The boys soccer team was headed to the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 4 state soccer finals this week after shutting out the No. 7 seed Westport Wildcats 3-0 Monday night, Nov. 17, in their semifinal contest at Victory Field in Watertown.
But assistant head coach Tom Hill wasn’t there to see it, having spent the evening in the Mount Auburn Hospital’s emergency room being treated for injuries sustained in a fall earlier that evening.
It was the team’s 18th consecutive shutout this season, a 50-year record, according to a Facebook posting by Nate Adelson, assistant coach. The new record is a testament to the skills of senior goalie Jacob Dangel, who earned Monday night’s win, and the defensive play of the Trojans backfield: seniors Jake O’Neil and Josh Pelak and juniors Finn Candon and Thomas Sintros.
Senior Jake O’Neil (co-captain) beats a Westport opponent to the ball. (Photos by Lisa Aciukewicz)
Kickoff was delayed 45 minutes as the team waited for the Division 4 semifinal between Rockland and Northbridge to end. Tied 2-2, the game stretched into double overtime followed by a penalty shoot-out, won by Rockland. But once the Bromfield-Westport game got underway, the Trojans wasted no time putting numbers on the scoreboard.
Senior Liam Glew scored the first goal barely four minutes into the game on a cross from his brother Conor, catching the Wildcats defense unprepared. Seven minutes later, it was Conor’s turn to score, flicking the ball over the head of Wildcats goalie Elijah McGonigle, with an assist from senior Pelak. Liam Glew scored the final goal with five minutes remaining in the second half, assisted by junior Thomas Sintros. It was the Wildcats’ first loss of the season.
There was no award ceremony for the winners so with temperatures in the mid-30s, exacerbated by a bone-chilling breeze, players and coaches quickly collected their gear and headed to the exits where they were met by parents and supporters.
In his pregame pitch, Coach Alex Horne asked his players to dedicate the night’s game to their absent assistant head coach, and he made sure that Hill was updated by phone on the team’s progress. Later, Horne, the team captains, and a few others waited in the Bromfield parking lot to greet Hill on his return from Mount Auburn, driven home by athletic director Dave Boisvert. “This team was playing for a purpose, and I think he was one of the reasons,” Horne said after the game.
The boys were preparing this week for the MIAA Division 4 state championship match scheduled for 4:45 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21, at Doyle Field in Leominster, where the Trojans will play the No. 5 Rockland
Wright was challenged throughout the night, with five saves in the second half alone, including two against near-miss Bromfield corner plays. Bromfield senior goalie Jacob Dangel had an easier time, thanks to the defensive play of seniors Jake O’Neil and Josh Pelak and juniors Finn Candon and Thomas Sintros in the backfield.
“It’s great to get multiple goals, but defense wins championships,” head coach Alex Horne said after the game. The victory against Ipswich was not only the team’s sixth consecutive shutout, he said, but also the 16th of the 2025 season.” I think that speaks volumes to our back line, our midfielders and our goalie.”
Co-captain Glew agreed. Having a strong defense gives attackers the confidence to commit offensively, to focus on scoring, he said. “You know that your defense is going to hold together, you’re not going to give up any goals. It’s super nice.”
Goalkeeper Jacob Dangel (co-captain, in center) leads the traditionnal “Hoorah” chant as the team gets pumped up before the game.
The match was played under the lights of Norton Field at Ayer Shirley High School, its stands packed with fans bundled against the chill of a late fall evening from both towns. As the players headed home, thoughts of their upcoming Nov. 12 round of 8 match against No. 9 Abington (9-6-4) were on their minds. With perennial rival No. 1 Sutton upset 2-1 by No. 17 Cohasset, Bromfield is the highest seed remaining in the tournament.
“I think [the team] is there,” said Horne. “They’ve been putting in the preparation since August; they’ve been getting prepared for this moment. And, you know, I think they really came together as a team, and this was a true team win tonight.”
At press time on Nov. 12, the Trojans beat Abington 1-0 in double overtime. See story at harvardpress.com.
