Under-12 Boys Results (2004-2005)

Spring 2005 MAPLE Results

Won 2 - 0 versus Boston Blast (April 10th) The Under-12 Boys captured their MAPLE first victory since last September with a convincing 2 - 0 win over the Boston Blast. Team defense was the order of the day, as the defensive unit of Nick Calabrese, Chris Schultz Rudi Ottariano, David Walas and Kyle Velez did an excellent job of denying the Blast attack throughout the match. Special kudos to Nick Calabrese who was asked to shut down the Blast's dangerous "go to" man up front, a job he did with great gusto. Kudos also to David Walas, whose 35-yard restart found the far corner through a screen for the second goal of the day. A missed PK by the Blast could have narrowed the margin, but in the end the visitors from Eastern Mass had few shots on goal and fewer dangerous ones. The Western boys attacked well as a team as the midfield controlled play through long stretches of the match, creating opportunities up front. Mike Pope and Mike Choquette controlled the central midfield with much aplomb, combining with hard-running outside midfielders Christian Grenier, Patrick Anthony, Jesse Geary, Tommy Barron, and David Bohl to create attacking opportunities from the middle ranks. The first goal of the day came off a left-footed blast to the lower right corner from Mike Choquette going right-to-left across the 18. Many chances within the Blast penalty area were turned aside by their keeper or narrowly missed the goal. Forwards Eli Wilson-Berkowitz, Jay Roberts, Mark Richards, David Bohl and Tommy Barron kept up the pressure on the Blast defense, making a number of dangerous runs at the opposing goal. Keeper Tyler Stanton was perfect in goal, directing the Blast PK over the crossbar through sheer willpower, and snapping up everything else that came his way. The boys will face Noreaster next week at Holyoke High School.
Won 3 - 1 versus Noreaster (April 17th) The Under-12 boys continued their winning ways with a convincing 3 - 1 victory over Noreaster. From the opening whistle the Western boys went on the attack and maintained the offensive pressure for much of the game. Late in the first half the Noreaster keeper parried a crossed ball and outside halfback Patrick Anthony pounced on the open ball and sent it into the top of the net for a 1 - 0 halftime lead. The central midfield duo of Mike Pope and Mike Choquette provided dangerous passes to Jesse Geary on the left flank and Tommy Barron on the right, resulting in several shots by the outside runners. Meanwhile, the defensive four of Rudi Ottariano, Chris Schultz, Kyle Velez and David Walas frustrated the Noreaster attack, permitting only one shot on goal in the first half. The warm sun and hot playing surface promised a second half of tired legs, but nobody told the Western boys they were supposed to look tired. Instead, they resumed their relentless attack, garnering their second goal on what was to be the play-of-the-game, when Tommy Barron received a pass outside the 18 with his back to goal, made a stunning spin move around the defender and ripped the ball into the upper net over the surprised keeper's outstretched arms. Jay Roberts would close out the scoring for Western with a low hard shot to the far corner from about 16 yards out, assisted by Eli Wilson-Berkowitz. Mark Richards from the forward position, and Christian Grenier and David Bohl from the midfield maintained the offensive pressure with some nice combinations and thru-balls. The boys played well as a unit, possessing the ball well and finding dangerous passing lanes all day. Their next opponent is the Fuller Hamlets.
Won 3 - 2 versus Fuller Hamlets (April 24th) The Under-12 Boys continued their winning ways with a solid 3 - 2 win over the Fuller Hamlets on the strength of a hat-trick by striker Mark Richards. Mark lined a left-footed strike past the Hamlets keeper early in the first half. However, the Hamlets responded with a long-distance restart that went over the hands of keeper Tyler Stanton and into the upper 90 to even the score. Western did not relent in its attack, scoring its second tally of the first half when Jay Roberts struck a low rocket from the 18 which the Hamlets keeper could not hold. The rebound went to the foot of the onrushing Mark Richards for his second goal of the game. The good guys in red (who actually wore white in this match) took a 3 - 1 lead on another well-placed rebound by Mark Richards early in the second half. The Western offense was relentless on this day, ringing the crossbar three times and the posts a couple of times, too, for good measure. Tommy Barron and David Bohl has close-in opportunites smothered by an astute Hamlets goalie, who kept his team in the match. The many soggy spots on the field did not slow down the fast-paced match, although the Western defense once again did not allow any quality shots on goal in the course of play. The second Fuller Hamlets goal came on a penalty kick late in the second half. As in the first two matches, the Western defense was impenetrable in the course of play. Nick Calabrese returned to the lineup that was anchored by the strong foursome of Rudi Ottariano, David Walas, Chris Schultz and Kyle Velez. The "two Mikes" once again roamed the central midfield, priming the offensive pump and frustrating the Fuller Hamlets' attempts to generate offense from the midfield ranks. As was the case the previous two weeks, the outside midfielders added a special dimension to the potent Western attack. Patrick Anthony, Jesse Geary, Jay Roberts, David Bohl and Christian Grenier were very dangerous attacking from the outside and provided some good service into the box. Eli Wilson-Berkowitz saw limited playing time due to injury, but should return next week. Keeper Tyler Stanton collected everything that came his way during the course of play and showed great composure in distributing backpasses that came his way. Next week the boys face South Shore Selects away.
Won 4 - 2 versus Delta FC (May 8th) The U12 Boys continued their winning ways in a windswept affair at the Chestnut School Field in Springfield. With the wind at their back in the first half, Mike Choquette drove home a restart from 25-yards out over the outstretched arms of the Delta keeper. A short time later, superb passing in the opponent's box set up outside midfielder Jesse Geary for a solid strike from 10 yards out that the keeper could hardly react to. The half ended with Western ahead 2 - 0. Against the strong wind in the second half, Western continued its attacking ways, keeping the ball on the ground and generating numerous opportunities. About 10 minutes into the half outside midfielder David Bohl was the recipient of a well-executed combination play with Jay Roberts and Mark Richards that sprang him free on the left. He beat the last defender and drove the ball home for a 3 - 0 lead. Delta, with the wind at their back, scored on a restart from just outside the box to climb within 2 goals of Western. Not long after that, however, Eli Wilson-Berkowitz buried a loose ball in the Delta box to mark his return from a heel injury the previous week. With a 4 - 1 lead Western continued to press, but could not find the net, while Delta got a second goal on a long 35-yard bomb that slipped under the crossbar. As has been the case throughout the season, the entire team contributed to a stingy defense and potent offense.
Won 7 - 0 versus South Shore Select (makeup of May 1st rainout) THe one-sided affair was highlighted by a pair of goals by David Bohl.
Tied 0 - 0 versus North Shore (May 15th) The wind-swept affair saw Western hit the posts a number of times, while keeper Tyler Stanton stymied a couple of dangerous runs by North Shore.
Won 6 - 2 versus Tri-Valley (May 22nd) Capping an almost flawless season the Western side wasted no time in getting on the scorecard, when Jay Roberts received a beautiful cross and went in alone and found the corner netting on the Tri-Valley keeper. Goals by Mike Pope (assisted by Mark Richards) and Mike Choquette (assisted by Eli Wilson-Berkowitz) rounded out the first-half scoring for Western, while Tri-Valley got their tally on a penalty kick called for a handball in the area. The Western boys did not sit back in the second half, but continued their relentless attack. A corner kick by Mike Choquette found Mike Pope levitating at the 6 for a pretty headball goal past the outstretched hands of the opposing keeper. A short time later, Mark Richards collected a shanked goalkick and buried the ball with a nice left-footed strike. The final Western tally of the day was had by Mike Pope who collected the rebound of a hard shot by Jay Roberts, turned to goal and placed the ball where the keeper wasn't. The second Tri-Valley goal came on a defensive breakdown which allowed the opposing striker to go in for a breakaway, which he finished. Special mention goes to sweeper Rudi Ottariano, who saved a number of dangerous incursions into the Western defensive area in the first half. In all, it was a solid team effort by team red, which had its usual share of missed breakaways (at least 3). The team moves on to the FC Delco Memorial Day Tournament next weekend and then to the U12 postseason tournament at UMass.

