St. John's, Shrewsbury soccer teams win titles
By Ken Powers Contributing Writer

Region - Threes were wild in the finals of the Central Mass. Division 1 boys and girls soccer tournaments last weekend.

On Nov. 10 in Holden, St. John's reclaimed the boys' crown with a 2-1 victory over Marlborough High. The win was especially sweet for the Pioneer seniors, who had been left standing on the sidelines the past three years, forced to endure watching Algonquin Regional cel- ebrate back-to-back-to-back championships.

On Nov. 11 in Worcester, on the turf at recently refurbished Foley Stadium, the Shrewsbury High girls team also exorcized three years of frustration, defeating Algonquin Regional, 3-2, in overtime. It was the Colonials' first Central Mass. title in the sport since 1999, but their third consecutive appearance in the final.

The last two years Shrewsbury's dreams of a berth in the state semifinals were dashed by Marlborough High. The Colonials exacted a measure of revenge on the Panthers in the semifinals, ousting them, 4-1, in the semifinal round.

Emily Benjamin netted the game winner, about eight minutes into overtime, off an inbounds pass from Erin Kinback. After gathering in Kinback's pass, Benjamin moved around her defender and fired a line drive past Algonquin goalie Katherine Matthews.

"I was just trying to get a shot on goal so we'd have a chance at a rebound," Benjamin said. "At that point in the game you're just trying to create chances."

Tory Benoit scored the Colonials' other two goals.

Shrewsbury, the No. 2 seed in the tournament, improved to 18-1-2 with the win and advanced to the state semifinals, where the Colonials faced Springfield Cathedral Nov. 13 at Westfield State College.

Algonquin's Samantha Friday send the game to overtime with her goal, coming with four seconds to play.

Also scoring for the 13-6-3 Tomahawks was Samantha Abro, who also assisted on Friday's tally.

St. John's (22-1) was led to its first Central Mass. Division 1 title since 2003 on goals by Dennis Kott and Charlie Long. Marlborough finished its season 14-4-3.

The victory sent St. John's to the state semifinals, where it played Western Mass. champion Ludlow the night of Nov. 13 at Westfield State. Ludlow ousted St. John's in the state semifinals in 2003 as well.

Long netted the gamewinner in the 68th minute, cutting through traffic twice before unleashing a low shot that snaked its way to the goal, curling just inside the right post.

"As I was working past a pair of their defenders I noticed the goalie was shaded to the left," Long said, "so I just tried to get the ball on net with a little something on it, and I tried to kick it so it would be tailing away from him as he tried to get into position to make a play on it."

Marlborough's Bruno Aragao tied the game, 1-1, in the 59th minute, taking advantage of a rare mistake by St. John's goalie George Drouillard.

As Drouillard was making a play on Wagner Rosa's hard, low shot, he lost control of the ball and it popped out of his clutches toward Aragao at the top of the goalie box. Aragao gained control of the ball and quickly fired it past Drouillard, who was attempting to rush back into position.

Kott put St. John's ahead, 1-0, late in the first half, re-directing the ball past Gilberto Alvarenga off a free kick from about 30 yards away by teammate Chris Stoker.