Published December 9, 2020

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

LYNNFIELD — After last season, Lynnfield High boys’ soccer coach Brent Munroe had visions of his team making a long run into the Division 3 state tournament this fall. However, the coronavirus pandemic changed everything as there was no state tournament and the Cape Ann League schools ended up playing 10 league games for its 2020 season.

“I thought it was a big success considering the conditions,” said Monroe, who just completed his 20th season at the helm. “We were able to complete all 10 games.”

BEN SYKES earned an All-Star nod this season and will be one of three captains next year. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)

Munroe did admit he was disappointed that there was no state tournament and he was also disappointed that the league did not have its top-four team league tournament that they were going to do but was canceled due to too many towns being in the “Red” zone with Covid-19 cases.

“We knew going into the season in October that we were not having a state tournament and our goal was to make the top four to do the league tournament,” pointed out Munroe. “We only found out a few days before the league tournament was scheduled that they were canceling it.”

Lynnfield’s overall record finished at 7-1-2 as they were tri-champs with North Reading and Newburyport in the Cape Ann League Kinney Division.

The Pioneers will lose 10 seniors with three of them being this year’s tri-captains, Luke Martinho (center-back), Jack Bird (forward), and Dante Gesamondo (goalie). Gesamondo and Martinho were both CAL All-Conference players this season.

DOM FERRANTE will be one of three captains next season for the Pioneers after his All-Star 2020 campaign. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)

The other seven seniors were Matteus Saramento (outside-midfielder), Chris Pavao (outside-midfielder), Jack Zalvan (defensive-midfielder), David Picariello (defenseman), Lars Ruecker (defensive-midfielder), Mateusz Brzezinski (outside-midfielder) and Chris daSilva (goalie).

“This senior class was a great group,” stated Munroe. “They had to carry a heavy load considering the circumstances of this year.”

Lynnfield is slated to return 11 veterans next season led by junior center-midfielders, Dom Ferrante and Ben Sykes who were both named CAL All-Stars.

Ferrante and Sykes will both be captains next year along with fellow junior, Jake Mallett, who is a defenseman.

The biggest question going into next fall will be in net with both goalies graduating.