Burke strikes quickly
LYNN — Burke wasted little time in making school history.
The fifth-seeded Bulldogs scored three goals in the final 21 minutes to lift Burke over No. 2 Manchester Essex, 4-0, at Manning Field to earn their first sectional title. Burke will return to Lynn at 7 p.m. Wednesday night for the next round of the playoffs.
As potent as Burke was on offense, the defense was equally proficient. Goalkeeper Lourenco Pereira was only called upon to make four saves in recording his second straight postseason shutout.
“We talk about it every single day pressure from the beginning of the game until the end of the game,” Burke coach Joao Barros said about the intensity his team plays with on defense.
Winchester 1, Concord-Carlisle 0 — It took nearly 80 minutes to decide the Divi- sion 2 North champion at Manning Field, but Winchester junior John DeOliveira stepped up and sealed the title for his side. The No. 6 Sachems (14-3-5) endured a tough test from the No. 9 Concord-Carlisle Patriots, winning the game and the title, 1-0.
DeOliveira scored the winner in the 76th minute, heading in a Will Hofheinz corner kick past Patriots keeper Alexander Hunt. The corner came just after Diego Diaz nearly took the lead, testing Hunt with a shot from inside the box, which he dramatically parried past goal.
Milford 2, Nauset 1 — Milford junior goalkeeper Leo Oliveira, who subbed in for an injured Kevin Gomes at the start of a second overtime, remained unfazed, when the No. 2 Scarlet
Hawks and top-seeded Nauset went to penalty kicks.
Oliveira made the only stop in the shootout as Milford converted all five penalty shots to claim the Division 2 South title with a 2-1 victory Saturday at Milford High.
After snapping Nauset’s 43-game unbeaten streak, Milford (18-0-2) advances to the state final for the first time since 1998 where it will meet Winchester.
Girls soccer
Holliston 3, Medway 0 — In Megan Putvinski’s first year suiting up for Holliston after playing in the development academy, the junior forward got more than what she expected.
Putvinski played a major role in helping No. 2 Holliston capture its first Division 2 South title since 1995 Saturday, factoring in all three of the Panthers goals in a 3-0 victory over eighthseeded Medway at Milford High.
Amesbury 2, Manchester Essex 1, SO — Trailing midway through, the top-ranked Indians put their championship calibre play on display, relentlessly attacking Manchester Essex and coming back to win, 2-1 in a shootout, to claim the Division 4 North title for the fourth consecutive year.
Trailing 1-0, Amesbury came out firing in the second half, determined to quickly even the score.
The pressure of the Indian attack generated a corner kick, which created a scramble in the box before McKenna
Hallinan was able to locate the ball, sliding in to jam it across the goal line and tie the game in the 44th minute.
Amesbury’s season could have ended in regulation, after a foul in the box led to a Manchester Essex penalty kick in the 77th minute.
With the title on the line, Indian senior keeper Allison Napoli read Amesbury senior Mia Cromwell’s shot perfectly, shifting to her right and kicking it out with the right foot, keeping the game tied at 1-1.
Winchester 2, Arlington 0 — Hannah Curtin scored the opening goal and added an assistant while goalkeeper Colleen Gogolin pitched a shutout as Winchester took one step closer to defending its title with a 2-0 win over Arlington in the Division 2 North Final on Sunday night at Manning Field in Lynn.
The Sachems advance to the state title game, where they will take on Holliston. Winchester will be looking to grab its ninth state title.
Field hockey
Mak Graves had a week she will remember forever.
After the Masconomet senior declared to play field hockey at Northeastern on Wednesday, Graves carried the North to a 5-1 victory over the South with a pair of goals in Sunday’s Best of 60 Senior All-Star Game at Bentley University.
Graves made her presence felt during the first half of the contest with two shotson-goal. In the second half, Graves’ gritty style of play was rewarded when she scored goals in the 44th and 58th minutes to help the North take a commanding 5-0 lead.
After winning the Div. 1 state final Saturday, Somerset-Berkley’s Lucas Crook scored the lone goal for the South.