The Rebels boys soccer team kicked off their season with a 1-0 victory over Braintree Thursday, September 10, an auspicious start for this relatively young team. Even competition and high intensity levels from both teams kept the game scoreless throughout the first half. The momentum shifted in Walpole’s favor early in the second half when Senior Captain JP Lawton finessed the ball into the lower left corner of the net, scoring the first and only goal of the game. Though the team graduated thirteen seniors last year and faces minor changes in the coaching staff, the young team is rising to the challenge. Senior Lawton is supported in his captainship by junior Alan Garry, both of whom stood out as leaders on the field during Thursday’s game. A shutout by junior goalie Matt Niden, who blocked the relentless shots of Braintree’s strikers, was one of many impressive performances in the game. Off to a good start, the team will have to work to keep this momentum for the remainder of the season.