target. Anything is possible once teams punch their respective tickets. Dighton-Rehoboth, slotted as the No. 26 seed, managed to enjoy a miraculous run to the Div. 3 semifinals. The Falcons should compete again after battling the South Coast Conference.
The Tri-Valley League could be well-represented in the field, with Ashland and Dedham always in the thick of things. Gloucester was one of the Northeastern Conference’s top teams from start to finish, and should vie for hardware again. Some surprise teams to key in on include Newburyport and St. Mary’s.
Shifting to Div. 4, Lynnfield (19-2-2) won it all as the No. 2 seed, topping ninth-ranked Monomoy 1-0 in the championship clash. It was the first title for the program, having fallen short in prior appearances in 2006 and 2007. Dillon Reilly buried the clinching tally for the Pioneers in the second half, and the Trinity commit figures to be a lead sniper as the squad hopes to recapture that magic.
Meanwhile, it was the first-ever finals appearance for Monomoy (16-4-3). The Sharks could contend out of the Cape and Islands League again. Two other schools that also should immediately come to mind are Cohasset and Hamilton-Wenham.
After building a strong team in recent years, eighth-seeded Westport shattered a barrier in 2023 by raising its first state title in the recently-formed Div. 5 field, completing an unbeaten season (22-0-1) with an unforgettable 1-0 win over No. 2 Douglas in penalty kicks. Chris Parker’s team should remain in the hunt again. Bromfield leads all schools with 13 state titles as a program, and will likely be there at the end as well.
Nick Adams (Norwell); Gavin Blake (Norwell); Craig Churchill (Oliver Ames); Luke Churchill (Oliver Ames); Ronan Coffey (Norwell); Shane Crowley (Pembroke); Chris Curran (BC High); Colin Daly (BC High); Riley Donovan (Billerica); Matt Droggitis (St. John’s Prep); Jack Duperre (Pembroke); Max Edwards (St. John’s Prep); Jack Eva (Pembroke); Jack Gibbons (BC High); Drew Hall (Oliver Ames); Isaiah Hart (Needham); Cole Henschke (Concord-Carlisle); Ryan Jacob (Billerica); Jake McConnville (BC High); Nolan McKenna (Norwell); Kiran Meloni (Needham); Jackson Mercieri (Oliver Ames); Garrison Murphy (St. John’s Prep); Matteo Nerreti (Needham); Sam Pesko (Norwell); Dillon Reilly (Lynnfield); Wesley Rosell (Mystic Valley); Christian Saad (Mystic Valley); Cam Walty (Weymouth); Jameson (Jamo) Velez (Concord-Carlisle); Anthony Vieira (Rising Tide); Jason Xintaropoulos (Billerica).