SWAMPSCOTT — In the two seasons under coach Mike Amaral’s watch, the Swampscott boys soccer team has moved in the right direction. Last year’s team went 7-8-3 during the regular season, good for the No. 12 seed in the Division 3 North state tournament. Swampscott took an early 2-0 lead over No. 5 Pentucket in the opening round, but the Sachems scored three unanswered goals for a 3-2 win.
Now Swampscott aims to turn the page on a bittersweet ending to 2018 in hopes of climbing the ladder in 2019. Amaral said everything has gone according to plan through the preseason.
“We have a solid group for the whole program,” Amaral said. “Last year we had a big group of seniors. This year we’re pretty equal across all grades. We have the knowledge of playing at the varsity level now we just have to apply it and put it to practice.
“We’ve been working more on keeping our defensive shape as well as increasing our fitness level to make sure we can compete against the teams we play against. We’re looking to play smart and responsible soccer.”
That’s what it’ll take for Swampscott to compete in the Northeastern Conference. The four Greater Boston League teams (Everett, Malden, Medford and Somerville), along with Revere, have re-formed the GBL.
“With the GBL leaving, it’s a more even-level playing field for the smaller schools,” Amaral said. “To be the best, you have to beat the best. That’s why we open playing Somerville in our first game, to get a gauge of where we’re at for the season.”
Swampscott’s core of returners is led by this year’s senior captains — defenders Kyle Fitzgerald and Malik Khatib, and goalie Oscar Hale.
“Over my three years these are the three that have played the most under me,” Amaral said. “Malik and Oscar have played every game and every minute. We have the most experienced players on our team leading us this season.”
Hale has seen plenty of action in net over the past two seasons.
“We called on him my first year here (2017) because of an injury,” Amaral said. “He stepped right in and he’s been leading these guys two years going into his third.”
Fitzgerald and Khatib bringing seasoned veteran guidance to Swampscott’s defense.
“We hope to be a very sound defensive team,” Amaral said. “That also includes leading from our first line defense all the way back to our goalie. As long as we work together we should be in a good position to do well this season.”
Junior forward Fernando Barranco’s projected to drive Swampscott’s offense.
“He’s a prolific finisher,” Amaral said. “Once he gets hot he can score a ton of goals. He just needs the support from the midfield as well as our wing players.”
The Big Blue will meet the Highlanders next Wednesday evening (6) for their season opener at Dilboy Stadium. Swampscott’s first NEC game is Sept. 9 (4) at Beverly.
“If you see them coming to practice you can see how excited they are,” Amaral said. “They’ve pushed themselves through double sessions and the heat we had early on. They’re ready to work. They’re ready to show they’re a team that can make a difference this year.”
