Saturday at Coley Lee Field, the Peabody boys soccer team improved to 5-2-2 with a 3-2 come-from-behind win against visiting Xaverian. The game was a tale of two halves with all of the scoring coming in the second half.
Xaverian struck first in the 50th minute to take a 1-0 lead, but the Tanners roared back and scored three goals in the final 20 minutes to seal the win. Abou Kaba scored two goals and Kacper Kowalcyzk added another.
Peabody coach Stan McKeen said goalkeeper Dylan Flanagan “played well” and Jaden Fils-Aime, A.J. Forte, Lucas Silva and Yanni Pappas were “outstanding.”
McKeen said that while the Hawks came into the game as a .500 team, he knew the Tanners (5-2-2) were in for a challenge.
“They play in a much tougher conference than we do and they are a skillful team,” McKeen said. “We’ve had trouble scoring early in the season and so have they. Our defense has played well and our goaltending has been good. We’ve controlled games pretty well but we are struggling to put the ball in the net. Most of our games have been close and low scoring.”
Tanners have created plenty of opportunities so far this season, according to McKeen, but “just hasn’t been able to finish.” But with seven goals across the last two games, McKeen feels his group may be starting to figure it out.
“I would say, yes, that’s encouraging, but Abou (4 goals in the Tanners’ last two games) has the bulk of the goals, so we need to get other people to step up,” McKeen said.
McKeen said Kaba and Forte have been key players in the early going.
“Abu is our leading scorer and A.J. plays extremely well in the middle,” he said.
Peabody, which ranks 22nd in the Division I MIAA Power Rankings, is back in action with a conference matchup at undefeated Masconomet on Wednesday (4). The Chieftains (9-0-1) are ranked fifth in the Division II power rankings. The game is scheduled to be played at Rubchinuk Park in Middleton.
BOYS SOCCER
Gloucester 5
Lynn Classical 1
Despite Abbie Esturado De Leon tucking a penalty-kick goal for Classical, the Rams were reeled in by the Fishermen of Gloucester Saturday, 5-1.
Classical trailed just 2-1 in the 60th minute, but it was all downhill from there. The Rams host Medford at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
GIRLS SOCCER
St. Mary’s 1
Cardinal Spellman 0
With coach Jim Foley calling it St. Mary’s “best win of the season,” his Spartans (6-5) topped Newburyport (7-3-2) on Saturday, 1-0. The home victory snapped the Clippers’ seven-game winning streak.
Georgia Allaire scored the lone goal (from Issie Skabeikis) and Kylie Kennison registered the shutout for St. Mary’s, which returns to Manning Field Monday against Cardinal Spellman (noon).
Danvers 3
Lynnfield 0
At home Saturday morning, the Falcons jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first six-and-a-half minutes and added a third with about four minutes to play to cement the win.
“Danvers is good. They had a couple of breakaways early. They had a lot of 50-50 balls and they moved well without the ball,” Pioneers’ coach Mark Vermont said. “I don’t think it was an off day on our part. They were just a little stronger and faster than us and we didn’t capitalize on the chances we had. We had some breakdowns. Ava (Gamache) kept us close with that unbelievable save in the second half, but Danvers is a great team but we just got beat.
“We want to play the great teams to be ready for the tournament,” he said. “The good news is we don’t have to face Danvers in the tournament.”
Vermont said he didn’t say too much to the team postgame, other than “we have to [be] better at the start and we have to keep playing to our feet.”
The Pioneers (8-2-1), who are ranked No. 4 in the most recent Division 4 power rankings, need one point to clinch a spot in the tournament. Lynnfield’s next game is Tuesday under the lights at Manchester Essex at 7 p.m.
