Avonlea Cummings
Hometown Weekly Sports Reporter
Dark, cloudy skies rolled in on Wednesday afternoon, just in time for the sun to illuminate the talent of the Medfield boys' soccer team as they engaged in a friendly scrimmage against the Walpole Timberwolves. This match provided both teams with an opportunity to shake off the rust accumulated during the off-season, allowing them to regain confidence on the field and establish a smoother game flow.
Scrimmages, not counting towards the regular season record, present the perfect opportunity to experiment with various formations and lineups. For the Medfield boys, this season marks a period of transition following the graduation of a large group of seniors last year. Although Assistant Coach Travis Taliaferro has been working closely with the team, stepping up as the head coach has been away. Taliaferro is optimistic that this year, the boys will demonstrate flexibility in their talents, enabling them to compete effectively.
"We must be flexible. We've faced some challenges at the beginning, losing many of our mainstays. We need to ensure we remain injury-free this year and step up," explained Taliaferro.
Transition years can be challenging for teams, but not for the Warriors. The boys effectively connected their passes and scored several goals during the scrimmage, demonstrating promising prospects for the upcoming season. Coach Taliaferro eagerly anticipates what the season holds, eager to identify which players will step up and become essential pieces of the puzzle.
"Myself and Head Coach Jason take pride in shaping our puzzle. We can't recruit from outside our school, so we work with the talent we have. Every year, I look forward to seeing players push beyond their comfort zones, apply themselves where they didn't think they could excel, and succeed. When they adopt a 'next man up' mentality and embrace their roles, it's fantastic. We have an intelligent group of kids on this team, and they're also very athletic. When they combine these attributes, that's what excites me the most. They are learning and giving their all," expressed Taliaferro.
The boys commenced their home opener against Westwood on Tuesday, September 5th, marking the start of their league competition. They will continue the season by traveling to their first away game against Holliston on Thursday, September 7th, at 3:45 PM.
If you can't attend in person, be sure to catch a game this season. Check out the full season schedule at https://www.arbiterlive.com/Teams/Schedule/5652976.
