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W-H raises $1,000 for family

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Friday night’s football game raised $1,000 to help build a disabled Army vet’s house.

 Whitman-Hanson Regional High athletic director Bob Rodgers saw last Friday night as an opportunity to give back, and the communities answered the call.

In response to a pair of 16-year-old juveniles, neither of whom were from W-H, causing more than $50,000 worth of damage to a home in Hanson being built for disabled Army vet Paul Skarinka, a Whitman native, earlier in the week, Rodgers got the approval to set up donation buckets at the football team’s game vs. Duxbury to help with repairs.

The two buckets were located at both entrances to the stadium and manned by Dawne and Richard Green. The effort raised $1,000.

“It didn’t surprise me at all that we raised so much money in a short time,” Rodgers said. “We are fortunate to live in a generous and caring community.”

Rodgers said he plans to reach out to Skarinka to see if he’d be willing to attend a game in November around Veterans Day.

“We will be having a game which we dedicate to all veterans and inviting them to attend free of charge,” Rodgers said. “With our new scoreboard, we plan to run a video about the Wounded Warrior Project too.”

Keeping score in Week 4: Soccer teams, girls’ cross country, golf post wins

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Week 4 is in the books.

Week 4 had its ups and downs at Whitman-Hanson Regional High.

The ups were: girls’ soccer remained unbeaten, girls’ cross country got into the win column, and golf and boys’ soccer posted victories.

Boys’ cross country (1-3) dropped a close race to Plymouth North, 25-30, Wednesday, Sept. 26. Sophomore Theo Kamperides finished in third at 18:30 and junior Brandon Hager finished fourth at 18:40.

Girls’ cross country (1-3) got the best of Plymouth North, 26-31, Wednesday, Sept. 26. Junior Tori Boss covered the course in 22:21 to pace the Panthers. Junior Niki Kamperides finished fourth and senior captain Maeve McDonough finished with times of 22:48 and 22:52, respectively.

Field hockey (2-5-2) opened the week with a 3-1 loss to Plymouth North on Monday, Sept. 25. Junior Sophia Molinari scored the lone W-H goal. … On Wednesday, Todd Humphrey’s club fell to Duxbury by a 1-0 final. … The Panthers capped the week with a 1-0 loss to Scituate on Friday.

Football (2-2) dropped its Friday, Sept. 28 contest to Duxbury, 27-9. After a safety in the first quarter, W-H struggled to muster up much of anything on offense. Senior Mike Connors added a fourth quarter rushing TD.

Golf (5-1) had its first two contests of the week rained out, before it was able to get into action Thursday, Sept. 27 against Quincy. The Panthers were led by a 7-over par 42 from their captain Owen Manning in a 275-291 win over the Presidents.

Boys’ soccer (3-3-1) suffered a 4-0 setback against Silver Lake on Wednesday, Sept. 26. … On Thursday, Dave Leahy’s club defeated Plymouth South, 4-1. Junior captain Jason Brodeur scored twice in the triumph. … On Saturday, W-H fell to Plymouth North, 2-1. Sophomore Dalton Desrocher had the W-H goal.

Girls’ soccer (5-0-1) topped Silver Lake, 3-0, Wednesday, Sept. 26. Juniors Anika Floeck and Samantha Perkins and freshman Kelsee Wozniak supplied the W-H goals. … The Panthers played to a 2-2 tie against Plymouth South on Thursday. Trailing 2-0 12 minutes in, Floeck cut the deficit to 2-1 at halftime with a goal. Freshman Olivia Borgen notched the score at 2-2 in the second half with a goal.

Girls’ volleyball (2-6) won the first set but dropped the following three in a 3-1 loss to Hingham on Friday, Sept. 28. The set scores were: 25-20 (W-H), 25-11 (H), 25-23 (H) and 25-18 (H). Senior setter Kylie Gervasio posted 15 assists, senior Erin Leahy had 12 kills and libero Nicole Scott, a senior captain, had 25 digs.

*Express weekly roundups consist of games from Monday to Saturday.

New boys’ lacrosse coach excited to ‘get his hands dirty’

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Tyler Sabens is the Panthers’ new boys’ lacrosse head coach.

Newly-hired head coach of the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ lacrosse team, Tyler Sabens, is thrilled to get the opportunity to take the insight he’s gathered over the years and put it to use.

Sabens, whose hiring was announced Sept. 13 via a press release from W-H athletic director Bob Rodgers, takes over for Rob White, who spent five seasons at the helm of the Panthers. White, who Rodgers announced stepped down at the conclusion of last season, led the Panthers to the tournament each of his first three years, but the team combined to win just seven games over the past two springs. W-H went 5-14 in 2017 and 2-16 last season.

