Below are the official 2022 Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.
Hockomock League MVP
Casey Milliken, Oliver Ames
Hockomock League All Stars
Alex Vecchioli, Attleboro
Lucas Marques, Attleboro
Toby Smith, Attleboro
Jake McCabe, Canton
Carson Eagles, Canton
Ryan Cotter, Foxboro
Rex Cinelli, Franklin
Trey Lovell, Franklin
Will Kryzak, Franklin
Noah Cain, Franklin
Matt Crago, King Philip
Derek McGrath, Mansfield
Grady Sullivan, Mansfield
Nick Ribeiro, Milford
Eduardo Santana, Milford
Kaua Pereira, Milford
Zach Smahi, North Attleboro
Carson Dameron, North Attleboro
Casey Milliken, Oliver Ames
Hector Bucio, Oliver Ames
Luke Churchill, Oliver Ames
Andrew Martins, Oliver Ames
Rhys Davis, Sharon
Adam Eastman, Sharon
Matheus Groberio, Stoughton
Javonte Fernandes, Taunton
Honorable Mentions
Esvin Morales, Attleboro
Ashton Cetoute, Canton
Marco Pacini, Foxboro
Will Klawson, Franklin
Dermott Amorim, King Philip
Aiden Steele, Mansfield
Arthur Tome, Milford
Givani Carney, North Attleboro
Ryan Linhares, Oliver Ames
Matt Baur, Sharon
Kyle Grant, Stoughton
Riley Rebello, Taunton
Below are the official 2022 Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league.
Attleboro goalie Tyler Rocchio pounces on a loose ball just before Milford freshman Johnny Castro in the first half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
MILFORD, Mass. – If possession and scoring chances determined the outcome of a game, Milford would have recorded a landslide victory on Friday afternoon.
But it comes down to goals, and that lone strike in the game belonged to visiting Attleboro, who bunkered down defensively and got a big performance from junior goalie Tyler Rocchio to earn a 1-0 win and a key two points.
“They totally outplayed us and had beautiful possession but my goalie was hot,” said longtime Attleboro head coach Peter Pereira. “That save down there was massive. We were gutsy today, had a lot of numbers back and we did whatever it takes to get it out of there. [Rocchio] did a good job and the defense played solid back there. They had a lot of outside shots, we didn’t let them get in.
“They were the better team, their two kids in the middle have great touch. Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do to get a point here or there.”
The teams entered the contest locked in a tie for second place in the Kelley-Rex division, trailing Franklin by two points. The Bombardiers earned a big 4-0 win in the first meeting in the second week of the season although the Hawks were without a handful of starters.
With a nearly complete lineup – Milford was still without leading goal scorer Eduardo Santana – this time around was bound to be a closer contest.
It played out that way as the hosts asserted control over the first 20 minutes of the game.
Nick Ribeiro’s free kick was flashed wide by center back Kaua Pereira in the fifth minute, and just minutes later, Ribeiro’s switch to John Borges was headed into the area and freshman Johnny Castro nearly won the loose ball before Rocchio gobbled it up.
Milford’s best chance of the first half came just before the midway point as Ribeiro played Arthur Tome out wide on the left. Tome confidently attacked the defense, cutting into the middle before using a clever back heel touch to set up Ribeiro for a one-timer from just outside the box. The shot curled past Rocchio’s reach but hit off the inside of the post and stayed out.
Attleboro went back down the other end and cashed in with its first big chance of the opening half. Junior Alex Vecchioli was double-teamed and was knocked off the ball. Instead of a whistle, Vecchioli quickly got back to his feet, won possession back, carried toward the goal, and blasted a hard shot from a tight angle to the far post side netting.
“Alex’s goal was all work, work, work,” Pereira said. “They knocked him down, he got back up and got the ball again and went to goal.”
Milford nearly unlocked the Attleboro defense minutes later as Borges and Ribeiro combined on a nice one-two, the former breaking into the area but a strong challenge from Bombardier defenders Jake Stromfors and Zach Diffenderfer denied the Hawks.