Results from Two Recent Friendly Matches

Western United 6 World Class Soccer Premier 0 The 11 player squad from Western defeated World Class at Northwest Park in Windsor, CT on this overcast and wet day. Playing without subs, Western opened the scoring twelve minutes into the game with a through pass by Eli Wilson Berkowitz to Jason Roberts who banged home what proved to be the winning goal. Two minutes later, Jason Roberts sent a throw-in to Eli Wilson-Berkowitz who beat a defender with a quick stutter step and fired the ball into the back of the net. Three minutes later, Tommy Barron brought the ball down the right side of the field and sent a crossing pass into the six. Eli Wilson-Berkowitz chipped the ball to the far left side of the goal and Christian Grenier charged in and redirected the ball for his first goal of the season and for the team's third goal.. Noah Dickerman came up with a huge save on a direct kick later in the half that appeared to be going in just under the crossbar. Noah punched the ball over the top of the crossbar resulting in a major league type save. With about thirty seconds left in the first half, Jason Roberts sent a through pass from the center circle are towards the box. The opposing keeper came charging out of goal and went down for the ball. Tommy touched the ball sending it past the keeper and walked the ball into the goal giving Western a 4-0 halftime lead. In the second half, every player was moved to an entirely new position. With eight minutes left in the half, Tommy Barron sent a soft lead pass to Noah Dickerman. Noah took the ball, went one-on-one with the keeper and placed a beautifully touched shot on the ground past the keeper for his first goal on the season. With less than a minute left in the match, Jesse Geary headed a goal kick to the feet of Noah Dickerman who notched his second goal of the day and a resulting 6-0 win. Noah Dickerman, Tommy Barron and Nick Calabrese combined for the shutout win in goal. Kudos go to the eleven who could make the match and played every single minute including Tommy Barron, Nick Calabrese, Noah Dickerman, Jesse Geary, Christian Grenier, Donovan Haywood, Rudi Ottariano, Rick Poirier, Jason Roberts, Keshov Sharma and Eli Wilson-Berkowitz.

Western United 4 Bruno United 2 (October 11, 2004) On a brisk fall Columbus Day, the Western side earned a 4-2 win over a talented Bruno squad at Milot Field in Rehoboth, MA. Western would open with three goals in the first half with the Roberts - Barron connection. Nine minutes into the match, Jason Roberts sent a cross in from the left side of the pitch to the top of the six. Tommy Barron, one-touched the ball out if the air into the back of the net for the first goal. About three minutes latter, Jason Roberts sent a through pass up the middle of the field. Tommy Barron beat the defender in a footrace and blasted a shot into the back of the goal from about 15 yards out. With about 1 minute left in the first half Casay Yamazaki-Heineman sent a pass from the left side of the pitch to Jason Roberts in the middle. Jason continued to switch the field of play, send the ball to Tommy Barron who was on the upper right corner of the 18. Tommy fired a shot that found the far upper left 90 for his third goal of the match. Bruno opened the scoring in the second half less than two minutes into the half. Western would answer when Eli Wilson-Berkowitz would chip the ball over a defender to a charging Mike Choquette. Mike rifled a shot into the back of the net for his first goal of the match nine minutes into the half. With 15 minutes left in the half, Jason Roberts sent a beautiful lead pass for Mike Choquette who sent a beautiful low shot into the right side of the goal for his second goal of the match. Bruno closed out the scoring with two minutes remaining in the match and the good guys in red earning a quality win. Ben Droz was solid in goal all day. Rudi Ottariano, Jesse Geary, Ricky Poirier, Nick Calabrese and Donovan Haywood played some hard-nosed defense. David Bohl contributed on the attack. Noah Dickerman and Keshov Sharma helped the team in the midfield positions.