“I am extremely excited to join Whitman-Hanson as their new lacrosse coach,” Sabens said in an interview with the Express. “The foundation here, just in terms of the amount of athletes and the way that Whitman-Hanson looks at student-athletes, serves as a great base to build a successful lacrosse program.” Sabens, who is in his first year as a guidance counselor at Whitman Middle School, referenced the W-H girls’ lacrosse team, which has made the tournament four out of the last five seasons, as an example of using that “great base” to its fullest.

“They’re successful and a program that brings players back,” Sabens said.

After graduating from Falmouth High, where he was a two-time lacrosse captain, Sabens went on to play at Manhattan College from 2008-12. Sabens captained the Jaspers his senior season. In addition to expanding his overall knowledge of the game during his time in the Bronx, Sabens said he ascertained the true value of togetherness.

“When you’re playing in college, you’re with each other, you live with each other, you’re surrounded by each other so much that you’re really forced to buy into one another, never mind the game of lacrosse, but one another and being successful together,” Sabens said.

In 2014, Sabens entered the high school coaching ranks when he hooked on with Falmouth’s boys’ lacrosse team. He coordinated the offense and coached the goalies up until this past spring, when Falmouth made it all the way to the Div. 2 South Sectional final. Sabens said he grasped how to build a winning environment and mentality, which are both something he plans to establish at W-H.

“Culture is so important on how athletes and coaches look at process,” he explained. “If we’re not all focused on doing the little things great, and doing the little things like they’re supposed to be done – in the field, off the field, in the classroom, in the community – if we can do that, that will lead to the big things like winning, the program growing overall.”

Sabens was also a coach on Falmouth’s 2016 football team that won the Division 2A Super Bowl, running its tripleoption offense and coaching the running backs and cornerbacks.

The Falmouth native has coached JV hockey, power skating, hockey skill sessions, town basketball and lacrosse clinics.

“I would coach anything, honestly,” Sabens said. “Sports is sports to me.”

Sabens met with the returning players and anyone else interested in joining the team shortly after his hiring.

“I introduced myself to the guys [and] had them fill out a small questionnaire, just so I can find out a little more about them,” he said. “It was really nice to meet all of the guys, or most of the guys.”

Togetherness and positivity were stressed at thatWednesday meeting.

“It is instrumental and pivotal that we approach adversity as it comes along together with an outlook for one another, rather than individuals,” Sabens said. “If we don’t approach what’s about to come as a team and really genuinely together, it’s gonna be a long year and it’s gonna be a tough process to start building up.”

As part of his process of building the program up, Sabens said he’s on a mission to retain current players, acquire new players and bring back former players.

“My overall goal is to put a footprint and really hope that people end up respecting the program after this year and kids want to come play for the program,” Sabens said. “Guys want to come back and play for me next year.”

Sabens said he’s eager to get to work.

“This [is] one of the best opportunities I think a high school lacrosse coach can come across,” Sabens said, “to be able to enter the Patriot League with the stacked lineup and the opposition that we’ll be facing. That itself just raises the level of the game being played and the interest it’s gonna attract. I’m so excited to get my hands dirty in the Patriot League and to really start building this thing.”

Season Preview: Experience, leadership key for W-H cheerleading team

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GIVING A CHEER: Children in kindergarten through grade eight joined the W-H Cheerleading team in a Panther Club Clinic on Friday, Sept. 14, culminating in a chance to cheer for the football team under the Friday Night Lights. / Photo by: Sue Moss

All eyes are zeroed in on state title No. 14.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High cheerleaders are back on the mats and in full force.

Forty kids turned out to tryouts in late August, enough for first-year head coach Alyssa Hayes, who took over the team on a temporary basis in February, before being named to the position full time in April, to fulfill her goal of forming a junior varsity team.

“This is the first time in a long time that we’ve had a JV team, which coach Keryn Cordo and I are so excited about,” said Hayes, a 2012 W-H graduate. “Having two solid teams again would be ideal.”

Decorated seniors Anna Franklin and Shelby Newcomb captain the varsity team alongside junior Ryley Hurley.

“They, honestly, the three of them are the best of friends, and that’s how they treat the rest of the team,” Hayes said.

The trio doesn’t just guide the team on the mats, but through the halls as well.

“We’ve got a lot of new freshmen and even [on the] first day of school, I saw them walking the freshmen around,” Hayes said. “They’re just going to lead this team 24/7, not just at practice.”

