Published in the October 18, 2018 edition

By DAN NUNN

NORTH READING — The CAL powerhouse Masconomet Chieftains traveled to North Reading for a night game on October 9 and downed the Hornets 4-0. The Chieftains are undefeated and untied in CAL play and haven’t lost a game in the CAL since 2015. Their record in league play since 2012 is an unbelievable 101-1-6.

Unfortunately, Masco showed their prowess in the first half. NRHS couldn’t match their tremendous pace and physicality. The Chieftains scored four times and took a huge 4-0 cushion into the half. 

North Reading came out in the second half with a few lineup changes. The lineup changes led to a more evenly contested half but the Hornets couldn’t generate any goals. 

Battle Lynnfield to a 2-2 draw

SENIOR Kevin Wall controls the ball during the boys’ soccer team’s game at Lynnfield last Friday. Wall and the Hornets played one of their best matches of the year, registering a 2-2 tie against a strong Lynnfield team that’s lost just once this fall. (Courtesy Photo)

The Hornets avenged the 6-1 opening day defeat they suffered to the Lynnfield Pioneers with a 2-2 tie on Friday. Senior Francis Walsh and junior Justin Capezzuto scored for North Reading.

Both teams created quality chances in the first half, but neither scored and the game remained scoreless at the half.  

The action heated up in the second half. Just one minute into the half, NRHS struck first off of a free kick on the left wing. Sophomore Sam McGeachie sent the free kick in 35 yards from goal and forced the Pioneer goalie to make a play on the ball. The keeper spilled the ball and Walsh was there to finish off the rebound. 

The Hornets frustrated the powerful Lynnfield attack, which had scored 42 goals over their first 11 games, for most of the half.  But as the game moved along, the Pioneers cranked up the physicality and wore down North Reading. In the 72nd minute, Lynnfield ended the shutout when they headed in a free kick. 

The Pioneers rode the momentum of the tying goal and about two minutes later they scored again to take the lead. 

North Reading didn’t quit though and in the 77th minute senior Kevin Wall put a free kick from midfield into the box where sophomore Mark Tramontozzi flicked the ball toward the left post to Justin Capezzuto who finished off the tying strike. 

The Hornets maintained the momentum for the final three minutes and looked like they earned a penalty kick with one minute left. But the referee did not see it the same way and the game ended in a 2-2 tie.