Fall 2004 MAPLE Results

Lost 1 - 0 versus Tornados (Sept. 12th)

Won 4 - 2 versus Fuller Hamlets (Sept. 19th) The Western side controlled the bulk of the play through the first half with solid possession play, firing numerous shots that did not find their way into the back of the net. Finally, fifteen minutes into the game, Mike Choquette sent a quick pass to the outside corner where Taylor Surette sent the ball back to Ricky Poirier who was supporting the play at the upper left corner of the penalty area. Ricky crossed the ball to Eli Wilson-Berkowitz who was charging straight down the middle of the box, beat a defender and ripped a shot into the back of the net. Five minutes into the second half, the Fuller Hamlets tied the score when one of their attackers split the defense and ripped a shot at the top of the six. Seven minutes later, the good guys wearing red would take the lead for good. Jason Roberts was near the upper right side of the 18 and sent a diagonal pass to Patrick Anthony who was attacking the far left post. Pat settled the ball and banged home the goal. Two minutes later Mike Choquette sent a short pass into Jason Roberts who was potitioned near the penalty mark and Jason fired a shot for his first goal of the day. With about two minutes left in the game and the boys in red again pressing on the attack, Patrick Anthony would drop a pass back to Jason Roberts who again was in the middle of the box, and who ripped a shot for his second tally of the day. The second half scoring ended with the Fuller Hamlets tallying a goal with a minute remaining in the game on a disputed call. The defensive work of Rudi Ottariano, Jesse Geary, Ricky Poirier, Nick Calabrese, Donovan Haywood and Keshov Sharma, kept the Fuller Hamlets from mounting serious threats throughout the game. David Bohl, Noah Dickerman, Taylor Surette, Christian Grenier, Tom Barron and Mike Choquette all contributed with aggressive play that kept the pressure in the offensive and middle third of the field for much of the game.
Won 1 - 0 versus Noreaster (Sept. 26th) The Under-12 Boys continued their winning ways with a hard-fought 1 - 0 win over Noreaster, securing a tie for second place in the Blue division. The first half saw a clear territorial advantage for the Western side, and a number of opportunities, including a ball off the post that the keeper saved on the line. The second half was similar in the intensity of play, although more up and down the field with some chances on both sides. However, midway through the second half Nick Calabrese stepped up to win a ball and chipped it over the defense to an onrushing Mike Choquette who finished with a great shot to the far corner. Tommy Barron, Patrick Anthony, David Bohl and Mike Choquette kept up pressure on the Noreaster defensive third, while the midfield maintained excellent possession through longer stretches of the match. Christian Grenier and Taylor Surette added to the possession game with their work at outside halfback and some nice movement off the ball. But it was the defense that earned a collective "Men of the Match". The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Rudi Ottariano, Jesse Geary, Ricky Poirier and Nick Calabrese) stifled almost every threat that came their way, with the assistance of Keshov Sharma who gave some solid play on defense. Ben Droz earned his first shutout of the year.
Lost 3 - 2 versus Mutiny (Oct. 3rd) In a tale of two halves, the Mutiny won a hard fought match versus the boys in white. Western controlled much of the play in the first half, maintaining possession and constantly moving the ball into the attacking third. Mike Choquette would open the scoring with a hard shot from about 25 yards out to the upper left 90 after receiving a well placed pass by Eli Wilson Berkowitz five minutes into the match. With a little less than 2:30 left in the half, Eli, picking up his second assist of the day, set up the second goal of the match by chipping the ball to Patrick Anthony who settled the ball and fired a shot under the crossbar from the 12 that burned the back of the net. Western went into the half with a 2-0 lead. The Mutiny came storming out in the second half, scoring three goals, two off direct kicks. Playing one man down for the last 10 minutes of the match, Western kept the ball trapped in the Mutiny defensive third but could not convert. The defensive four of Rudi Ottariano, Ricky Poirier, Jesse Geary and Nick Calabrese again gave a solid defensive effort. Midfielders Jason Roberts, Noah Dickerman, Christian Grenier, Taylor Surette and Keshov Sharma kept the ball moving through the field and constantly setup Mike Choquette, Tom Barron and Dave Bohl on the attack.
Lost 4 - 0 versus Inter Bandits (Oct. 17th)
Lost 1 - 0 versus Greater Boston (Oct. 24th)
Lost 2 - 0 versus Pioneers (Oct. 31st)
Lost 2 - 0 versus FC Puma (Nov. 7th)

KC Andre Cup Results (June 2004)

