Boys Soccer Starting New Season With High Expectations

Sometimes it’s just a bad luck of the draw in the MIAA state soccer tournament, and that’s exactly what Brent Monroe and the Lynnfield boys soccer team ran into last season.

Monroe and the No. 7 Pioneers ran into Rockport in the quarterfinals and fell in a shootout to the team that ended up winning the Eastern Mass. Div. 3 championship in 2010.

This season, with a heap of Pioneers retuning for another go-around, the expectations are high in Lynnfield for a team that had 11 wins last season.

“We have very high expectations,” said Monroe. “We want to win the North and see how far we can go. This gropu has won quite a bit and one thing that we haven’t done here is win the whole state championship. Kind of what we are hoping for.”

Monroe’s team is built with leadership and plenty of experience straight up the middle of the field. Pete Frantchi is a two-time All-Star for the Pioneers, and Monroe was quick to say that he is probably one of the better defenders to ever play soccer for Lynnfield.

Pat DeRosa has been hurt on and off the past copule of seasons, but with a healthy outlook in 2011, the center midfielder should be a presence in the middle of the offensive and defensive attack.

Marco Addonizio led the team in scoring his sophomore season and was second last year behind George Levantakos, both will need to carry the load for the Pioneers as captains and potent offensive forces this season.

The team is hungry this season, according to Monroe, and with four of the five best players on the team returning to get a little revenge for the early exit in last seasons playoffs, it should make for an interesting season for their opponents.