New Saugus boys soccer coach upbeat for season

When Tom Duplisea took over as Saugus High boys soccer coach, he added one more soccer-related item to his resume. He has served as the town youth soccer director for over 10 years, and he has also refereed games. Now, as a first-year head coach, he is preparing the Sachems for the fall season.?A lot (of the players) I?ve known since their youth,” Duplisea said. “I had them in youth leagues. I know what they?re capable of. I?m looking forward to a pretty good season. I don?t want to put any numbers on it. What you want as a coach is for them to play up to their capability.”Duplisea is familiar with Saugus soccer. He was on the first-ever Saugus High team, in 1973 n “We had no youth league,” he said, “just a bunch of kids who got together” n and spent the past two years as an assistant coach.Last year?s head boys coach, Chris Coviello, is now the head girls coach. Ted Moriello, the former girls coach, died of cancer last year.Duplisea?s team scrimmaged Wakefield on Wednesday and Amesbury on Thursday. The regular season begins next Wednesday, Sept. 9, at Anna Parker Field against nonleague opponent Matignon in the first of two scheduled meetings with the Warriors, who are the only nonleague team Saugus will face in the regular season.Five senior players graduated this spring, including goalie Joey Meuse, now at Keene State. However, Duplisea said, “This year, I think I?m OK.”Carmen Bordonaro, Derek Cordere and David Velasquez are the forwards on the team this year. Alex and Albert Ung will play midfield, with Allan Ray, Chris Duplisea (the coach?s son) and Tommy Melendez joining them on the outside.The coach said that Bordonaro “would definitely be considered a preseason all-star” if such a category existed.Andrew Atton will play goalie, with R.J. Glassett, K.J. Mills, Luke Rossi and Larry Bolduc playing defense in front of him.Other seniors on the team this year are Ryan Chisholm and Sean Durant.Bordonaro, Ray, Albert Ung and Mills are the captains.?I?m very optimistic, very positive,” Duplisea said. “I think we?ll surprise a lot of teams.”Duplisea?s staff includes assistant Brian Basler and JV coach David Bolduc, father of Larry Bolduc.A 1977 graduate of the former North Adams State (now Mass. College of Liberal Arts), Duplisea currently works as a district field manager for Pepperidge Farms. He has spent 20 years in youth leagues and has played the game itself for over 30 years.