Middle school soccer finishes season strong
BY LINDAWILLIAMS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Both CPS middle school soccer teams had strong outings this fall. Comprised of seventh and eighth graders, the girls and boys squads posted winning records that rivaled any other school fall sports team this season. The CPS girls finished up the season with a 6-2-1 record. The squad traveled first last Tuesday to face off against Mattacheese, a team that had proven to be one of the toughest opponents for Nantucket, other than Barnstable, which accounted for the only losses of the season. There was a little bit of everything in what turned out to be the most exciting game of the season. After a first half that saw back and forth action, give and goes and several shots on both goals, neither team was able to score and went into the break knotted at 0-0. Nantucket keeper Kate Freed racked up seven saves against Mattacheese's keeper's nine.

Mattacheese jumped on the board first, about five minutes into the second half, off a corner kick. Nantucket answered back ten minutes later off a picture perfect give and go from Alexa Crosby to Cara Garufiback to Crosby and into the net to even the match. Both teams stepped up their attacks trying to break the tie. The game finally ended deadlocked at 1-1. Keeper Freed added ten more saves for a season high total of seventeen with Nantucket firing off another twelve quality shots on Mattacheese. The strong defense of Blair Congdon, Kylie Maguire, Kyra White and Maddie Malenfant were a key factor in keeping Mattacheese out of the net.

In the last game of the season, the girls hosted Lighthouse Charter School on Wednesday for their second match up. Crosby netted the first goal for Nantucket within three minutes of the opening kick on an assist from Venecia Ferginson, with a shot the keeper could not hang on to. Back and forth play continued until a minute before the end of the first half when Kali Sherburne crossed the ball to Crosby who volleyed the shot into the net. Due to the strong Nantucket defense of Congdon, Maguire, White and Alexa Dragon, keeper Freed saw no action and had time to read a book in the first half. Nantucket, on the other hand, had thirteen shots on goal and dominated the action and possession.

Nantucket again rammed one home within the first three minutes of the second half when Ruby Fee passed the ball to Sabrina Dawson who netted a left footer into the net for Nantucket's final goal and a decisive 3-0 win to end the season with a record of 6-2-1.

The CPS boys took two last week to improve to a record of 6-1-1. First up was a match against Mattacheese away last Monday in which Nantucket tallied another in the win column 4-2. On Wednesday, the boys hosted the Lighthouse Charter School. Conrad Troast scored his second goal of the season off a text book cross from Ocean Kane, to put Nantucket up. Keeper Christian Lombardi had time for a pizza in the first half as he never touched the ball but made a great save seconds before the break off a corner to preserve the slim lead. After the half, the defensive trio of Nick Larrabee, Caleb Gome and Josue Figueroa continued to smother all attacks. Anchor Gomes, who was playing up around the opponent's 30, scored the insurance goal after being fed a back-pass from Figueroa, by one touching it over the head of the entire defense line and the keeper.

"Even though we had trouble putting the ball in the net the quality of play overall was quite good, with attractive passing, ball possession and good supporting movement off the ball," commented Coach Matt Parker. The offense had to thank the defense for this one. "The defense was solid and did a great job protecting our lead and shutting down any real threats." Parker was upbeat about the level of play. "The midfield won most of it's tackles, showed patience on the ball, distributed the ball nicely down the flanks and had some good penetrating runs. When we play well it's a pleasure to watch."

With one more game left on the season, Parker was looking ahead. "It's been a great season and I look forward to seeing this team continue it's success and improvement in the NSSA Spring Travel program and in high school in the

years to come." I