An errant pass in the back nearly led to the equalizer in the final moments of the first half but Attleboro center back Toby Smith recovered to track down the loose ball, winning back-to-back 50/50 challenges to keep the visitors ahead.
We played until the end, we played tough so I’m proud of that but the scoreline is what it is,” said Milford head coach Antonio Pinto. “You can dominate a game but it doesn’t always reflect on the scoreboard because part of the game is scoring goals. We played fine but we didn’t do the number one thing which is scoring.”
The second half was dominated by the hosts but they couldn’t quite solve the Attleboro back line, featuring Ian Miller alongside Stromfors, Diffenderfer, and Smith, plus Lucas Marques in a center defensive mid role.
In the 44th minute, sophomore Rodrigo Lourenço sent in a corner that Pereira sent wide, and then Smith came up with a good defensive tackle on Borges after a long ball from Nate Dinis two minutes later. In the 54th minute, Andre Baiano blasted a left-footed shot that was well-struck but was just over the bar.
“They’ve grown, and they are communicating well with each other,” Pereira said of his defense. “They are skinny little guys but they get the job done. Smith doesn’t care who’s in front of him, he’ll make the tackle and do whatever it takes. The outside fullbacks have been getting better and better too. And with teams like Milford, we needed to have numbers back.”
The biggest stop for the Bombardiers came in the 63rd minute. As the hosts continued to knock on the door, it looked like Tome was set to break through and bring the Hawks level. From the left sideline, he was able to cut in and get off a well-hit right-footed shot that looked destined for the top corner as the far post but Rocchio timed his leap perfectly and parried the ball away with one-hand with what certainly will be one of the best saves of the year.
Milford pushed numbers forward in the final minutes but couldn’t connect on a through ball or a cross into the area and the Bombardiers escaped with the win.
“The players might be a little agitated after two losses, they aren’t used to losing but I’ll tell you right now, I’m very confident,” Pinto said. “Our main goal is to get one point to get us into the playoffs, then we want to make sure we aren’t getting cards…if we get to the playoffs with a full, healthy roster, I think we can cause some problems.”
Attleboro boys soccer (8-2-3 overall, 7-2-3 Hockomock) is on the road next week at King Philip. Milford (8-5-1, 7-4-1) will try to snap its brief two-game skid on a trip to North Attleboro.
Taunton and Attleboro will be looking to challenge Milford atop the Kelley-Rex division. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
2021 Record: 9-8-3 Coach: Peter Pereira
While last year’s record doesn’t jump off the page, it was a good season for the Bombardiers and a step in the right direction for the program.
There were a lot of varsity debuts a year ago, and a lot of new faces in the lineup for longtime head coach Peter Pereira. This year is the opposite as many of those players are back and looking to make a serious challenge for the Kelley-Rex division title. Highlighting a deep and talented group of returners is a trio of HockomockSports Second XI selections from a year ago: senior forward Esvin Morales, junior goalie Tyler Rocchio, and junior midfielder and last year’s HockomockSports Underclassman of the Year Alex Vecchioli.
That trio gives the Bombardiers a top player in most key spots on the pitch. Vecchioli will be flanked by some familiar faces as senior Lucas Marques, junior Billy Badger, and junior Luke Hagopian are all back in the mix after starting last season. Juniors Kyle Neuendorf and Richard Ferreira provide key depth off the bench for the midfield unit. Up front, senior Steve Etienne will complement Morales at striker with juniors Nick Ticas and Clay Tyler able to provide energy off the bench.
Attleboro did graduate one of the best center backs in the league in Cash Stuger so there will be a hole to fill there but Pereira has a solid trio of experienced seniors in Jake Stomfors, Toby Smith, and Ian Miller to rely on defensively. Juniors Zack Diffenderfer and Joshua Codella are also in the mix for minutes in the back four.
