MAX GULINO has led the way for the Hornets this year with 9 goals. North Reading started the season 4-1 before two hard-earned ties against Lynnfield and Newburyport in their latest games. (Eric Evans Photo)

 

 

Update post publication:
North Reading defeats Rockport 2-0 (Sept. 30)

 

By STEPEHN MARTELLUCCI

NORTH READING — Last season, the North Reading High boys’ soccer team reached the MIAA Division 3 Round of 16 game before losing to Dedham to finish 12-7-1 overall.

They went 11-6-1 in the Cape Ann League coming in third place in the CAL Kinney Division.

The Hornets lost 12 seniors from that squad to graduation as 22nd-year head coach Mark Bisognano welcomed back nine veterans, including six starters, when camp opened in late August.

Four of the starters back are this year’s quad-captains and they are all juniors. Those four players are Jackson Wesley (defenseman), Finn Rodger (midfielder), Kieran Miller (midfielder) and Matt Fleury (midfielder).

The two other returning starters are Gavin Wesley (sophomore- defenseman) and Max Gulino (junior- forward).

Despite the roster turnover, the Hornets have gotten off to a good start.

On Tuesday afternoon they went to 4-1-2 overall and 4-0-2 in the Cape Ann League as they tied host Newburyport 1-1.

In the seventh minute of the first half, Fleury scored assisted by Miller.

The Clippers, however, tied the game 12 minutes later.

Hornets goalkeeper, Davi Leao, made three saves to go to 3-0-2 in net.

On Sept. 21, they tied Lynnfield, 0-0, at home. In the game before that, the Hornets doubled up Manchester-Essex, 4-2, at home on Sept. 19.

On Sept. 14, North Reading won at Ipswich 4-1. On Sept. 12, they won at home, 5-3, over Pentucket.

In their only non-league game, they lost, 1-0, at Wayland on Sept. 9.

North Reading opened the 2023 campaign on Sept. 5 as they rolled over CAL newcomer Essex Tech, 6-0, up in Danvers.

The top scorer this year has been Gulino as he has already scored nine times.

“He has been a good player for us since his freshman year,” said Bisognano. “He is very good at using his speed.”

North Reading opened the year with junior, Cam Parrett in net. He played the first two games of the season but got injured in the Wayland game and will, hopefully, be back later on this season.

His replacement is Leao, a new student who is from Brazil.

“We have a young team but a lot of the players who are back we had to rely on last year,” said Bisognano about how this season has gone after seven games.

The next game for the team is on Sept. 30 as they visit Rockport at 10 a.m.

North Reading then hosts Essex Tech on Oct. 3 with that game starting at 4:30 p.m.