The Under-11 Boys, under coaches Joe McVeigh and Tom Barron, returned from the FC Delco tournament over Memorial Day weekend in fine form for the KC Andre Cup. They swept through the first round matches, winning all three games by 2 or more goals, and allowing only 3 goals. Their first match had them against a new opponent, the Tornadoes, whom they dispatched by the score of 4 - 2. Mike Choquette opened the scoring with two goals int he first half, one on a direct kick from about 30 yards out, and the second on a breakaway with the assist going to Tommy Barron, who sprang him free with a beautiful lead pass. The Tornadoes would get a quick tally in the opening minutes of the second half, but Jason Roberts answered with a blast from the top of the 18 assisted again by Tommy Barron. A stubborn Tornado side scored their final tally of the match midway into the second half. Eli Wilson-Berkowitz scored the final goal for the good guys wearing white today with the assist by Ricky Poirier. Western's next opponent, the Fuller Hamlets, had just beaten local rival Jr. Pioneers and was looking to win the group of four against Western. But the good guys in red and black would have nothing of it, shutting out the Fuller Hamlets 2 - 0. Mike Choquette banged home the team's two goals, assisted on both occasions by Taylor Surette. The last match of the first round was against local rival, the Jr. Pioneers, who had defeated Western 4 - 3 during the regular season. But Western's defense continued to strengthen and their offense was in high gear as the good guys pummelled their local opponents 4 - 1. Mike Choquette opened the scoring on a direct kick from 30-yards out, finding the far upper 90. Eli Wilson-Berkowity received a through pass from Mike Choquette that he then converted for the team's second score with the squad taking a 2 - 0 lead into the half. In the second half, the good guys in red and black continued to dominate play. Tommy Barron got his first tally of the day on a 25-yard shot that sailed under the crossbar, assisted by Mike Choquette. Later in the half, Mike Choquette would beat the Pioneer keeper in a foot race to the far right side of the 18. Caught way out of position and trying to scramble back to the goal, Mike sent a cross into the six. Tommy Barron charged in and headed the ball into the net for the team's final tally of the day. The Pioneers would get their lone tally of the day with minutes remaining in the match. These three victories qualified the boys for a quarterfinal rematch against another team that had caught them off-guard during the regular season: Noreaster. This time, however, the results were very different, with Western coming out on top 3 - 0. the Western boys exerted pressure on the Noreaster side the entire match. Western took a 1 - 0 lead into the half on a goal by Jeff Anderson, who moved up to the striker position for this match, which was set up by a low cross from Tommy Barron. Eli Wilson-Berkowitz then dribbled through several defenders after receiving a beautiful through pass from Jason Roberts, getting the insurance goal and sinking the hopes of any comeback by our opponents. The semifinal match against a resurgent Greater Boston team was a defensive struggle. Although Western controlled the bulk of the play in the match, both sides had scoring opportunities, but could not find the back of the net. After 60 minutes of tough regulation play, a very tired bit gritty Western side came out roaring. The boys controlled the play from the opening whistle. About two minutes into overtime, Patrick Anthony fed the ball up to Tommy Barron who hit a beautiful volley with his left foot into the back of the net for the winning goal, setting up a grand finale against powerhouse Inter SC. the talented Inter squad, whom Western had surprised 1 - 0 during the regular season, came out storming, scoring on three restarts in the first half. Western regrouped defensively in the second half, preventing any further scoring, but could not find the net themselves. Standout Mike Choquette, who had been at the ODP Rider Cup inNJ during the weekend, sped back to make the second half of the finals, but Inter anticipated his return with double-teaming that kept him off the scoreboard. Ben Droz, playing goalkeeper, and the defensive unit of Rudi Ottariano, Jesse Geary, Ryan Gallo, Christian Labonte, Jeff Anderson, Brent Booth and Noah Dickerman put forth another stellar defensive effort that continuously frustrated their opponents. Ryan Gallo's flawless man-marking against the dangerous Jr. Pioneers' striker deserves special mention here. Midfielders Eli Wilson-Berkowitz, Ricky Poirier, Jason Roberts and Taylor Surette did their usual magic, creating wonderful chances throughout the tournament, while Mike Choquette, Tommy Barron and Patrick Anthony led the attack up front and often kept the ball bottled up in the opponent's defensive end. Congratulations to the boys for a superb effort!

Spring 2004 MAPLE Results

Won 2 - 1 versus Tri-Valley (April 18th) With only 14 healthy players available, the U11 Boys traveled to Millis to face their fall rival, the Tri-Valley Eagles. It took the first 15 minutes of the game before the good guys in red got their motors running. Once the engines started, however, the boys took control of the match. Western had numerous scoring opportunities but could not put the ball in the back of the net, in part due to the outstanding play of the Tri-Valley keeper, or from shots missing wide or high. With one minute left, Tri-Valley penetrated over the wing and lofted a ball over the keeper and into the far corner from a difficult angle near the endline. A fired-up Western squad took over play again in the second half, this time with different results. About five minutes into the second half, Mike Choquette fired a corner kick that landed inside the six and bounced to an onrushing Ryan Gallo who one-timed the ball past the keeper for Western's first score of the spring campaign. A short time later Western was on the attack again. Tommy Barron dropped a ball back to Patrick Anthony who was charging in toward the 18 from the outside. Pat lofted a 25-yard shot that found the upper part of the net for the winning goal. Jesse Geary, Christian Grenier and Patrick Anthony gave an outstanding effort in the midfield and on the attack. The defense of Rudi Ottariano, Brent Booth, Ryan Quinn, Noah Dickerman and Patrick Anthony frustrated a determined Tri-Valley squad. Ben Droz and Noah Dickerman combined in goal to hold their opponents to one goal. Christian Labonte and Taylor Surette kept the offensive heat on the Eagles throughout the afternoon.

