The Everett High girls soccer team extended their unbeaten streak to six games with two wins and a tie last week.
In a rain-soaked contest last Monday at 7-Acre Park with non-league opponent O’Bryant High of Boston, the Lady Crimson Tide earned a 2-1 victory.
Sofia Arana-Quintanilla gave the Tide a 1-0 lead with a free kick from about 25 yards out. Sofia’s shot chipped the O’Bryant keeper and went into the back of the net. O’Bryant brought the contest back to level about 15 minutes into the second half on a corner kick that found the back of the net, and is known in the soccer world as an Olimpico goal.
However, Brianna Santos, assisted.by Johanna Flores, scored a goal to bring the Tide to victory.
“The rain made the game very interesting,” said EHS head coach Dom Persuitte. “Overall, it was a great team effort. Major standouts were Sofia Arana-Quintanilla, Kayla Andrade, and Gissell Lemus holding down their respective positions in defense and midfield, and Johanna Flores and Brianna Santos giving it their all as strikers and goal-scorers.”
Last Wednesday, the Tide defeated Greater Boston League adversary Revere for the second time this season, 3-1. After a slow start, Everett took control in the first half. The Tide took a 1-0 lead when Connie Paz Hernandez sent a nice pass to Johanna Flores, who netted her first of two goals. Johanna then attained her brace off a cross from Odilas Sandoval.
After halftime, asserted control and did not let up until the final two whistles. Sofia Arana-Quintanilla scored an insurance goal on a free kick from about 30 yards out with another well-placed delivery that chipped the keeper.
“Sofia is our free-kick specialist and knows how to place the ball perfectly every time,” said Persuitte.
“This was another big win for the squad,” Persuitte said. “The entire team stepped up and gave it all their effort. I am incredibly proud of this team. They are showing what being a team is all about, and they showcased this in the second half of the game. Being able to watch all the effort come together is such a great reward as a coach.”
The Tide traveled to former GBL foe Waltham last Friday and earned a hard-fought 1-1 tie. Waltham took a 1-0 lead in the first half with a goal off a corner kick on which it was debatable whether the Everett goalkeeper, who had the ball in her hands, was pushed over the goal line by a Waltham girl.
However, the contest belonged to Everett after the intermission, with Norma (Sofia) Chaves notching the equalizer with about five minutes to go with a nice assist from Johanna Flores.
Johanna slotted the ball through Waltham’s center back and Chaves was there to push it into the net past the Waltham keeper, who was well off her line.
“This was a very intense game,” said Persuitte. “We came out so flat in the first half; I was very concerned about how we would play. In the second half, we came out firing on all cylinders, and the girls did not let up. It was a much better performance, and it showed.
“Our game-tying goal was the result of a beautiful build-up,” Persuitte continued. “It was a beautiful sight to see that ball roll across the goal line.
“Notable players who saved the game countless times included Julianna Rivera in goal,” Persuitte added. “She played ‘lights-out’ and was full of confidence from the start. Sofia Arana-Quintanilla played on the defensive line, doing what she is known for — just playing and reading the game so well. Kayla Andrade stepped it up in the second half, forcing many turnovers in the midfield. Brianna Santos closed down the gap between everyone and bodied people off the ball, and Odilas Sandoval did her thing on the wing.
“Even though it was a full team effort, if those players did not step up, the result would have been much different,” Persuitte noted. “This game was a morale booster to the squad. Waltham is a very good, solid team, and they know how to move the ball around very well, and they are all very tall players. Walking away with a tie really shows that my girls can go toe-to-toe with any team. I am beyond proud of them.”
Persuitte and his crew, who stand at a sterling 6-1-2 at the midpoint of the season, were scheduled to host GBL rivals Lynn Classical yesterday (Tuesday), Lynn English this Friday, and Somerville next Tuesday.
EHS boys soccer shuts out English
The Everett High boys soccer team posted a 4-0 shutout of Greater Boston League (GBL) rival Lynn English last Thursday on the Crimson Tide’s home pitch at 7-Acre Park.
Everett took control early in the contest thanks to goals by Jorge Ayala (assisted by Saymon Coelho) in the 16th minute and by Coelho (unassisted), who reached the back of the Bulldogs’ net just four minutes later.
Jorge Ayala (assisted by Samuel Rengifo) made it 3-0 and Daniel Henriquez sealed the deal for the Tide when he converted a penalty kick midway through the second half for the 4-0 finale.
Tide goalkeeper Benjamin Lopez Palacios earned the clean sheet.
“We had a good day of ball movement and we got the opportunity to rotate a lot of players,” said EHS head coach Rodney Landaverde “A few players who came in had an excellent game, Mateus Callahan Bueno played all 80 minutes and dominated the midfield, combining passes, creating spaces, and getting stuck into tackles. Luca Cruz, Sebastien Styl, Raynery Jean Charles, and Calleb De Souza all contributed to the rotation and had solid playing time that kept us clear from any dangerous opportunities.”
Landaverde and his crew, who stand at 3-5 as they approach the midpoint of the season, will travel to GBL foe Lynn Classical today (Wednesday), to non-league opponent Marblehead this Friday, and to GBL rival Somerville next Tuesday.
EHS girls cross country now at 3-1
The Everett High girls cross country team improved its record to 3-1 with a 15-50 victory at Chelsea last Wednesday.
“This is definitely the best girls team I have ever coached in 15 years at Everett High,” noted EHS head coach Brendan Hahesy.
