Brodeur scores two as Wildcats crush Southeastern, 6-0

Team defense a strength as Westport maintains undefeated season

Photos and story by Richard W. Dionne, Jr.
Posted 10/13/21

Junior striker Hunter Brodeur scored two goals and added an assist as the Westport soccer team crushed Southeastern RVT, 6-0, on the road last Tuesday afternoon. The win boosted the team’s …

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Brodeur scores two as Wildcats crush Southeastern, 6-0

Team defense a strength as Westport maintains undefeated season

Posted

Junior striker Hunter Brodeur scored two goals and added an assist as the Westport soccer team crushed Southeastern RVT, 6-0, on the road last Tuesday afternoon. The win boosted the team’s undefeated record to 5-0-2.

“Hunter’s got like, 14 goals with three hat tricks,” said senior co-captain Jon Letendre. “He is quick and fast. Before you know it, he’s by three guys. He’s an insane player. He’s scoring goals and that’s what we need to win.”

Junior midfielder Antonio Dutra Africano scored a goal and recorded two assists and senior Nick Arruda, junior Coltrane McGonigle and sophomore Ben Novo each had a goal in the onslaught. Defensively, freshman goalkeeper Noah Amaral, made four saves and the defensive back four — senior Dom Vitorino, sophomore Ryan Borges, and juniors Nick DosVais and Noah Sowle — were outstanding in preserving the shutout, Wildcats head coach Chris Parker said. The shutout was Amaral’s fifth clean sheet of the season.

“This is the deepest team that I have had in my five years as coach,” Parker said. “We’ve got a lot of really good players.”

“We have been playing well together, as a group,” Wildcats co-captain Nick Arruda agreed. “It’s not just the goal scoring. We have just been playing solid as a team.”

Both players and coach think the team could make a long run in the state tournament this season, which was something they couldn’t do in last year’s fall 2 season, which ended with a win in a single playoff game against South Shore Vo-Tech.

“The goal this season is to be state champs,” Letendre said. “Win the rest of our games. Have home field through the playoffs and win the state championship.”

“It was a nice way to wrap up the season,” said Coach Parker. “But, It’s nice to really be playing for something this season. I felt bad for those seniors."

 

Outstanding defense

The team’s offense has been scoring goals this season, but the Wildcats’ defense is the team’s strength as they maintain their undefeated season.

“Our defensive back four have been outstanding,” Westport head coach Chris Parker said. “The midfield was going to be a strength and I knew Hunter would get his goals. But I wondered about how the team would be defensively,” he said.

The team lost senior leader and starting center back Jayden Zuber earlier this season due to injury. The Wildcats made adjustments and players have stepped up.

“Senior Dom Vitorino and sophomore Marcos Dutra-Africanohave moved into the center back spots and they have been phenomenal,” said Coach Parker.

“They are not just blowing up plays, they keep the ball for us and they start a counter attack. They maintain possession for us. That separates a good center back from an excellent center back, ” the coach said. The two players are also exceptional at taking on arial balls and directing it out of danger, he added..

“What Dom does for a kid who plays soccer twelve weeks of the year is mind boggling to me. He’s a hell of an athlete."

“Starting left back Ryan Borges is rock solid,” said Coach Parker. And Junior Nick Dos Vais stepped into Zuber’s spot and hasn’t missed a beat either.

“Noah has been starting for us at goalkeeper since seventh grade,” said Coach Parker. "He’s grown, got a bit bigger and filled out a bit. He’s matured and he works hard. The big difference for Noah has been his leadership on the field. He’s very vocal now. He’s commanding things from back there. He’s already really good. He has a tendency to be incredibly special. We are lucky to have him.”

“The kid is a crazy freshman,” Arruda added. “He is one of the most skilled goalies that I’ve ever played with. He’s made crazy progress since seventh grade.”

 

Westport ties WestBridgewater, 1-1

A week earlier, the team earned a tie against West Bridgewater during a home game, when Dutra Africano scored on a penalty kick and knotted the game, 1-1.

“The Mayflower Athletic Conference is strong,” Coach Parker said. "We are getting battle tested for the state tournament and keeps our hope alive for winning the Mayflower Division.”

 

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