“It is a hard-working group and I believe we have the potential to win some big games,” Pereira said.
2021 Record: 14-5-4 (D2 State Finalist) Coach: Danny Erickson
The Canton boys soccer team made history last year with its run to the Division 2 state final and while it will be a big ask to replicate such a special run, the Bulldogs have plenty of key pieces to at least challenge for a division title and have a go at another big run.
Canton lost the majority of its lineup from a year ago after graduating seven of the 11, but with a large, talented senior class, Hall of Fame coach Danny Erickson always has his squads ready to compete. The biggest piece back to the puzzle is senior striker Jake McCabe, a 2021 HockomockSports Best XI selection that tied for the league-lead in goals during the regular season a year ago with 13 goals.
Having 13 seniors on the squad will give the Bulldogs a boost, including veteran players like Caden Mirliani, Ashton Cetoute, Carson Eagles, and Brian Shea. Junior Zaza Francoeur picked up some valuable minutes a year ago and will be a key piece in the attack this year.
“We will certainly need to reinvent how we play after losing so many weapons but we have a great group,” said Erickson. “Lots of guys competing hard for the opportunity to contribute. That should help us compete in the always-tough league.”
2021 Record: 9-9-1 Coach: Dan Ambrosio
Foxboro has a strong core of returners back from last year’s squad that qualified for the postseason and will be looking to incorporate some young players to challenge for the Davenport division crown.
The Warriors will need to get the new players up to speed quickly because the injury bug has already hit, taking seniors Jorge Sanchez-Garcia (All Hock honorable mention last year) and starting defender Ian Foley for the season. Head coach Dan Ambrosio will lean heavily on his senior captains, striker Alex Penders and defender Marco Pacini. Penders, a standout on the hardwood for Foxboro’s basketball team, isn’t your typical striker but standing at 6’5, he’s a nightmare for opposing defenders and a dream for teammates serving the ball into the area.
Pacini is a seasoned veteran as a four-year member of the varsity team and will be the anchor of the back line. Sophomore Ryan Cotter will take over in net behind Pacini and the back line. The strength of the squad could be in the middle with a trio of juniors: John Hollis, Ryan Flaherty, and Pradyu Gubbala. All three are returners from a year ago and will be key pieces in not only helping the back line but orchestrating and organizing the attack.
“The strength of the attack lies in the ability to counter quickly, while defensive organization is a strength when without the ball,” Ambrosio said.
2021 Record: 11-5-4 Head Coach: Fran Bositis
Franklin will be looking to replicate its success from last year after the Panthers came just three points shy of the division title and earned a win in the state tournament.
The Panthers didn’t graduate a huge senior class but they did lose some key pieces like HockomockSports Best XI selection Terry O’Neill in midfield and Second XI selection Aidan Griffith on defense. But there is plenty of talent back all over the pitch for the Franklin, who will certainly be in the mix for the Kelley-Rex crown this year. Franklin’s four captains are spread throughout the field with Best XI selection Rex Cinelli back at center back, Will Kryzak up front, Trey Lovell in the middle of the pitch, and Griffin Tolonen in net.
Cinelli is coming off a very strong sophomore campaign and will join forces with Will Klawson to anchor the back line, which has impressed so far this preseason. Lovell will partner with Noah Cain at center mid to help the Panthers transition from the back, and orchestrate the offense. Juniors Hansy Jacques and Andrew O’Neill will provide depth alongside Kryzak up front. Michael Fernandez Martin, Garrett Scagliarini, and Matt Honekamp are new names to keep an eye on.
“It’s still early but our athletes are working hard and I know that we are all excited for the upcoming season,” said Hall of Fame head coach Fran Bositis. “We are looking forward to the challenge of competing in the Hockomock League.”
2021 Record: 3-13-2 Coach: Mike O’Neill
After battling through an injury-plagued 2021 season, the King Philip boys soccer team is aiming to be in the mix for the Kelley-Rex division title this year.
