By Chris Wilson, Contributing Writer
REGION – A sense of normalcy has returned to high school sports with COVID-19 restrictions lifted for this fall season.
As every team has welcomed that look at post-pandemic life, Grafton boys soccer coach Dave Mitchell recently noted how his team, in particular, has moved forward with their season.
“Restrictions last year definitely made the game a lot more difficult,” he told the Community Advocate.
Some of those restrictions included eliminating headers and throw-ins.
Mitchell said his team is now excited to return to a more normal game.
Playoffs will also return.
“Our team is focused on making the playoffs and getting better each day to be able to compete in the playoffs,” Mitchell said.
The team has moved through the beginning of the year with some success.
Mitchell attributes that success in part to “the chemistry between the seniors and the younger guys.”
Most of Grafton’s games through last week had been against out-of-league opponents. The team did kick off their league play, though, with a 1-0 victory over Oxford.
“We are definitely excited to play against some of the teams in SWCL that have historically been our rivals,” Mitchell said of the remaining league schedule.
Grafton boys soccer was one of many teams in action last week. See complete scores…
ALGONQUIN
FIELD HOCKEY – SEPT. 20
Algonquin – 1, Nashoba – 6
BOYS GOLF – SEPT. 21
Algonquin – 43.5, Groton-Dunstable – 28.5
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY – SEPT. 21
Algonquin – 30, Shepherd Hill – 29
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY – SEPT. 21
Algonquin – 34, Shepherd Hill – 21
GIRLS SOCCER – SEPT. 21
Algonquin – 4, Shrewsbury – 2
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL – SEPT. 21
Algonquin – 3, Wachusett – 1
BOYS GOLF – SEPT. 22
Algonquin – 30.5, Wachusett – 41.5
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL – SEPT. 23
Algonquin – 3, Acton-Boxborough – 0
BOYS SOCCER – SEPT. 23
Algonquin – 0, Westborough – 0
FIELD HOCKEY – SEPT. 24
Algonquin – 1, Acton-Boxborough – 6
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL – SEPT. 24
Algonquin – 3, Shepherd Hill – 0
BOYS SOCCER – SEPT. 24
Algonquin – 1, Leominster – 1
FOOTBALL – SEPT. 24
Algonquin – 47, Groton-Dunstable – 0
GIRLS SOCCER – SEPT. 25
Algonquin – 1, Hopkinton – 2
GRAFTON
GIRLS SOCCER – SEPT. 20
Grafton – 3, Sutton – 0
BOYS SOCCER – SEPT. 20
Grafton – 0, Sutton – 2
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL – SEPT. 20
Grafton – 3, Oxford – 0
FIELD HOCKEY – SEPT. 22
Grafton – 11, Oxford – 0
GIRLS SOCCER – SEPT. 22
Grafton – 9, Oxford – 0
BOYS SOCCER – SEPT. 22
Grafton – 1, Oxford – 0
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL – SEPT. 22
Grafton – 3, Bartlett – 0
FIELD HOCKEY – SEPT. 24
Grafton – 5, St. Paul – 0
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL – SEPT. 24
Grafton – 0, North Middlesex – 3
FOOTBALL – SEPT. 24
Grafton – 50, Westborough – 0
SHREWSBURY
BOYS GOLF – SEPT. 20
Shrewsbury – 235, Minnechaug – 212
FIELD HOCKEY – SEPT. 20
Shrewsbury – 4, Oakmont – 0
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY – SEPT. 21
Shrewsbury – 21, Westborough – 38
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY – SEPT. 21
Shrewsbury – 17, Westborough – 45
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL – SEPT. 21
Shrewsbury – 3, Nashoba – 2
BOYS GOLF – SEPT. 22
Shrewsbury – 19.5, Westborough 20.5
BOYS GOLF – SEPT. 22
Shrewsbury – 20, Leominster – 20
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL – SEPT. 22
Shrewsbury – 0, Hopkinton – 3
FIELD HOCKEY – SEPT. 22
Shrewsbury – 2, Algonquin – 0
GIRLS SOCCER – SEPT. 23
Shrewsbury – 0, Nashoba – 0
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL – SEPT. 24
Shrewsbury – 3, Wachusett – 0
FIELD HOCKEY – SEPT. 25
Shrewsbury – 3, Nashoba – 3
GIRLS SOCCER – SEPT. 25
Shrewsbury – 1, Minnechaug – 3
BOYS SOCCER – SEPT. 25
Shrewsbury – 1, Leominster – 2
ST. JOHN’S
GOLF – SEPT. 20
St. John’s – 227, Malden Catholic – 251
SOCCER – SEPT. 21
St. John’s – 6, Malden Catholic – 0
CROSS COUNTRY – SEPT. 21
St. John’s – 46, St. John’s Prep – 15
GOLF – SEPT. 22
St. John’s – 153, Longmeadow – 166
GOLF – SEPT. 23
St. John’s – 220, Xaverian – 224
SOCCER – SEPT. 24
St. John’s – 4, BC High – 0
FOOTBALL – SEPT. 24
St. John’s – 7, Central Catholic – 31
WESTBOROUGH
BOYS GOLF – SEPT. 20
Westborough – 36, Hopkinton – 36
FIELD HOCKEY – SEPT. 20
Westborough – 1, Groton-Dunstable – 0
GIRLS SOCCER – SEPT. 20
Westborough – 2, St. Paul Diocesan – 1
BOYS SOCCER – SEPT. 20
Westborough – 1, Nipmuc – 2
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL – SEPT. 21
Westborough – 3, Shepherd Hill – 0
FIELD HOCKEY – SEPT. 22
Westborough – 1, Leominster – 2
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL – SEPT. 22
Westborough – 3, Frontier – 0
BOYS GOLF – SEPT 23
Westborough – 36.5, Groton-Dunstable – 35.5
GIRLS SOCCER – SEPT. 23
Westborough – 0, Algonquin – 0
GIRLS SOCCER – SEPT. 24
Westborough – 1, Minnechaug – 0
BOYS SOCCER – SEPT. 24
Westborough – 3, Hudson – 1