Hayes is expecting the same positive attitudes to push the Panthers forward this fall that did last winter, which culminated in state title No. 13.

“They seem to all really get along and love each other, which is something you usually have to build up to,” Hayes said.

The Panthers have seven returnees from that title winning team. In addition to their three captains, senior Maddy Anderson, junior Kaylee Diehl, and sophomores Olivia McCarthy and Savannah Po- irier are all back.

“I’m so excited,” Hayes said. “I can’t wait to get going. We already have our competition schedules ready, so I can’t wait to get started. I feel like I’ve been waiting for the beginning of the season for a while.”

And, first up on that competition schedule is the Oliver Ames Invitational on Sunday, Oct. 21. Six days later –on Oct. 27 – will be the Braintree Invitational.

“Now it’s just let’s start practicing those skills,” Hayes said. “You get the routine in August, so we’re trying to get some reps in and build up to states in November.”

Then there was one: Girls’ soccer only remaining unbeaten team through Week 3

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Girls’ soccer roars through Week 3 action.

The success of the girls’ soccer team at Whitman-Hanson Regional High cannot be overlooked.

Dave Floeck’s club, which hasn’t had a losing season since 1999, is off to another hot start.

Here’s a look at all the Week 3 action.

Boys’ cross country (1-2) dropped an 18-45 decision to Duxbury on Thursday, Sept. 20. Panthers sophomore Theo Kamperides finished third, sandwiched in between a heap of Dragons, with a time of 17:21.

Girls’ cross country (0-3) dropped its race against Duxbury, 16-43, Thursday, Sept. 20. Junior Tori Boss paced the Panthers with fifth-place finish at 21:43.

Field hockey (2-2-2) fell to Hingham. 3-0, Monday, Sept. 17. …… On Thursday, the girls were shut out by Pembroke, 1-0.

Football (2-1) suffered a 22-13 setback at the hands of Hingham on Friday, Sept. 21. The Panthers struck first on a 4-yard TD run from Ethan Phelps in the second quarter, but Hingham scored the next 15 to claim the lead and never looked back. Senior captain Rian Schwede had three catches for 41 yards and a TD for W-H.

Golf (4-1) defeated Plymouth North, 232-239, Wednesday, Sept. 19. Junior Ian Brown shot a 3-over-par 38, while senior captain Owen Manning and junior Matt Korzec both shot 4-over-par. …… On Friday, it was W-H that came out on the losing end of a close one, falling to Silver Lake, 250-252. Manning carded a 2-over-par 38 and Brown shot a 3-over-par in the loss.

Boys’ soccer (2-1-1) had its Tuesday, Sept. 18 game against Duxbury postponed, before it rallied for three goals in a 12-minute span to tie Hanover, 3-3, Friday. Down 3-0, junior Kyle O’Connor crashed the net and drilled home a Nolan Clack rebound. Junior captain Jason Brodeur scored in the 65th minute to bring W-H within one and three minutes later, freshman Alex Chichlowski scored the equalizer.

Girls’ soccer (4-0) also had its Tuesday, Sept. 18 game against Duxbury postponed. On Friday, – its first game in a week – it showed little signs of rust, erupting for five second-half goals to down Hanover, 5-1. Trailing 1-0 at halftime, sophomore Alexis Billings opened the second with a goal to knot the score and freshman Kelsee Wozniak followed with a pair of goals. Freshmen Olivia Borgen and Nora Manning also had tallies in the win. Junior Riley Bina and Manning had assists. The defense was led by senior captains Sammy Smith and Olivia Johnson, as well as juniors Samantha Perkins, Erin Wood and Courtney Woodward. Sophomore Reese Codero picked up the win in net.

Girls’ volleyball (2-5) opened the week with a 3-2 victory over Hanover on Monday, Sept. 17. The set scores were: 25-16 (W-H), 25-21 (Hanover), 25-19 (W-H), 25-11 (Hanover) and 15-12 (W-H). The Panthers were led by 17 kills from junior middle hitter Ella Sweeney, 20 digs from senior captain and libero Nicole Scott and 14 assists from senior setter Kylie Gervasio. … … The next day, W-H was swept by Duxbury, 3-0. Set scores were: 25-17, 2514 and 25-15. …… On Friday, Quincy defeated W-H, 3-0, with set scores of 25-16, 25-17 and 25-17.

*Express weekly roundups consist of games from Monday to Saturday. 

Clack clicking for W-H boys’ soccer

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Clack against Pembroke this season. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Through the Panthers’ first three games, senior midfielder Nolan Clack has two goals and two assists.

