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Boys soccer closes out playoff run with final 4 loss to St. John’s, 4-2

The Acton-Carlisle boys soccer team’s sterling season ended one game short of playing for the state championship.

By Bruce Hack ·

Ben Hackman fires a shot that finds the back of the net for CCHS against St. John’s Prep in the MIAA semifinal match on November 17. Photo by Rebecca Woodward
Ben Hackman fires a shot that finds the back of the net for CCHS against St. John’s Prep in the MIAA semifinal match on November 17. Photo by Rebecca Woodward

The Acton-Carlisle boys soccer team’s sterling season ended one game short of playing for the state championship. Top-ranked St. John’s Prep defeated the Patriots 4-2 in the semifinal game at Lynn’s Manning Field on November 17.

The Patriots’ Max Hepworth outmaneuvers St. John’s Prep goalkeeper Matthew Droggitis for a score in the MIAA semifinal match on November 17. Photo by Jon Straggas
The Patriots’ Max Hepworth outmaneuvers St. John’s Prep goalkeeper Matthew Droggitis for a score in the MIAA semifinal match on November 17. Photo by Jon Straggas
  • Team record: Overall 14-6-1; Dual County League 7-3; MIAA tournament 3-1
  • Big game: Ben Hackman scored nine minutes into the game, off a nice feed from Tyler Shepard, for a 1-0 Patriots lead. Max Hepworth scored the final goal of the Pats’ season with just over six minutes remaining. Hepworth took a pass from Donovan Eaton, eluded the St. John’s goalkeeper, and fired a shot into the far-right corner.
  • Game changer: St. John’s Prep scored twice within three minutes in the second half to take a 2-1 lead to 4-1. 
  • Unsung heroes: The defense of Chris Rigazio, Cooper Balfour, Harry Growney, Timmy Stone, and Noah Endo made big play after big play to give the offense an opportunity to close the gap.
CCHS junior Max Hepworth runs towards his teammates after scoring the game-winning goal in OT. Photo by Aidan Moroney
CCHS junior Max Hepworth runs towards his teammates after scoring the game-winning goal in OT. Photo by Aidan Moroney

CCHS 2, Brookline 1

The Patriots notched their second straight overtime win, besting Brookline, 2-1, on November 14. Hepworth made a run down the left side and drilled a shot into the far-right corner of the goal for the game winner.

  • Big game: Goalkeeper Niko Kocic, after allowing an early tally by the Warriors, regrouped and came up big, stopping shot after shot by Brookline. He finished with nine saves for the second straight game. 
  • Turning point: Tyler Shepard knotted the game at 1-1 in the 21st minute off a pass from Eaton. 
  • Unsung heroes: The Patriots coaching staff of Mike Parato, Steve Wells, Phil Morris, and head coach Ray Pavlik — who earned his 350th career win — has prepared the team well for their tournament matchups.

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