The Warriors boast a strong group of seniors that will be the heart and soul of the squad but will be looking to integrate some young and new faces in order to challenge in a very talented Kelley-Rex division. After scoring just 20 goals last year, the Warriors are hoping offense will be a strength this year behind a deep mix of creative and quick wing players. Senior Matt Crago returns after a terrific junior season (four goals, two assists) and will be a go-to option in the midfield and out wide. He’ll be joined by junior wing Will Bowen and junior wing Dermott Amorim.
Up top, KP will look to junior Tommy Lomuscio to find the back of the net. As a sophomore, he scored five goals and had nine assists – factoring in on just under half of the Warriors’ offense production. Senior goalie Connor O’Reilly made some huge saves a year ago and is back in net this year. Senior Tom Meader will anchor the back line at center back while senior Oliver Blackburn and sophomore Sayan Panda will lend some help to the defense from the center mid spot.
“I think the Hock is wide open this year, which is just another way of saying that there is a tremendous amount of parity,” said KP head coach Mike O’Neill. “Any win is a good win in the Hockomock League. We have strengths in our captains and our senior leadership. In order to be really competitive, we will need our younger players to contribute right away.”
2021 Record: 8-5-4 Coach: Steve Sheridan
Mansfield is looking to make a big splash in its first season competing in the Davenport division and enter the season as an instant contender.
The Hornets join the Davenport in a challenging year with Oliver Ames looking to make it three straight Davenport titles (four overall), a Canton squad fresh off of a state finals appearance, a revitalized Stoughton squad, a very skillful Sharon team, and a competitive Foxboro group. Despite losing 14 seniors from last year’s squad that went 8-5-4, Mansfield has a solid core intact for a big year.
It starts with captains Aidan Steele, Grady Sullivan, and Dan Checkoway – all three are seasoned veterans and know what it takes to compete in the Hock. Steele plays up top as a target forward while Sullivan and Checkoway patrol the midfield, along with the talented Connor Palinski. Junior Lucas DeSousa and sophomore Tyler Znoj have impressed early on in the midfield while sophomore Cooper Austin is in the mix up front.
Head coach Steve Sheridan is turning to senior Liam Doyle, who missed all of last year with an injury, to take over in net. Senior Derek McGrath will anchor the back line in front of Doyle while sophomore Matthew Sullivan has had a strong camp in the back as well.
“We don’t have as much varsity experience as I’d like, but we have a good bunch of kids that hopefully click sooner rather than later,” Sheridan said.
2021 Record: 12-4-3 Coach: Antonio Pinto
The defending Kelley-Rex champions might have some inexperience and youth in some spots in the lineup, but the Scarlet Hawks return a strong core of players ready to defend their title.
Milford has won four straight division titles, two in the Davenport and now two straight in the Kelley-Rex, and will be looking to make it five straight with another banner this year. Returning HockomockSports Best XI selection Nick Ribero is such a steady presence in the midfield and does a great job spreading the ball and finding open teammates. He will have a lot of options with Arthur Tome (seven goals, nine assists), Eduardo Santana (nine goals, five assists), and John Borges (two goals, eight assists), all back this season.
After losing Best XI selection Chris Tocci (center back) and Kevin Gomes (goalie), the Hawks will have some inexperience in their own final third. The Scarlet Hawks will turn to junior Nate Dinis to anchor the back line after he played some key minutes a season ago.
“We have a very young squad going into the season, but a tight group of kids who are together 24/7, a very family-like team here at Milford this season,” said Milford head coach Antonio Pinto. “Offensively we will have to figure out ways to score goals. Defensively we are very young and inexperienced but have a tight group of kids that will help each other out.”
2021 Record: 8-8-2 Coach: Mike Lacasse
An untimely departure from the girls’ program at North forced a bit of a shakeup in the coaching ranks as Geoff Burgess moves over to the girls and Mike Lacasse, who has coached the JV team for a number of years, moves up to take over varsity.
