Newton South ready to take it to next level
Last year’s run through the postseason was unlike anything Newton South had experienced before. The Lions made program history with their first South final appearance, but once there, they endured a heartbreaking 3-2 double overtime loss to King Philip. Despite the defeat, Newton South gained a tremendous amount from its unprecedented journey and it set in motion this season’s lofty expectations. With nine starters returning from last year’s team, the pressure was on Newton South from the outset to succeed at a high level and the Lions delivered with a 13-1-2 mark as they have a chance to rewrite history again this postseason. “Their focus coming into this season was let’s take that final step,” said Newton South coach Doug McCarthy. “So far, it’s worked out. … The girls have handled it really well, in terms of their expectations and what it’s going to take to meet those objectives.” While in years past Newton South could fly under the radar, there was no escaping the spotlight this season, especially when the Lions were ranked No. 4 in USA Today’s national Super 25 preseason poll. Star senior forward Audrey Lavey admitted that the preseason admiration brought some stress, but the Lions steadied themselves with three wins by a combined 18-0 margin to start the season. That started a 15-game unbeaten streak which ended Thursday in a 1-0 loss to Lincoln-Sudbury. “These expectations are there for a reason,” Lavey said. “We’ve earned them in a way. We’ve had to figure out how to wear them as badge of honor rather than let them weigh us down.” With a loaded veteran roster, Newton South has been well-equipped to handle anything, including missing five starters at different points due to injury. Midfielder Maia Madison is an essential piece that missed nearly half the season, but has returned. It also helps to have Lavey, Larissa Williams and Lucy Jenks, who are three of the top four scorers in the Dual County League. Lavey, the reigning DCL MVP and the program’s all-time leading scorer, has contributed 21 goals and seven assists, while Williams (10 goals, 18 assists) and Jenks (12 goals) possess a scoring touch, too, that gives the opposition nightmares. “It’s fairly unique that we would have three players at that level,” McCarthy said. “When teams determine how they’re going to approach us they have to make a choice. It’s hard to deal with all three.”
The gold standard
Silver Lake has won at least 14 games in each of the last five seasons and continued its high rate of success this year with a 17-0-1 regular season. “The leadership of the seniors is passed along from year to year so each class knows what the expectations are of players in the program,” said Silver Lake coach Dan Correia, “and they want to carry on that tradition.” This year’s seniors kept the standard high with three-year starters Justin Keating and Patrick McMahon spearheading the Lakers from opposite sides of the field. Keating looks every bit the part of an experienced goalie with nine shutouts, while McMahon leads the team in scoring again. The Lakers have also displayed mental toughness, especially in one-goal wins against Hingham and St. John’s Prep where Silver Lake relinquished leads before prevailing, that should serve the Lakers well in the tournament. “We’re more ready (for the postseason) in terms of our balance, our composure and having been through the process before,” Correia said.
Welcome to the club
When Mike Perry took over as the Cardinal Spellman girls soccer coach it was only supposed to be for one year. But Perry stuck around and the only coach the program has known reached a milestone last Saturday by recording his 400th career victory in Spellman’s 3-0 win over Hopedale. “It’s been great,” said Perry, who also coaches boys basketball at Spellman and has over 950 career wins combined. “I’ve been lucky. I’ve been in a nice situation and have the support of the people there.” Oliver Ames girls coach Britt Sellmayer also earned his 400th victory, coming Wednesday in a 6-0 win over Taunton. Sellmayer, in his 25th season coaching the Tigers, returned for his second stint at OA’s helm in 1997 after spending four years coaching at Wheaton College. “The job opened up here again and I came back and I never regretted it,” Sellmayer said. “It’s been one of the best experiences of my life.”