LYNN — Two goals were enough for North to sneak by South, 2-1, in the Agganis All-Star Boys Soccer Game at Manning Field. Lucas Bereaud scored both of North’s goals in his final game representing Swampscott High.
That said, South got on the board first, thanks to Lynn Tech’s Saul Mejia, who showed his composure and quick feet in the penalty box before finding the top corner (1-0).
All season long for Swampscott, Bereaud was one of the fastest players on the pitch. Tuesday was no different. He found open space – combining well with Rockport’s Atticus Anderson – and Bereaud equalized with 10 minutes remaining in the first half (1-1).
Head coach of South, Lynnfield state champion Brent Munroe, enjoyed coaching players he’s used to going up against, including Bereaud and Anderson.
“I didn’t have any Lynnfield guys here, but I got to coach some guys I normally face in our league. I live in Marblehead and I got to see some Marblehead guys here,” Munroe said. “It was interesting to see them in a different setting. I was surprised by some of the guys we faced during the season. I guess I didn’t realize they were as good as they are. They’re all very talented.”
“Those are two of the guys (Bereaud and Anderson) I was thinking of. They’re full of energy and Lucas scored twice with very few opportunities,” Munroe added.
In the second half, Bereaud capped off another solid team goal. This time, North showed its close control in the box before laying it off to Bereaud who blasted one into the net (2-1).
South had its chances, but couldn’t convert down the stretch.
St. Mary’s coach Scott McCarran, helming South, said it was great to coach his Spartans one more time, but also, other players he’s known through club soccer.
“We had a handful of St. Mary’s guys, which was nice. I also taught a lot of these kids in club ball on both sides, so, for me, it’s a real send-off. I’ve worked with a lot of these kids forever,” McCarran said. “It’s a good send-off for the guys who worked hard all season. They got their recognition tonight.”
As for Munroe, he particularly liked this All-Star game because he didn’t have to make any substitutions.
“It’s a lot of fun. I’ve done a couple of these games. This one was interesting because we only had 11 players. Usually, it’s hard to coach this game because everyone wants to play and no one wants to come off. This was an easy one for me,” Munroe said.
The goal wasn’t to find ways to stop players, but rather, to let them shine, according to Munroe.
“Seeing the kids who I normally see on the other side, I think I appreciate it more in this type of game. You spend most of your time figuring out how to stop them, but in a game like this, you can appreciate them,” he said.
South MVP was Marcus Weber Jr. (St. Mary’s), while Othmane Missaoui (Amesbury) took home the honors for North.