Lacasse and the Rocketeers will look to make some noise in a very talented Kelley-Rex division, and look to get back to the state tournament. The strength of the squad will be in the midfield as the Big Red has some familiar faces back in key spots. Senior Carson Dameron is back for his third year as a starter and will be joined by classmates Zach Smahi and Griffin Rodden. Juniors Kaden Burns and Quinn Conley will patrol the flanks while sophomore Patrick Etienvre could be poised for a breakout campaign after some impressive minutes as a freshman.
Defensively, North Attleboro has the challenge of replacing one of the better keepers in the league in David Floyd as well as HockomockSports Second XI selection Brody Rosenberg at center back. Seniors Jack Regan (outside back) and Sam Bush will try to solidify the backline with junior Owen Goeller in position to start in net. Up front, the Rocketeers will turn to senior Givany Carney, a powerful striker, and junior Bryce Newth, to produce some goals.
“We have a good mix of young talent and experience in some key positions,” Lacasse said. “I am excited to see what this team can accomplish this season, as they look to continue the progress they had toward the end of last year.”
2021 Record: 13-4-2 Coach: John Barata
For most programs, losing the league MVP plus the league’s top goal scorer would be a massive hurdle to get over. But this isn’t something new for Oliver Ames, who has won three straight division titles and eight overall since the 2011 season. While graduation will certainly hurt, the returners and new arrivals have OA right back in the mix for another title.
Despite the loss of Mathias Taylor (MVP) and Clide Neau (tied for a league-high 13 goals), the Tigers have plenty to be excited about, starting with sophomore Casey Milliken, who finished atop the points leaderboard during the regular season a year ago and earned HockomockSports Underclassman of the Year honorable mention.
On top of that, Joey Carney is back in the mix in the midfield looking to capitalize on a solid sophomore campaign (four goals, two assists), and sophomore Andrew Martins will see an increased role after impressing as a freshman. And like always for OA, they will lean heavily on the captains: senior Hector Bucio, who had a breakout year with seven goals and three assists, and senior Jake Williams. Sophomores Luke Churchill has also impressed so far this preseason.
“OA is excited to compete in the Hockomock League,” said OA head coach John Barata. “We are working to get into the tournament this season. We want to grow as a team and have a lot of fun.”
2021 Record: 6-9-3 Coach: Scott Nathan
Sharon battled its way through injury after injury last season, showing glimpses at times (wins over league champs Milford and Oliver Ames, finishing on a four-game unbeaten streak) but missed out on a spot in the state tournament.
With a host of talent returning this year, the Eagles are serious contenders to challenge for the division title in what is shaping up to be one of the deepest years in the Davenport. The Eagles look to have a strong defensive group this year anchored by HockomockSports Second XI selection Rhys Davis at center back. He’ll be joined by seniors Tyler Goodman, Brandon Mauricio, and Tony Yang to not only give the Eagles a veteran backline but one with skill and pace. Senior Matt Baur is back with the program and returns to his starting spot in net.
The Eagles also have some key pieces back in the midfield and up front. Senior captain Adam Eastman will be looking to build on his nine-goal season from last year, which was tied for fifth most in the Hock. Seniors Rishi Shetty, Malachi Diaz, and Miguel Vasconcelos provide depth up front. Cam Birnbaum and Kevin Lu are also returning players from last year’s squad that could see valuable minutes.
“The Hock is among the strongest leagues in the state,” said head coach Scott Nathan. “We look forward to getting the chance to play against so many quality teams. The boys can’t wait to get started!”
2021 Record: 0-17-1 Coach: Ruben Teixeira
Stoughton struggled through a difficult schedule last season but there is a bit of a buzz about the Black Knights entering this season.
First year head coach Ruben Teixeira, who has coached both at the high school and collegiate level, had a great turnout for tryouts and the Black Knights will be looking to bounce out of the bottom of the standings and make a serious run at the Davenport division title.
