The Chelsea High boys soccer team, under the direction of Coach Mick Milutinovic, defeated Lynn Tech 4-1 on Monday afternoon, extending their winning streak. Three of the four goals came from senior Carlos Cruz, who recorded a hat trick for the Red Devils. Opening the scoring with an assist from junior Carlos Martinez, Cruz gave CHS an early advantage. Senior captain Donne Agogo then extended the lead to 2-0 before halftime with an unassisted goal following a scramble near the Tech goal line. After the break, Cruz added his second marker with help from sophomore Wilfredo Alfaro-Castro to make it 3-0. Tech managed to score once and narrow the gap to 3-1, but Cruz sealed the victory with his third goal, this one assisted by senior Elvin Merino.
CHS assistant coach Evan Protasowicki highlighted the significance of the win, noting that “Lynn Tech typically plays us very tough,” Tech had previously overcome a 3-0 deficit against Chelsea to force a 3-3 tie. “So this was a big win for us against a division opponent.” The coaching staff praised the defensive performance, with keeper Ever Barrera anchoring a solid Red Devil backline throughout the match. “We graduated a lot of our defenders from last year,” said Protasowicki, “but one of the pleasant surprises has been the way that some of our new players, such as Joel Morales-Ventura, have stepped up.” Protasowicki also emphasized the importance of the team’s captains—Yanquiel DaSilva, Hugo Erazo, and Agogo—whose leadership has been instrumental in the 2010 season’s success.
With a 7-1-2 record, Chelsea keeps pace in the Commonwealth Athletic Conference Large Division race, though Northeast Regional Vocational School still leads the standings. The Red Devils and Golden Knights are scheduled to face off in the season finale on Thursday, October 28, a matchup that could determine the CAC Large School championship. Their first meeting ended in a tie. Prior to that crucial contest, Chelsea must navigate matchups against Greater Lowell and Greater Lawrence. The team also recently defeated Everett, a Division 1 rival, by a score of 3-2. “This was a nice win for us because Everett is a Division 1 school and represents the caliber of the teams we’ll be facing in the state tournament,” said Protasowicki.