LeMaire Scores Four Goals in Mounties' Opening Win
PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- Mount Greylock's Cedric LeMaire got the county's Fall 2 soccer season started with a goal midway through the first half of Friday's game against Hoosac Valley.
Turns out LeMaire also was just getting started.
The freshman forward scored four more times to lead the Mounties to a 7-0 win on Berkshire Community College's Gene Dellea Field.
"He's coming along," Mount Greylock coach Blair Dils said of LeMaire. "I think the fall and even a little bit last year he was having trouble finishing. We've known he has a powerful shot for 10 years, and now he's getting dangerous."
In the 19th minute on Friday, LeMaire took a cross from the left wing from Leo Rossiter and buried a shot into the upper 90 on the far side to make it 1-0.
It stayed that way until the closing minutes of the first half, despite Mount Greylock keeping the Hurricanes pinned in the defensive third most of the way.
"They dropped in," Dils said. "They had five backs and a defensive center mid, so they kind of built a little bit of a defensive wall back there.
"It was good to see the tactical adjustment they made, and they frustrated us for a good while. We were just trying to keep possession of the ball, and it would open up eventually. And that's what happened."
In the 34th minute, Conor Harrison set up Rossiter at the top of the 18, and the senior drilled a shot past Hoosac keeper Lucas Waterman (five saves).
LeMaire converted one more time from 20 yards out in the final two minutes of the half to give Mount Greylock a 3-0 lead going into the break.
Julius Munemo opened the second half with a goal, and LeMaire scored twice in the 56th minute to put the game out of reach at 6-0.
Jake Richardson had one of the best chances of the game for the Hurricanes when he played a through ball up the middle in the 62nd minute, but Mount Greylock keeper Oscar Low came off his line to block Richardson's try at the top of the box and maintain the shutout.
Eli Levy capped the scoring for the Mounties when he scored off the rebound of Liam O'Keefe's shot with 15 minutes left.
Although many Berkshire County high schools held practice programs for soccer in the fall, and the Berkshire Youth Soccer League scheduled games for teams of high schoolers, Friday marked the first official high school game since the Mounties' Western Mass final appearance in 2019.
It was also the first time a county high school game was played in what is reputed to be the windiest month of the year, and Mother Nature did not disappoint, providing wind gusts up to 41 mph.
"It was a big factor," Dils said. "Honestly, I'd rather play in 8 degree weather than the wind. But the guys did a good job of adjusting to it eventually."