LYNNFIELD — Just about everything has clicked for the Pioneers as the Lynnfield boys soccer team’s regular season comes to a close.
“We returned a lot of players that played last year so this is an experienced team and they have worked really hard to get where we are,” coach Brent Munroe said. “Just about everything is working right now. We’re scoring goals, we have a lot of players with 10 goals, we are getting contributions from everyone. Defensively we have been really solid this season.”
The all around solid performances helped the Pioneers cruise to a 14-2-2 record in the regular season. Now Lynnfield’s focus shifts to carrying its success into the Division 3 North tournament.
“I think we are going to be ready to play hard,” Munroe said. “Obviously our goal is to win it plain and simple, but there are some good teams in the playoffs. We’ve been to the tournament before but haven’t been able to get past the first round.
“We are looking to get over that hump,” Munroe added. “It’s hard, so much of the tournament is the draw so that’s so critical. You could either play an easier game or be in the fight of your life right from the start but we’re excited.”
In order to overcome the first round woes this season, Lynnfield will look to a strong group of senior leadership including captain and Cape Ann League Player of the Year Jonathan Luders.
Luders has once again been a huge playmaker for the Pioneers at forward this season and has been focused on what Lynnfield can accomplish with an experienced team.
“We have been beaten by some good teams in the tournament in the past but I think we all know we are a better overall team this year,” Luders said. “We are a lot more mature and have more confidence.
“There’s a bunch of us that are all seniors this year that have been playing together since youth soccer,” Luders added. “Having that extra year of high school we really know each other and click well. It’s fun to play together.”
With 12 goals and a team-leading 19 assists, the Lynnfield offense has been centered around Luders’ playmaking abilities.
“He’s a playmaker more than anything,” Munroe said of Luders. “A lot of guys have scored 10 goals for us but his 19 assists are far and away the most on the team. Just about every team we play man marks him but he puts in the work and makes plays for us. Players feed off him.”
A two-sport athlete who has committed to play baseball at Seton Hall University in New Jersey, Luders is quick to give credit for his success on the soccer field to his teammates.
“The guys around me set me up well so I’m just trying to give them the same chances when I can,” Luders said. “We have a lot of talent and everyone works hard. I feel like I’m just trying to do my job, my part for my teammates around me. I think that’s everyone’s approach.”
That approach starts at practice, where Munroe is happy to have a hard worker like Luders setting an example.
“Off the field he is the best leader a high school team could ask for,” Munroe said. “He is always giving 100 percent on the field in practice. It’s awesome and he is so motivated.”
“I’ve always tried to have the mentality of going all in,” Luders said. “That can be anything from chasing down balls or just going in hard. I’m not doing that for myself, we all try to work hard so that our teammates can see that and they will do the same.”
Luders is excited to see the hard work pay off as he pushes towards one last chance at a tournament run with his teammates. The Pioneers will learn their tournament fate when the sectional pairings are announced Wednesday.
“I can’t say enough about my teammates this year,” Luders said. “I’m going to miss them for sure. This season has kind of been all in for some of us in our senior year. I’m blessed to play with everyone on this team and I’m going to miss this for sure no matter what happens.”
