Reigning state champion boys’ soccer team concludes regular season at 12-3-3

THE PIONEERS finished the regular season at 12-3-3. The reigning state champions, currently ranked No. 4 in Div. 4, will now look to defend their crown. The brackets will be released on Friday. (Courtesy Photo)

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

LYNNFIELD — In their regular-season finale on Oct. 24, the Lynnfield High boys’ soccer team blanked Pentucket, 3-0, at home.

It was the Pioneers’ 8^th shutout of the year.

With that win, LHS finished at 12-3-3 overall and 12-2-2 in the Cape Ann League as they placed 2^nd in the CAL Kinney Division behind North Reading.

The Panthers, meanwhile, ended up at 4-11 overall and 3-11 in the CAL as the Pioneers completed the season sweep.

Five minutes into the game, Matt Reinold headed in a crossing pass from Joel Anthony for the first goal.

The second goal came with 25 minutes remaining in the game as Charlie Morgan scored his first goal of the season assisted by Reinold.

Morgan, a senior, then scored the game’s final goal 10 minutes later and Reinold assisted on that one as well.

“Charlie normally is a defenseman but we moved him to midfielder this game,” pointed out Pioneers head coach Brent Munroe. “We have moved him around a few times this year.”

Lynnfield goalie, Kelan Cardinal, made three saves as he improved to 12-3-3 in net.

On Oct. 22, the Pioneers shut out Amesbury, 5-0, also at home.

This one was over early as all five goals came in the opening stanza. Munroe played his bench the second half.

Anthony led the attack with a pair of goals while Brendan Reilly, Nate Zalvan and Mohammed Ayari all scored.

For Zalvan and Ayari, both juniors, it was their first goals of the fall.

Cardinal played the first half of the opening half and did not have to make any saves. Dino Gesamondo played the rest of the game in net and turned back two shots to preserve the shutout.

“They are a rebuilding team and they are having a very tough year,” said Munroe, about the Red Hawks.

With the gap in between the regular season and the states occurring this week, Lynnfield will host Reading in a scrimmage on Oct. 29 at 4 p.m.

The defending Division 4 state champion Pioneers entered this week ranked 3^rd in the MIAA Division 4 power rankings.

On Friday, they will find out who they will open with at home in the state tournament which should start some time in the middle of next week.