Published in the September 20, 2018 edition
By DAN NUNN
NORTH READING — The Lynnfield Pioneers traveled to North Reading on September 5 and spoiled the boys’ soccer team’s season opener with a convincing 6-1 victory. Junior Cam Chinchillo scored the lone goal for NRHS.
The game started out poorly for the home team as the Pioneers scored two goals in the first five minutes. Eventually the Hornets would settle in and in the 12th minute they got on the board off a corner kick. Senior Kevin Wall hit the corner and found senior Casey Robarts at the far post who played the ball to Chinchillo who hit a great volley into the upper left corner of the goal.
After the goal, North Reading started to pressure the Lynnfield defense, but they couldn’t find the tying score and the Pioneers made them pay. Lynnfield added three goals in the final seven minutes of the first half to take a commanding 5-1 lead into halftime. The visitors scored another goal in the second half to account for the final score.
FRANCIS WALSH (3) chases down a loose ball for the North Reading boys’ soccer team during last Friday’s home match against Amesbury. The Hornets won the contest, 3-1, for their first victory of the fall, and then defeated Ipswich by an identical score on Monday. Walsh scored a goal in Monday’s victory. (Courtesy Photo)
Downed by powerhouse Masco 2-0
The six-time defending CAL champion Masconomet Chieftains flexed their muscle and defeated the Hornets 2-0 on September 7.
Masco pressured the Hornet defense the entire first half. The Chieftains scored their first goal on a penalty kick after a NRHS handball in the 9th minute. Masco scored another goal in the 26th minute and took a 2-0 lead into the half.
In the second half, the Hornets were able to start building an attack. Their best chance came in the 62nd minute when senior captain David Tingley took a pass from Robarts and got a quick shot on goal. The shot was saved but Tingley got his rebound and put another shot on goal, which was unfortunately cleared off of the line by a Chieftains defender. North Reading couldn’t muster another chance and the game would end at 2-0.
Sting Amesbury 3-1
The Hornets scored three first half goals as they picked up their first win of the season with a 3-1 victory over the Amesbury Indians on Thursday. Junior Justin Capezzuto scored twice and Tingley added a goal as well.
North Reading pressured the Amesbury defense the entire first half. In the 16th minute, Capezzuto opened the scoring when he tracked the ball down near the goal line after a corner kick and floated the ball over the keeper’s head. 11 minutes later, Cam Chinchillo hit a superb through ball to Capezzuto who broke in all alone. His first shot was saved but he finished off the rebound for goal number two.
With five minutes to go in the first half, Tingley made it 3-0 when he headed home a perfect cross from sophomore Mark Tramontozzi. In the second half, the Indians were able to generate a handful of chances. But because of the great defensive work of sophomore John Tramontozzi and Kevin Wall, Amesbury only scored once.
The Hornets beat Ipswich on the road on Monday after press time. They travel to Triton (0-3-1) on Friday and Newburyport (1-1-2) on Tuesday.