Stoughton has a good amount of returning players from a year ago, including a lot of young players that were getting their first varsity experience. Teixeira will look to his seniors to guide the way, especially early on. Senior Joao Marotti sets the tone with his hard work and will be a factor both defensively and offensively for Stoughton. His versatility will provide Teixeira with some flexibility in the midfield. Another senior to keep an eye on is Matheus Groberio, a new addition to the program that has a lot of experience and knowledge of the game. He could be an instant impact player for Stoughton this season.
2021 Record: 5-10-3 Coach: Taylor Whitters
Taunton had an excellent start last year, winning four straight to open the season but the momentum came to a halt and the Tigers finished at 5-10-3 and on the outside looking in for the postseason.
With nearly its entire squad back in the mix this season, the Tigers will be looking to replicate that start and then carry it even further and challenge for the Kelley-Rex title. Taunton was young last season as the lineup featured mostly juniors and sophomores, but now the Tigers are one of the most experienced groups and will be looking to use their speed to challenge the rest of the Hock.
Riley Ribello was a 2021 HockomockSports Best XI selection on defense but he’s shown he can play at center mid or move up top and be a dangerous attack, and it’s likely that’s where we’ll see him this season. The Tigers also have Quincy Jones-Sylvia back at center back while Josh Letourneau, Ian Robicheau, and Jonathan Trinh all saw time at outside back and will provide key defensive depth this year.
Conal Scully proved to be a top attacking option last year with the ability to score from a variety of spots on the pitch. Aidden Fitting plays with a ton of pace on the outside and the Taunton midfield will get another speedy player in Javonte Fernandes, who is back on the field after playing goalie last season. Vinicius Lira Lima and Az-Anael St. Marc provide attack depth for the Tigers.
“We have a lot of individual talent, however, it is our unmatched team chemistry and synchronicity on the pitch that will undoubtedly make this our year in the Hock,” said Taunton head coach Taylor Whitters.
Attleboro’s Cashel Stuger and Milford’s Eduardo Santana battle for possession near midfield in the first half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
MILFORD, Mass. – The Milford boys soccer team entered the season with hopes of winning a fourth straight division title, but after a slow start, the Hawks found themselves on the outside looking in.
But after losing three of its first five games, Milford has completely turned it around and is now the hottest team in the Hockomock League. The Hawks pushed their unbeaten streak to nine and winning streak to five with a 2-0 blanking of Attleboro on Monday afternoon and now sit in first place with three games to go.
“Hard work and unity,” Milford head coach Antonio Pinto said of what has changed since the beginning of the season. “The kids didn’t give up on each other. Especially when we were 0-2, we have really good leaders on this team that rallied everyone together. We have four great captains and even guys that aren’t captains, they pulled everyone together.”
The streak starting with a shutout win over North Attleboro on September 27th, continued with three straight draws, and now the Hawks have won five straight games, including back-to-back wins over Mansfield and Attleboro — the former the team just two points behind in the standings and the latter just three points behind.
“On the field, everything has improved,” Pinto said. “We knew we’d be a competitive team, we didn’t expect to dominate but we want to compete with every team in the state. We’re ready to play no matter who the opponent is. As a whole, even after the first results, we kept our heads.”
Milford boys soccer
Milford applied pressure right out of the gate, registering their first goal-scoring chance just over five minutes in. The Hawks cashed in twice in the opening 40 minutes and senior goalie Kevin Gomes came up with a trio of terrific saves to earn the shutout in net.
The teams traded chances in the first half but it was the hosts who took advantage of their opportunities.
Avi Seri connected with Eduardo Santana with a pass out of the back and Santana turned and played a diagonal ball through to John Borges but Attleboro sophomore keeper Tyler Rocchio reacted well off his line, coming up with his first of many big saves to deny Milford.