Lost 3 - 2 versus FC Puma (April 25th)
Lost 4 - 3 versus Pioneers (May 2nd) Although the Pioneers applied some early pressure, the good guys wearing white would open the scoring. Western, on a counter, sent the ball towards the right corner, where Eli Wilson-Berkowitz sent a beautiful crossing pass to the six where Tommy Barron finished with a bicycle kick. The Pioneers answered with a goal of their own less than five minutes later, when one of the Western defenders, attempting to clear the ball, put in an own goal. Later in the first half, on a series of well-executed passes, Tommy Barron got the ball to Mike Choquette who got around a defender on the right side of the bos and then fired a shot into the lower far corner past the diving keeper. The Pioneers would tie the game up just before halftime. The Pioneers added two unanswered goals in the beginning of the second half. The Western squad did not quit, however, as they kept applying pressure on the Pioneer defense. With less than 10 minutes to go, Mike Choquette lofted a corner kick that landed at the six. Tommy Barron put his shoulder on the ball, deflecting it to a waiting Eli Wilson-Berkowitz, who chipped it just under the crossbar for the goal. A direct kick almost found its mark later in the half, but then time expired. Jason Roberts had a strong game on the attack, while Jesse Geary contributed in the midfield. Jeff Anderson, Ryan Quinn, Christian Labonte and Rudi Ottariano played a solid game defensively, despite the losing effort.
Tied 0 - 0 versus Dragons FC (May 8th) On the front-end of a busy weekend, and with only one sub, the Western boys took on the undefeated Dragons team from Seekonk, MA. As the score indicates, the match was a defensive struggle, with Western having the better of the opportunities the arose in the match. The Western boys performed superbly, pressuring their opponent until the final whistle. The Dragons were awarded a penalty kick in the second half, which the kicker neatly placed over the goal. Noah Dickerman had a number of dangerous balls that he collected in goal but the defense did not allow many.
Won 1 - 0 versus Inter SC (May 9th) On a rain-slickened pitch both teams played a spirited match characterized by missed opportunities on both sides. Western keeper Ben Droz made a number of quality saves that skipped in on goal in the first half, to keep the score knotted at 0 - 0 at halftime. A few minutes into the second half Jay Roberts received a ball outside the 18 and turned on his defender, penetrating into the box. His shot struck the keeper in the chest and rebounded out to an Inter defender who could not clear the ball, knocking it towards Jay at about the 16. On this try he successfully found net. The team has to ward off a furious Inter attack, including 8 corner kicks, in the latter part of the game for the win. The Western defense, gaining their second shutout of the weekend, bent, but did not break, clearing a number of loose balls from inside the 6. Man of the match was keeper Ben Droz, whose hands and eyes were steady, despite the wet conditions. The team performed well as a whole, but the defense deserves special kudos for a weekend's worth of hard work. Rudi Ottariano, Ryan Gallo, Jesse Geary, Jeff Anderson, Noah Dickerman, Brent Booth countered a talented Inter attack quite well. The midfield tandem of Mike Choquette and Eli Wilson-Berkowitz wreaked havoc all day on the Inter midfield, keeping the Western attack flowing and serving balls to forwards Jay Roberts, Tommy Barron, Christian Labonte, Ryan Quinn, Patrick Anthony and Taylor Surette, who worked hard against a tough Inter defense. Midfielders Ricky Poirier, Christian Labonte, Christian Grenier, and Patrick Anthony kept the flow of play moving in the right direction much of the game, and helped counter the Inter onslaught with their superb defensive efforts. Congratulations to the team on a great weekend!
Tied 1 - 1 versus Freedom FC (May 16th)
Lost 2 - 1 versus Noreaster (May 23rd) On a sultry afternoon the Western boys had a number of dangerous scoring opportunities in the opening minutes of the first half but could not find the net, while Noreaster got on the scoreboard first when a short, two-man corner kick went unchallenged, enabling the opposing attacker to loft a cross from close range that was headed in from the weak side, for a halftime score of 1 - 0. Noreaster would go ahead 2 - 0 on a penalty kick, after a hand was called in the box on the Western defense. A similar call against Noreaster got Western on the scorecard when Mike Choquette put home the PK. The Western side then dominated the final 12 minutes of play and furiously stormed the Noreaster goal, but to no further avail. Christian Labonte was instrumental in keeping the final momentum going from the wing halfback position. The defense gave its usual gutsy effort, led by Rudi Ottariano, Jesse Geary, Noah Dickerman, Jeff Anderson, Brett Booth and Ryan Quinn. But the Man-of-the-Match was keeper Ben Droz whose handwork was particularly fine today in both games.
Won 2 - 0 versus Greater Boston (May 23rd) In the second half of a double-header the Western boys scored midway through the first half on a chip over the Boston keeper by Tommy Barron from an almost impossible angle. Mike Choquette sent the through pass that got the play started. Tommy Barron would add a second goal, again from Choquette, when he got behind the defense and beat the charging keeper to the ball. From a difficult angle to the left of goal he again lofted the ball over the outstretched arm of the keeper for the final 2 - 0 score. The entire squad contributed to the victory, with the midfield tandem of Mike Choquette and Eli Wilson-Berkowitz controlling much of play in the middle and creating numerous chances for the good guys in red. The cadre of forwards, including Jay Roberts, Pat Anthony, Ricky Poirier, Tommy Barron, Taylor Surette and Christian Labonte created anumber of chances against the Greater Boston defense. Stellar efforts were given by wing midfielders Taylor Surette, Christian Grenier, Taylor Surette and Patrick Anthony. The team now moves on to the prestigious FC Delco Players' Cup in Pennsylvania over the Memorial Day weekend. After that, it's on to the KC Andre Cup!

