By Avonlea Cummings
Hometown Weekly Sports Reporter
On the chilly evening of Sunday, November 12, the ninth-seeded Dover-Sherborn boys soccer team embarked on a bus journey to Oakmont Regional High for a crucial encounter against the top-seeded Spartans. Having commenced their post-season with convincing victories against Swampscott and Tewksbury, both with 3-0 triumphs, D-S entered the field with substantial momentum and a well-coordinated team. Despite their confidence, the Raiders anticipated a formidable challenge from the Spartans in their pursuit of a spot in the state semi-finals.
The battle unfolded as the game clock neared zero, with both teams fiercely competing. However, Dover-Sherborn ultimately succumbed to the Spartans, concluding the match with a 2-0 defeat.
In the initial half, Oakmont swiftly secured a lead, scoring early in the evening's contest. Undeterred by the Spartans' imposing advantage, the Raiders promptly regrouped. Following Oakmont's goal, Dover-Sherborn demonstrated resilience, maintaining composure and seizing control of the ball. Head coach Joe Gruseck offered insights into the team's preparation for the match and shared his thoughts on the game's early stages.
“We knew they were a good team, we watched a lot of film, and spoke with other coaches, and they came out strong. We came out the way we have been within the last few games, with a little bit of jitters, they scored a goal, but I found around five minutes after they scored I thought we controlled quite a bit of the game after that,” said Gruseck.
scoring opportunities against Oakmont's formidable defense. The match featured a persistent back-and-forth dynamic, with the Raiders consistently pressing against the grain in an effort to maintain possession in their offensive end. In an unexpected turn of events, the whistle blew, signaling a critical moment for the Raiders' goalie, Gavin Lynch, who found himself facing a one-on-one situation against a Spartan player. The referee awarded a penalty kick to Oakmont, allowing the Spartans to extend their lead to 2-0. Head coach Gruseck reflected on the significant impact Lynch had on the team throughout the season.
“Gavin for the last three tournament games has really played well, you would never know that this is his second year playing goalie. When you step back and look at the reality of where we are at and what we have done, without him, we aren’t here. We are going to miss him and all of the seniors,” said Gruseck.
In defiance of the Spartans' lead, the boys remained persistent throughout, pressing until the final seconds in a concerted effort to convert their shots against the Spartans' goalie, with the time clock posing their sole challenge. Head coach Gruseck conveyed his pride in the team's performance this season.
“They didn’t quit, we have had a lot of different adversities whether it was on the field or off the field, but they stuck together, it hurts now because we want to be going deeper into the post-season but I hope that this is something they can be proud of, they’ve worked so hard and they deserve to be this far,” said Gruseck.
