After last season’s unpredictable start and streak of tie games, the Varsity Boys Soccer Team has been hoping to turn it around this season. They started off red hot, defeating Sharon 4-1, and tying against a highly ranked Weymouth team who intended to wreak havoc in Division 1. Shortly after, Walpole defeated another skilled Braintree team to start the season undefeated. The next 5 games were unfortunate to say the least, including 3 separate losses to Needham, Framingham and Newton North, all highly ranked teams in the state. 

Injuries were a cause of this drop in success, with key players like freshman Midfielder Eli Tillinghast, along with his brother, sophomore Midfielder Silas Tillinghast, both going out with injuries. Another significant injury occurred as senior Captain Micheal Corrigan was concussed, which was a huge loss on the back line.

Senior Captain Nate DiMartinis, who is also captain of the hockey team, encourages players that success can be found once again and all is not lost.

 “I think we have a team that is willing to compete for everything, and give everything they have on the field,” said DiMartinis. “If we can continue to play like we did at the beginning of the season, which we know we can, it will be tough to eliminate us”

Before the team’s recent game against Catholic Memorial, senior defender Ryan Lunn was named the fourth Captain of the team, lighting a spark that would eventually lead to a 2-1 win for the squad on Saturday.

 “Huge win for the team. We needed it badly and everyone put it in the work. Hopefully we can carry this winning feeling into our next matches”, said Lunn about Saturday’s win.

The team is starting to heat up again, with several close games and ties, hoping to keep pushing for a high seeding and subsequently be awarded with a home game in the tournament. In their final three games of the season, the team looks to get some late points and come into the playoffs ready and with momentum.