Fall 2003 MAPLE Results

Won 4 - 1 versus Tri-Valley (Sept. 7) In a tale of two halves the Western boys jumped out to a 3 - 0 halftime lead on the strength of excellent ball movement and tight defense. First goal of the match was scored by Jesse Geary off an assist by Mike Choquette, who himself tallied the next two scores, the first on an assist by Tommy Barron, who picked the pocket of a Tri-Valley defender and the second on a PK, after being taken down in the box. In the opening minutes of the second half, the Western boys maintained their intensity on the attack. Tommy Barron carried a ball to the end line and crossed the ball back on the ground into the red zone, where Patrick Anthony rushed onto it from his midfield position to redirect it into the far corner for the final goal. Jeff Anderson, Rudi Ottariano, Brent Booth and Jason Roberts held Tri-Valley scoreless (and almost shotless) for most of the match. Ricky Poirier, Jesse Geary and Mike Choquette held the middle well, while Christian Grenier, Ryan Quinn, Ryan Gallo and Taylor Surette did double-duty in the midfield on the attack and defensively. Christian LaBonte and Kyle Bugbee created numerous opportunities up front and Ben Droz and Noah Dickerman were nearly flawless in goal.
Won 10 - 0 versus Freedom FC (Sept. 14) In an outstanding display of offensive firepower and aggressive defense the Western boys defeated a visiting Freedom FC team 10 - 0 at Blunt Park. Patrick Anthony opened the scoring early in the first half with a one-touch shot into the back of the net on a Michael Choquette cross from the left side of the box. Shortly afterwards, Christian Grenier intercepted a pass, passed the ball back to Ricky Poirier who lofted a shot from the top of the right corner of the box into the upper left "90" of the goal. Later in the first half, Christian Labonte picked the pocket of the opposing defender and fired a hard shot into the back of the net. The good guys wearing white today finished the first half with a 3 - 0 lead. In the second half the Western scoring machine kicked into high gear. Within a ten-minute span Michael Choquette stunned the opposing team by intercepting the ball three times, dribbling into the red zone and scoring on all three opportunities against a shell-shocked Freedom keeper. Christian Grenier would intercept a Freedom pass a short time later and pass the ball to Mike Choquette who notched his fourth goal of the day with a blistering shot to the back of the net. Christian Grenier picked up his third assist on the day, stealing the ball from an opponent and passing to Ben Droz who fired the ball for the score. Jeff Anderson stole the ball on the left side of the field and fired a shot toward the goal. Just as the keeper was about to field the shot, Brent Booth charged in from his striker position and knocked the ball for the team's next score. The final score of the day was on a steal by Tommy Barron who fired a low shot to the right side of the goal from the top of the box, beating the charging Freedom keeper. The defensive core was nothing less than outstanding. Jeff Anderson, Brent Booth, Nick Calabrese, Noah Dickerman, Rudi Ottariano and Jason Roberts shut down the Freedom side, not allowing a single shot on goal during the entire game! Ben Droz and Noal Dickerman combined in goal for the shutout victory. Outstanding hustle and midfield play by Kyle Bugbee, Ryan Gallo, Jesse Geary, Ricky Poirier, Ryan Quinn and Taylor Surette kept the Freedom squad backed up on their half of the firle for the better part of the game.
Won 1 - 0 versus North Shore Sting (Sept. 21) [forfeit win]
Won 8 - 1 versus South Shore Blazers (Sept. 28) Under the threat of heavy rain, the U11 squad improved their unblemished MAPLE record to 4 - 0 - 0 with an 8 - 1 win over the South Shore United Blazers. Starting off a little sluggishly, Western got on the board after ten minutes of play when Michael Choquette committed highway robbery on a defender, stealing the ball at the top of the 18 and firing a low, hard shot that found the inside of the left post. A short time later, Tommy Barron would win the ball in the middle of a crowd 10 yards out. He fired off a left-footed shot to the far post that found the net. Ricky Poirier would then score the first goal of his hat-trick today, off a pass from Tommy Barron on the right side of the six that he one-timed with a hard rip past a diving keeper. Towards the end of the first half, Mike Choquette was fouled in the opposing penalty area. Taylor Surette took the PK and nailed it with a shot that found the upper right corner of the goal. The good guys in red went into the half with a 4 - 0 lead. In the second half, Christian Labonte headed a ball into open space in the box that Ricky Poirier settled and banged home for his second goal of the game. South Shore would pick up their lone goal of the day as a Western defender was whistled for a foul in the box. The resulting PK was converted by South Shore for their only score of the match. Jesse Geary would set up the next goal, picking the pocket of the opposing defender and laying out a perfect pass to Mike Choquette, who banged home his second goal of the day as he moved forward from the midfield to finish the play. Tommy Barron would pick up his second goal of the game, again winning a tough battle in a crowd of players and shooting it into the net. Ricky Poirier then capped his hat-trick on the final goal of the day, set up by a combination play that was worthy of the season highlight tape (if there were one!). Mike Choquette came forward from the sweeper position to win a 50/50 ball in the midfield and quickly passed the ball off to the left halfback, Patrick Anthony. Mike made an overlapping run and Patrick set him free down the left wing with a well-timed pass. Mike brought the ball forward for two touches and sent a diagonal ball on the ground behind the defense to an onrushing Ricky Poirier on the right wing. Ricky settled the ball and then placed it in the net for the final tally of the day. Ben Droz and Noah Dickerman did not face many challenges in goal, but handled whatever came their way with authority. Defenders Jason Roberts, Rudi Ottariano, Brent Booth, Jeff Anderson and Nick Calabrese frustrated the South Shore attack the entire game. Patrick Anthony, Christian Grenier, Kyle Bugbee, Ryan Gallo and Ryan Quinn did an outstanding job winning the midfield and setting up opportunities for their teammates. Ryan Quinn in particular was dangerous in the box, pressuring the opponents and winning a number of balls that led to shots.
Won 7 - 1 versus SAC (Oct. 5) Although several players worked hard out of the gate, the team as a whole looked somewhat sluggish for the first 30 minutes of play. As a result, the good guys in red surrendered an early goal to a determined SAC squad only four minutes into the game on a shot from a crowd in the middle of the box that seemed to catch the defense and keeper by surprise. Despite repeated runs at the opponent's goal, Western could not connect with the finishing touch, resulting in a one-goal deficit at halftime. Determined to shake off the slow start, the boys charged out with all their guns blazing in the second half. Ricky Poirier stole the ball from a SAC opponent in our attacking third and sent a crossing pass to the left side, where Jesse Geary one-timed the ball into the near (left) corner, to start the Western scoring deluge. In an almost identical play, a short time later, Mike Choquette would launch a crossing pass from the upper right corner of the box that was once again finished by Jesse Geary, who one-timed a shot past a diving goal keeper into the lower right corner of the goal. Jason Roberts would then come up with a steal at the top of the encroachment circle on the box and ripped a high shot under the crossbar for the team's third goal. Mike Choquette, on a direct free kick, sent a low hard shot toward the goal. In a wild charge for the goal, Ryan Quinn charged into a crowd and deflected the ball past the outstretched hands of the keeper into the back of the net. A few minutes later, Kyle Bugbee would send a pass up to Ryan Quinn, who faked out one defender and fired a shot from close range to the far lower right corner of the goal. Jason Roberts then took a corner kick, driving the ball hard and low. Tommy Barron ran out of the crowd and one-touched the ball back to Jason. Jason in turn lofted a high crossing pass that was dropping in front of the goal near the far post. Brent Booth, charging in from his left outside midfield position, jumped and headed the ball into the goal. Western would close out the scoring with less than a minute left in the game. Mike Choquette fired a hard low corner kick out to the top of the 18. Jason Roberts settled the ball and fired a hard, low shot that found the lower right corner of the goal. As in past games, Patrick Anthony, Jeff Anderson, Brent Booth, Nick Calabrese, Noah Dickerman, Rudi Ottariano and Jason Roberts combined in defense to not allow a single shot in the second half of play. Kyle Bugbee, Ryan Gallo, Christian Grenier and Taylor Surette won many hard battles with their hustle in the midfield and Mike Choquette and Ricky Poirier were effective as playmakers in the attacking midfield. Tommy Barron and Christian Labonte did an outstanding job from the striker position, putting constant pressure on the SAC defense, helping to keep them bottled up in their defensive third for much of the game. Midway through a four game road trip, the U11 boys now sit at 5 - 0 - 0 on the season.
