Heartbreaking loss for EHS boys soccer in state tourney game
The Everett High boys soccer team almost pulled off a major upset in the opening round of the MIAA Division 1 State Soccer tournament, but fell short by a score of 2-1 in a contest that went into overtime this past Saturday at Beverly
Coach Rodney Landaverde’s Crimson Tide entered the tourney as the #42 seed in D-1 with a record of 7-7-4, while the Panthers came in at #23 with a 12-4-2 mark.
“This was a very intense matchup,” said Landaverde. “In the first half we were able to find our rhythm and have a dominating half where we possessed the ball and controlled the game in our favor. We caused Beverly to desperately lose the ball and struggle to generate chances.”
After a scoreless first half, the Tide came out after the intermission with the same level of intensity and broke the deadlock midway through the half. Captain Kareem Drissi got a bouncing ball in the box from sophomore Whitney Pereira and drove it into the back of the Panther net for a 1-0 Everett lead with about 20 minutes to play.
The Tide continued to control the game and hold off Beverly, thanks in large part to the performance of sophomore goalkeeper Edwin Menjivar, who started in place of the Tide’s usual starting keeper, Douglas Landaverde, who was unable to play because of an injury.
“Edwin stepped up and was incredible, with over six saves in his first varsity start,” said Landaverde.
With just minutes left in the game, the Tide caught a bad break and Beverly was awarded a free kick at the 20-yard line. The Panther delivered his kick, and a teammate found the bouncing ball in the box, sneaking a shot past Menjivar to bring the contest back to level with under two minutes to play and sending the teams into OT.
“Unfortunately, this was where the momentum shifted to Beverly and they scored within the first five minutes of overtime and the game ended,” said Landaverde. “It was a heartbreaking way to lose after having controlled and outplayed a very strong Beverly side who was the champion of the Northeastern Conference.
“We had played Beverly during pre-season and lost to them 6-1, so I was very happy with how we played them this time around, which showed our incredible improvement throughout this season,” Landaverde added. “Bryan Ribeiro, Kareem Drissi, Luvens Hector, Efrain Ramos, Antony Henriquez, Santiago Arredondo, and Timothy Figueroa Villanueva all had incredible contributions in this game and really stood out on both offensive and defensive play.
“I am very grateful and happy to have made it to the playoffs in this first year as head coach and was able to show the players and our supporters that there is a lot more left to come in the soccer program,” Landaverde concluded. “I cannot wait to begin to prepare for next season and begin to push forward the culture that we built this year.”
EHS field hockey team falls in tourney
Although the Everett High field hockey team came up short by a score of 2-0 in the opening round of the MIAA Division 2 State field hockey tournament this past Friday at Wayland, EHS head coach Nicola Jones was pleased with her team’s performance. The Crimson Tide entered the tourney as the #34 seed with a 7-6-4 record, while Wayland was the #31 seed with a mark of 1-14-1. “Despite the disappointing outcome, the team displayed resilience and determination throughout the game, holding Wayland scoreless until the second half,” said Jones. “Goaltender Willins Julien was a standout performer, making numerous crucial saves to keep us in the game. His exceptional performance showcased the team’s strong defensive effort, which frustrated Wayland’s offensive attacks for much of the first half. “While the loss marked the end of the season, it was a historic one for the Crimson Tide field hockey program,” noted Jones. “This year’s team made it to the tournament for the first time in a decade, a significant achievement that reflects the team’s hard work and dedication. “Despite the final result, my players know they can hold their heads high, proud of their accomplishments and the progress they’ve made,” Jones continued. “We will miss the seven athletes who are graduating this year and leaving the team, but I, along with the other coaches and underclassmen, already am looking forward to next year’s season.”