As Lynn English boys soccer coach Valdrim Xhemajli put it, “The ball just didn’t fall our way.”
Such was the case in the No. 40 Bulldogs’ state tournament matchup against No. 25 Brookline on Saturday. The final score favored Brookline, 1-0, in Division 1 action.
“But I’m proud of our team’s effort,” Xhemajli said. “We fought hard, played with heart, and created some great chances.”
Never-quit English finished with a 7-6-4 record after a slow start to the regular season.
“We’re incredibly proud of this team. After a tough start, they showed real resilience, working hard and finishing strong to earn their place in the MIAA tournament. Our seniors, Ahmed Abdelrahman, Darwin Flores, Alfredo Pablo Lopez Jr., Einor Angel, Eddy Romero, Henry Edeko, and Sammy Vasquez, have set an amazing example for our team and I’m so grateful for their leadership. We look forward to our returning players to carry this momentum forward and keep building toward even greater achievements.”
BOYS SOCCER
Lynn Tech 4
Wahconah Regional 0
One game, four goal celebrations for the No. 28 Tigers, who took down No. 37 Wahconah Regional at Manning Field. Isaac Avila (2 goals), Gabriel Alvarez, and Alex Pojoy did the honors for Tech, which visits fifth-seeded Monument Mountain at 5 p.m. on Monday.
GIRLS SOCCER
Brockton 2
Peabody 1
No. 35 Brockton took down No. 30 Peabody, 2-1, in a heartbreaker for the Tanners. Brooke Lomasney scored Peabody’s equalizer with 28 minutes to go, but the visitors slotted a game-winning goal late.
Sharon 4
Lynn Classical 1
Despite a Lady Rams goal with around seven minutes remaining, it wasn’t enough against No. 26 Sharon and a 4-0 hole. No. 39 Classical wrapped up its season with a 13-5-1 record behind coach Jessica Gambale.
Bishop Fenwick 2
Martha’s Vineyard 1
The No. 30 Crusaders took advantage of their home field to send No. 35 Martha’s Vineyard home in a 2-1 final. Next up for Fenwick is a Round-of-32 matchup against No. 3 Weston at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The win brought Fenwick (8-8-3) back up to .500.
VOLLEYBALL
Newton North 3
Peabody 0
Well, they’re ranked No. 1 for a reason. Top-ranked Newton North (20-1) took care of Peabody (11-11) to bring an end to the Tanners’ season. First-year Peabody coach Sherrill Erickson shouted out seniors Carly Chouinard, Anna Goudreau, Emma Lynch, Addy Merrill, Ava Ruffing and Caitlin Snow for great seasons.
FOOTBALL
Lynn Classical 45
Somerville 37
In a wild one at Manning Field, Classical’s Tyren Hoeun rushed for 356 yards and four touchdowns to catapult the Rams to victory. Jamari Coates added a pair of scores for the hosts, but it wasn’t enough for Classical to snag a tournament spot.
Peabody 14
Beverly 7
The Tanners avoided an upset in Beverly – in dramatic fashion, no less. Jayce Jean-Pierre hauled in a 44-yard touchdown pass from Luke Maglione in the final minute to seal a Peabody win.
Maglione connected with Corey Dooley for a 6-yard touchdown earlier in the contest. Jake Marcotullio converted both of his extra-point attempts, while Caio and Gabe Santos rushed for 54 and 51 yards, respectively.