Won 3 - 0 versus Revere FC (Oct. 19) The Western U11 Boys emerged with a 3 - 0 win over a very stubborn opponent on this very raw fall day. Western gained control of the play early and applied a lot of pressure in the opponent's defensive third of the field. Western would score its first goal as a through ball split the Revere defenders with both Mike Choquette and Tommy Barron racing to the Revere goal. The Revere goalkeeper charged out of the goal and dove to block the oncoming attackers. Mike Choquette would win the footrace and tap the ball past the diving keeper, allowing Tommy Barron to finish with a well-directed touch into the net. Western would have numerous opportunities to score as the first half progressed, but outstanding goalkeeping play by Revere coupled with some bad luck thwarted one attack after the other. As the first half drew to a close the U11 boys strung together a series of well-touched passes, starting with the ball on the right side of the field and switching play to the far left side. Christian Labonte was sprung free from his defender and dribbled down the far left side of the field. He then sent a beautiful cross over the heads of three defenders to the far right side of the box. Tommy Barron settled the cross and fired into the lower right corner of the net, resulting in a 2 - 0 halftime lead. Western kicked up its defensive game in the second half, only allowing one shot on goal. The U11 boys would continue to exert a lot of pressure on their opponents' goal in the second half, only to have their shots again stopped by the fine play of the Revere keeper or by missing wide of the mark. Western would close out the scoring late in the second half as Patrick Anthony stole the ball and fed it with a well-placed pass to Mike Choquette who was on the left side of the penalty area about 12 yards out from goal. Mike fired a shot, finding the near left corner for the score. Rudi Ottariano's play at sweeper was outstanding and Nick Calabrese came up big, catching a Revere attacker who broke away with a perfectly executed slide tackle in the second half. An outstanding defensive effort was given by Jeff Anderson, Patrick Anthony, Brent Booth, Nick Calabrese, Noah Dickerman and Ryan Quinn. Kyle Bugbee, Ryan Gallo, Jesse Geary, Christian Grenier, Ricky Poirier and Taylor Surette played a solid game at midfield. Ryan Quinn and Taylor Surette also kept up the pressure on the opposing goal in the attack. Ben Droz and Noah Dickerman combined in goal for their third shutout of the Fall MAPLE season.
Won 1 - 0 versus Tidal Wave SC (Oct. 26) Western United won a hard-fought 1 - 0 contest against a determined Tidal Wave squad. The boys in red made several runs at goal in the first half, only to come up short as numerous quality shots just missed the goal or hit the uprights on several occasions. Western's defense would come up big, stopping several Tidal Wave attacks. Neither team, though, seemed to be controlling the game with the first half ending in a 0 - 0 tie. Western would gain control of the play in the second half, again launching numerous shots on goal, only to be frustrated by the outstanding goalkeeping of the opposing keeper, or just missing the goal. Western would get onto the scoreboard at the midpoint of the second half when a throw-in by Patrick Anthony was sent towards the outside corner of the penalty area. Christian Labonte received the ball, turned, made a nice cut move towards the goal, then lofted a high shot to the upper left side of the net over the keeper's outstretched arms. The success of the day rested on the shoulders of the defenders, who frustrated a tireless Tidal Wave squad. Time and again, the defense, along with solid goalkeeping efforts by Ben Droz and Noah Dickerman, came up big at every challenge. Jeff Anderson, Patrick Anthony, Brent Booth, Nick Calabrese, Rudi Ottariano and Jason Roberts anchored the team's defensive efforts. Taylor Surette, Ryan Quinn, Christian Labonte and Thomas Barron kept the offensive pressure on their opponents throughout the game, while Kyle Bugbee, Mike Choquette, Jesse Geary, Christian Grenier and Ricky Poirier gave solid efforts in the midfield. The U11 boys finally get to play at home again for the last two weeks of the season, after being on the road the last four weeks.
Won 3 - 1 versus FC Napoli (Nov. 2) Western United scored all the goals it needed in the first half to come away with a win over a technically skilled FC Napoli team. About 10 minutes into the first half, Christian Grenier in his outside midfield position, intercepted a pass and fed the ball to Mike Choquette, who took an open position by the touchline at midfield. Mike dribbled the ball down the field to the upper right corner of the box and ripped a shot on goal that found the open right side of the net. A short time later, Brent Booth would pick the pocket of an FC Napoli attacker and feed the ball up the right side of the field to Tommy Barron. Tommy dribbled, then launched a shot from about 25 yards out that found its way into the goal. Late in the first half, Christian Grenier would intercept a pass again, this time feeding the ball up to Taylor Surette who was in the middle of the box and who then fired a shot straight down the pipeline for Western' s third goal. FC Napoli would get on the scoreboard after being awarded a penalty kick about 5 minutes into the second half. Jesse Geary at stopper and Rudi Ottariano at sweeper played significant roles in frustrating the opponents' attack as Jesse stopped numberous attacks before they could get started and Rudi came up big on several occasions in his role as sweeper, breaking up some beautifully setup through passes by the opponent. Jeff Anderson, Brent Booth, Kyle Bugbee, Ryan Gallo and Ricky Poirier controlled the middle of the pitch from their midfield positions. Christian Labonte, Jason Roberts and Taylor Surette kept the offensive pressure on the FC Napoli squad throughout the game. Ben Droz played the entire game in goal, aggressively thwarting the opponents' shots on goal. The win puts the team at 8 - 0 - 0 and guaranteed the squad at least a tie for first place in the division.
Won 7 - 0 versus Aztecs SC (Nov. 9th). A cold, late-fall day and the chance to finish in sole possession of first place set the backdrop for the last game of the season. The Aztecs would seem to get control in the first few minutes of the match, backing the Western side into its defensive third. About seven minutes into the game the tempo changed in favor of the good guys in white. An Aztec pass was intercepted at midfield and the ball was passed up to Mike Choquette who dribbled by one defender and then beat the last defender with a soft touch to Tommy Barron who was following the play on the right. Tommy one-timed the ball into the lower right corner of the net to open the scoring. Later in the first half, Ricky Poirier, making an attacking run to the left corner of the pitch, sent a crossing pass across the goal box. Patrick Anthony, who was making a run to the far post from his outsid3e midfield position, one-timed a blistering shot under the crossbar for the team's second goal of the match. Towards the end of the first half, Western was awarded a corner kick. The Aztec defender attempted to clear the kick. Ryan Gallo intercepted the ball and launched a shot that found the back of the net. Western took a 3 - 0 lead into the half. Western continued to apply the pressure in the second half. Tommy Barron would collect his second goal of the game by picking the pocket of an Aztec defender on the left side of the box and rifling a shot into the far right corner of the goal. Ryan Quinn would set up the next goal as her beat a defender in a footrace for the ball in the corner and sent a low hard crossing pass across the top of the six. Tommy Barron got his foot on the ball and slowed it down for Patrick Anthony, who one-timed it into the back of the net. As Western continued to apply pressure, the Aztecs attempted a clearing pass to get the ball out of the box. Brent Booth, running in from his right outside midfield position, intercepted the clearing pass and lofted a high shot that sailed under the crossbar for the team's next goal. A few minutes later, Brent Booth carried the ball down the line and passed the ball to a composed Christian Grenier who fired a well-placed shot under pressure to the near left post. Ben Droz earned his fifth shutout of the year, making several solid stops in goal. As was the case all season, the defense of Jeff Anderson, Nick Calabrese, Noah Dickerman, Jesse Geary and Rudi Ottariano frustrated an Aztec attack throughout the game. Kyle Bugbee, Ricky Poirier and Ryan Gallo stepped up to take control of the midfield. Christian Labonte, Jason Roberts and Ryan Quinn kept the offensive pressure up throughout the game from their attacking positions. The win capped off an outstanding fall season with the squad finishing 9 - 0 - 0. Five of the wins were shutout victories. The boys scored 44 goals over the course of the season and were miserly on defense, allowing only a total of 4 goals, two of which came on PKs. The team is looking forward to a well-earned rest and will begin indoor play in late December.

