Mount Greylock Boys Dominate in Tourney Win

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – The Mount Greylock boys soccer team Sunday got goals from four different players in a 4-0 win over Blue Hills Tech in the Division 5 State Tournament.

 

John Manuel Morales capped a dominant but largely scoreless first half with the game-winner in the 38th minute, and the eighth-seeded Mounties advanced to the Round of 16.

 

The Mounties dominated throughout the match, generating high quality chances that ended in shots just off the mark.

 

Midway through the half, pressure from Everett Bayliss in the 17th minute and Matteo Chang in the 21st minute led to corner kicks from the right wing. Each time, Morales served the ball from the corner into the 18, where a teammate headed it either high or wide of the goal.

 

In the 25th minute, Josh Rudin took a free kick out of the back that came down in the middle of the 18 for another Mount Greylock header that just missed the mark.

 

Nine minutes later, Henrik Bingmann fired a shot from the left wing at the top of the 18 that went inches wide of the far post.

 

Finally, with 2 minutes, 54 seconds left in the half, Bingmann’s cross from the left wing was headed home by Morales to give Mount Greylock a 1-0 lead.

 

“We were a little frustrated, a little disappointed on our finishing in that first half,” Mount Greylock coach Blair Dils said. “We stressed cleaning things up and working a little harder in the box.

 

“I think some guys had some opportunities to put the ball in the net and issued them. We’d hope if we had some of those chances, the law of averages said we’re going to put up a couple more than that.”

 

In the opening minutes of the second half, George Munemo just missed the connection at the end of a cross from Bingmann from the left wing.

 

But six minutes later, Munemo received a pass back from Caleb Low inside the 18 and launched a strike into the goal to make it 2-0.

 

“It was nice to get that second goal and relax and get out of that one goal lead problem,” Dils said. “Guys came off the bench and really provided a spark.”

 

With a little of the pressure off the Mounties, they turned up the heat on Blue Hills.

 

In the 58th minute, Bayliss played a rebound off the keeper and buried a shot for his second goal of the season.

 

With about five minutes to play, the visitors were awarded a free kick in their offensive end and sent everyone, including the keeper, forward in an attempt to get on the board. The Mounties were able to gain control inside the 18, and Eamon Hetherington launched the ball forward and across midfield. Marcus Whalen-Loux ran on the ball and beat the retreating keeper for a goal into the empty net to cap the scoring.

 

“It was really fun to see the depth of our team,” Dils said. “Everett getting a goal, Marcus getting a goal, that was great. It’s fun when all of them can participate and feel like they’re part of a great team victory.”

 

Dan Warren made five stops to earn the shutout win in goal.

 

Mount Greylock (8-6-5) will be home on Thursday in the Round of 16 against either Keefe Tech or Smith Academy, who play on Monday.