PAWTUCKET — It wasn't its most consistent performance to date, but the Mt. Hope High School boys' soccer team ran to 10 its unbeaten streak to start its 2024 Division II slate following a 4-2 victory over host St. Raphael at the McKinnon Complex Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 1.

The Huskies began the second month of the season with their seventh win in a row, improving their overall mark at the time to 7-0-3.

Sophomore Tom Levis potted two of the tallies for the locals, including what proved the game-winning goal during an early-second half onslaught by Mt. Hope. The visitors scored three times in nine minutes out of intermission to break open what was a scoreless contest through the opening 40.

Junior defenseman Aidan Pereira potted the first goal of the game for the Huskies in the opening minute of the second half. And later senior wing Maddox Carreiro scored what proved to be an insurance tally in the 64th.

The Saints, who actually controlled play for roughly the first 15 minutes of the game, finally cracked the code near the end of the outing by scoring goals in the 70th and 79th minutes of the 80.

"Overall slow in the first half and then second half we woke up finally," MHHS head coach Tucker Shepard said. "We just adjusted to the way they were playing with four in the middle. After we adjusted to that, we came out strong in the second half. And we shot the ball. We didn't put a shot on goal in the first half. So it's tough when you don't shoot."

The host Saints, who dropped to 6-3-1 with the defeat, certainly had more of the possession to begin the game, at least 70-30, but could only generate a couple of scoring changes and neither of the quality to test Mt. Hope keeper Cole Tavares (10 saves).

About 20 minutes in, the Huskies finally found their footing, were able to possess the ball and complete consecutive passes. But as Shepard alluded to, Mt. Hope didn't truly threaten. A Levis side-footed shot that clanged off the crossbar was deemed offsides beforehand.

The lone good look at goal for the visitors came in about the 25th minute when Aidan Hudak ripped a free kick into the box, Levis got a touch and then the ball fell to Diego Gonzalez, who sent a shot right into the chest of SRA keeper Logan Franco.

The first half finished without much more fanfare, which was a far cry from how the final 40 minutes began.

The teams switched sides with the Saints looking into the sun that almost instantaneously emerged from behind the clouds as the referee blew his whistle. And Pereira took advantage, sending a high arcing shot from  some 45 yards away on the Saints' goal that Franco lost in the sun and allowed to hop over his head into the net.

Up one and with the momentum, the Huskies quickly turned defense into offense. Tavares, after easily handling a shot from range by St. Ray's, swiftly bowled the ball to Gonzalez, who next passed up to Hudak on the right wing. Hudak, in turn, delivered a through ball to a racing Levis, whose low, moderate shot from distance slipped under a diving Franco to five Mt. Hope a 2-0 in the 43rd minute.

The Huskies then poured it on, scoring off a corner kick in the 49th. Gonzalez put the ball back in play again to Hudak who once more delivered to Levis, who was ready to rise up for a header he put past Franco to make it 3-0.

"The first one was not a very good goal, but the second one was a nice cross by Aidan Hudak," Levis, who had four goals on the season at the time, admitted while saying "it's an awesome feeling" to score the first brace of his high school career.

Of the Huskies' performance in total, Levis added, "I feel like we can play better. The first half, I feel like we didn't play as good as we can play, but in the second half we turned up the heat."

On the front burner for sure, Canario torched the Saints for the fourth goal of the game in the 64th minute. Gonzalez was once again involved, doing masterful work to keep the ball in play along the left end line. With the Saints converging on him, he sent another neat cross to his mate opposite. Canario then one-timed a shot into the turf that beat an onrushing Franco.

"We can in a little sloppy. It was a weird time, a 4 o'clock game, but no excuses," Canario said, noting the earlier start time for the game. Varsity and junior varsity switched their usual slots, 4:15 p.m. and 6 p.m., due to issues with the lighting at the complex.

"But we got it done in the second half. We found our touch," Canario continued. "We found how we play."

Down by four, the hosts got a little desperate attempting to get on the scoreboard at least. They initially tested Tavares with a ripper from just outside the 18-yard box on which the sophomore keeper made a terrific diving stop to his right in the 69th.

The Saints did, however, finally get on the board with their two tallies in the final 10 minutes.

The Huskies kept pace with fellow unbeaten East Greenwich atop the D-II standings. The Avengers also sat with a 7-0-3 record. Mt. Hope next hosts Smithfield Thursday night, Oct. 3, at 6. The locals then head back to Pawtucket again for their lone game next week Tuesday, Oct. 8, against Shea at Max Read Field also with a 6 p.m. start.