Marcos Dutra Africano and Tommy Bernard scored as the gritty Westport soccer team shut out Boston International 2-0 in the Division 5 state semifinal game at Scituate High School on Tuesday night. The 20-0-1, 8th seeded, Wildcats will face 2nd seeded Douglas in the championship at Leominster High School’s Doyle Field on Saturday 11/18 at 3:30 p.m.. 

It’s the first time in Westport school history that a soccer team has made it to the final. Head coach Chris Parker’s teams have come close in recent years, making it to the final four in 2021 and back to the Elite 8 in 2022. 

While Westport managed two goals, it was their stifling defensive play that held off the larger, quicker and physical BINCA team. Athletic junior goalkeeper Noah Amaral was active, making 10 saves, most coming in the first half. 

Senior captains Dutra Aftricano, Ryan Borges and Ben Novo came up big in front of Amaral as Coach Parker saturated the box with Wildcats while clinging to a 1 goal lead in the second half. Officials were dealing out yellow and red cards at an alarming pace as Boston International players dropped to the ground like bowling pins in a desperate attempt to create a play off a free kick. 

Boston International out shot the Wildcats 14-7, but it was Westport who created both goals from their “set pieces.” 

Africano headed the ball into the goal with 13:51 remaining in the first half to give Westport a 1-0 lead. The Wildcats were awarded a free kick. Novo sent the cross into the air and Dutra Africano hanging by the goalpost, elevated and put his head on it and sent the ball past BINCA goalkeeper Fabio Pina into the goal. 

Juniors Zachary Lopes and Will Quinlas came up with a nifty throw-in play that set up the Wildcats game clinching goal with 13:01 to go in the second half. Lopes readied to throw the ball long, then Quinlan came to the sideline and he threw the ball off the junior midfielder’s back. As the ball bounced off the ground, Lopes kicked a perfect cross into the box. Bernard went airborne and headed the ball by Pina into the goal for a Westport 2-0 lead.