Shashi Pokhrel was the first Everett girl across the line, taking second place with a clocking of 24:56. She was followed by teammates Lina Sherrer (26:35), Nathalia Dos Santos (28:41), Ana Maciel (29:26), and Eve-Lynn Joseph (32:46) in places 3-through-6. Aliesha Thelus (33:08), Berthy Muscade (39:38), Bao Nguyen (41:21), and Carolina Bernardina Everett (46:24) also competed for the Tide.
Hahesy and his crew are scheduled to host Malden today (Wednesday) on their home course at 7-Acre Park. They will travel to Somerville next Wednesday.
Chris Portillo wins third meet of season for boys cross-country
Senior Chris Portillo blazed to victory for the Everett High boys cross-country team in the Crimson Tide’s meet at Chelsea last Wednesday.
Chris, who took first place for the third time in four meets this season, came across the line in a time of 18:38, which was 11 seconds faster than his closest Chelsea opponent.
Although the Tide fell short by a score of 22-37, EHS head coach Brendan Hahesy was pleased with his team’s performance. “The boys had a good meet vs. Chelsea. They ran well,” Hahesy said.
Kaleb Defreitas (20:09) and Dominico Delle Rose (20:27) were the next Everett boys across the line in sixth and seventh place. Tien Nguyen (11th in 22:29) and
Praytush Darai (12th in 22:38) completed the Tide scoring.
Additional Tide runners were Michael Lemus (23:12), Brasesh Maharjan (24:54), Oseas Erazo (25:21), Ethan Ngo (29:26), and William Le (32:05).
The boys will host Malden today (Wednesday) on their home course at 7-Acre Park. They will travel to Somerville next Wednesday.
EHS girls volleyball looks to get back on track at home
The Everett High girls volleyball team will seek to get back on the winning track when the Lady Crimson Tide host Greater Boston League (GBL) rival Lynn English today (Wednesday) at the EHS gym.
The Tide had what head coach Michael Fineran termed “a tough week,” dropping three matches on the road at Medford, Revere, and non-league opponent Winthrop.
“We played better in each match, but ultimately we did not make enough plays when it mattered most,” said Fineran.
In the contest at Medford, the Tide never were in it, absorbing a 3-0 loss.
“Our lone bright spot was junior outside hitter Elora Philippe, who had three kills and a block,” said Fineran. “However, Elora missed the next two games with an injury. She is a dynamic hitter and an underrated defender, and we hope to get her back in the lineup soon.”
The Tide battled their next foe, Revere, more tenaciously, but fell short in three sets, 25-20, 25-19, and 25-22. Senior middle and co-captain MariaJose Cardenas had four kills, junior setter Abigail Falkowski had two blocks, and junior Cecilia Da Silveira had three kills and a block.
The match at Winthrop this past Friday started out far more promisingly. Falkowski and Cardenas each had a pair of kills in the first set, as did co-captain Melissa Meireles, who added an ace, in the 25-16 opening set win.
Sophomore serving sensation Lelilah Ros-Morales, who has hit almost 50 aces through nine junior varsity games, served her first points to open the second set, and finished the game hitting in eight-of-nine serves with two aces. Meireles had a kill and three aces, while sophomore setter Yahaira Pineda Tejada pitched in with a serve and a kill in a back-and-forth set that the Tide ultimately lost, 27-25.
“We had opportunities to put ourselves up two sets, which would have changed the whole feel of the match, but we could not capitalize on our chances, and Winthrop grabbed the momentum,” noted Fineran.
Winthrop ended up taking the third set, 25-21, despite six combined kills from Meireles and Cardenas and aces from seniors Kiana Flores and Cassandra Tayag.
Everett responded well in the fourth set. Tayag had a kill and an ace. Falkowski had three aces in nine service points. Junior hitter Naima Fleurima added two kills as the Tide took the set, 25-22, to knot the match at 2-2, setting up Everett’s first fifth set tiebreaker this season.
Meireles served Everett to a 4-2 lead, and Cardenas had a kill and three serves to give the Tide a 10-9 advantage. However, Everett missed a serve trailing 12-11, and eventually fell, 15-11.
“It was a fun match, but it’s disappointing to lose like that, especially when we know if we just eliminated some of the silly errors, it would have been a different night,” Fineran said. “No matter the sport, you either make plays or you don’t. Ultimately we didn’t, so we now sit at 3-6. With three home games coming up this week, there is no time to sulk. We have to step up. We know it. We just have to do it.”
Fineran’s crew, who stand at 3-6 on the season, took on GBL foe Malden this past Monday. After today’s match with English, they will host non-league opponent Lowell tomorrow (Thursday). They will travel to GBL rival Lynn Classical next Tuesday.
EHS field hockey plays well vs. H-W
Although the Everett High field hockey team came up on the short end of 5-0 decision to Hamilton-Wenham last week, first year head coach Yasmine Akib was pleased with her team’s effort.
“We were down 2-0 at the half,” noted Akib. “Our team had incredible passing throughout the game. Our senior captain, Wilins Julien, won our player of the game because he was really hustling hard. Our freshman goalie, Arsema Mehari, had great saves. Overall, our team was hustling and fighting hard.”
Akib and her crew were scheduled to host Peabody this past Monday and Greater Boston League rival Revere today (Wednesday) in a key matchup that will have implications for the 2026 GBL title. They will travel to Stoneham tomorrow (Thursday) before returning home to entertain Lowell next Wednesday.