Attleboro came back down the other way just three minutes later as sophomore Alex Vecchioli played a nice ball in for Liam Bischoff but Milford senior defender Chris Tocci did well to deny any chance.
Bill Silva launched a ball down the left sideline for Arthur Tome, who was able to go at the defender one-on-one and was fouled in the box as he cut towards the touchline. Tocci stepped up and buried a low shot to the keeper’s right for a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute.
It looked like the Bombardiers would pull level just two minutes later as Vecchioli, known for his left foot, unleashed a blast from distance off his right foot but Gomes made a terrific leaping one-handed parry over the bar to preserve the lead.
Eight minutes later it was Milford’s turn for a big chance. Junior Nick Ribeiro played a service into the area that was misplayed by the defense, giving Santana an open look from in close but his shot was right at Roccio, who did a nice job to hold on and prevent any rebound opportunity.
Attleboro senior Esvin Morales looked to pull even with what has become a signature move of his. With an attacking free kick about 25 yards out, Morales — who has scored twice doing this — shot it quickly before the wall was set but Gomes was quick to react and made a diving save to keep it out. On the ensuing corner, Vecchioli’s header was gobbled up by Gomes.
Milford doubled its lead with less than five minutes to play in the opening half. The play started in their own defensive third as senior Alex Siqueira played it quickly to classmate Christian Dinis on the right way. Dinis went central to Tome, who played a ball through behind the defense to Dylan Borr and the junior tucked away his low shot past the oncoming charging keeper into the far post for a 2-0 lead.
The first 20 minutes of the second half was mostly played between the boxes but with time at a premium and facing a two-goal deficit, Attleboro started to push more numbers forward to try and create chances.
Morales dropped a free kick in the area in the 58th that fell to Chris Russo but the senior didn’t get enough on his shot and it went wide. Two minutes later, Vecchioli curved a free kick around the wall but Gomes made a terrific diving save to keep it out.
The chances continued in the 62nd minute when Vecchioli kept the ball in play down the left flank and centered for Kyle Neuendorf but Seri came through with a key intervention to deny a chance.
“I always have a lot of confidence in our back line,” Pinto said. “Sometimes they scare me a little because they can take a few too many touches, they’ll take it past players…but at the end of the day, they get it done, they get their job done.
“And Kevin is an extraordinary keeper, made two or three great saves. [Vecchioli] can hit with both feet and had two great shots from outside and Kevin came up with a save each time. And props to their keeper [Rocchio] too, he made some great saves too.”
Attleboro’s Toby Smith made a great hustle play to keep the deficit at two in the 65th minute. Ribeiro connected with Dinis, who made a nice run out the back, but Smith came across the field to intercept the play and clear.
Junior Lucas Marques held possession in the attacking third, switching the play to the right side for a service from Neuendorf that was met by a header from Yianni Skordas but the shot was just off target.
“We worked hard in the second half,” said Attleboro head coach Peter Pereira. “They got their breaks and they capitalized in the first half. Unfortunately a penalty, that can throw a team off a little bit. And then they got a late goal in the first half, that was a dagger. It took us a while to get going in the second half, [Milford] has great ball possession, which is difficult to try and take it away.
“The last 20 minutes we pushed some people up to create some breaks and their goalie made some good saves. [Rocchio] made some good ones too. We knew it was going to be a battle but they played a little bit better soccer than we did.”
Milford controls its own destiny with three of its four final games against division foes, and two of those games are at home. But even with a two-point lead entering the final stretch, Pinto says the focus isn’t on another division title.
“These guys aren’t worried about a division title right now, they aren’t worried about the standings, they just come out each time ready to play,” Pinto said. “They love to play soccer and they treat each game like a final. Each game is as big as the one before it.”
Milford boys soccer (8-3-2 Hockomock, 9-3-2 overall) returns to action on Wednesday when it hosts King Philip. Attleboro (6-3-3, 6-4-3) will look to bounce back on the same day when it hosts Taunton.