Results of U-11 Boys' Friendly Match With Montclair SC (NJ) on August 25th

In a superb team effort the Under-11 boys used their short-passing game on a narrow field to capture a 9 - 0 victory over their New Jersey opponent. Eleven different players were involved in the scoring. On the first goal of the match Ricky Poirier fed a ball from the central midfield to Tommy Barron on the right wing. His long shot sailed into the far corner over the keeper. The second goal resulted from a corner kick in which Mike Choquette sent a sizzling drive into the heart of the box, which was one-timed into the net by Ryan Quinn. On the third goal Mike Choquette scored on another assist by Ricky Poirier who dropped the ball back from a congested box to a waiting Mike Choquette at the 12. Jeff Anderson provided the next heroics on an assist from Patrick Anthony, who secured the ball from a crowded midfield and sent a diagonal forward to Anderson on the left. Composed, Jeff found the far corner. To mix things up a bit, Ryan Gallo used his speed to draw a foul in the box and converted the penalty kick with authority into the right corner of the net. Ben Droz followed a short time later with a rocket off an attempted defensive clear that came out to him at the 18. Christian Grenier got into the scoring act with an unassisted tally from a scramble in the box. Mike Choquette was next in line to score when Nick Calabrese, with his back to the goal, laid a beautiful ball off to Mike Choquette who finished from the 18. Jason Roberts, who had done yeoman's work in the defense all game, finished the scoring off an assist by Ryan Gallo. After beating a defender in the midfield, Ryan Gallo sent a through-ball to Jason Roberts who took it down the middle, placing the ball neatly into the right corner of the net. The team will face the Under-12 Western boys ("Black Team" under coach Ted Mulcahey) on Wednesday at the Oxbow Marina at 6 pm.

Fall 2003 MAPLE Season