Senior midfielder Nolan Clack has been a man on a mission this season for the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer team.

It took the four-year varsity player just two games to match his goal total (two) and halve his assist total (four) from last fall. In the Panthers’ season opener, Clack racked up two assists in a 2-1 victory over defending Div. 4 South champion Cohasset, 2-1. His first came off a corner kick to junior captain Jason Broduer and other came toward the end of the first half when he fed sophomore Brad Pelissier, who found the back of the net.

Two days later, Clack was the one finding the back of the net – not once, but twice – in a 6-1 triumph over Rockland. His first tally came five minutes in to set the tone, putting W-H up 1-0. With 15 minutes left in the opening frame, Clack scored again to make it 4-0.

“What he did in the first half against Cohasset and the first again against Rockland, he made us a better team because of his play,” W-H boys’ soccer head coach Dave Leahy explained.

PUTTING IN THE WORK

Clack’s early success was preceded by a summer centered around soccer. After back-to-back tough seasons in 2015 (4-14) and 2016 (1-16), both of which Clack were a part of, he and the Panthers got a taste of success last fall in what was their first season under Leahy. Their win total rose by 10 and they made the playoffs for the first time in three years. The advances had Clack wanting more and aiming to be a bigger part of the action. So, he knew the work he had to put in to better his game.

“Every day, me and captain Steve Kelly, we just went to the field,” Clack said. “We just worked on everything we needed to over the offseason. Every day.”

Improving hisshot was high on his to-do list. “My dad would come to the field and [my right foot was] all we’d work on for like an hour,” Clack said.

In addition to just coming to the field, Clack was in game action for a few months with his club team, the FC Boston Bolts, playing in numerous tournaments. Leahy’s noticed the effort put in.

“Nolan has done an excellent job at coming back from his junior year to his senior year, and he worked as hard as he could in the offseason to make himself the best player he can be, and he’s continuing to work hard,” Leahy said.

Adding more fire to Clack’s desire for success was when he found out the Panthers were going to be down two key players to transfer just a few weeks before the season.

“It just put a chip on our shoulder,” Clack said. “We don’t want to show that were bad, we don’t want to show that we’re too good, we just wanna play the way we wanna play.”

Clack looks to keep rolling Friday, Sept. 21 when the Panthers (2-1) host Hanover at 4 p.m.

“I just want to get over .500 and help the team as much as possible to win,” Clack said.

Double dose of Dunn: Sister act chips in for W-H varsity field hockey

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Lauren Dunn (left) and Kathryn Dunn (right) after the first game of the season. / Courtesy photo

Sisters Lauren and Kathryn Dunn are ecstatic to be playing with each other for the Whitman-Hanson Regional High field hockey team.

Coming into tryouts, Lauren Dunn was just aiming to make the freshman field hockey team.

But her speed was too much to pass up for Whitman-Hanson Regional High field hockey coach Todd Humphrey, who selected her and two other freshmen out of 26 for the varsity team.

“During tryouts, I noticed that Lauren was quick to the ball,” Humphrey explained. “She was aggressive. She’s going to be a playmaker. I thought she worked well with Annika (Putur), so I want to continue to enrich that throughout the season.”

Dunn’s low expectations for her roster status stemmed from the fact that she just picked up the sport over the summer after a lifetime of playing soccer. 

Her sister Kathryn, a senior, made a similar move. Kathryn was the MVP of the junior varsity girls’ soccer team her sophomore season before deciding field hockey was the fall sport for her.

“Kathryn was kind of debating [joining field hockey] and talking about it,” explained Humphrey, “and I said, ‘Look, I don’t recruit. I’m here for you if you want to make that transition. If you want to come play field hockey, I’m here for you. That’s your decision.’”

So, when Kathryn found out her younger sister cracked the varsity team, a few months after talking her into playing the sport, she was ecstatic.

“I think I was more excited than she was,” Kathryn said.

EXPERIENCE

The two sisters’ only prior experience playing together has come when Lauren subbed in on Kathryn’s AAU basketball team when they need an extra player or two.

Lauren said her older sister has been an immense asset for her to have by her side as she makes the transition to high school both in the classroom and the field.

“She’s been a lot of help,” said Lauren. “She’s just there for me, always. It’s awesome.”

Humphrey said this season brings back memories of 2014, when freshman Colleen Hughes (’18) came out for the team along with her sister Caitlin (’15), who would end up being the program’s first captain since its revival that season after a 30-year hiatus.

Colleen went on to captain the team three seasons later. Caroline Woodward (’16) was a captain her senior season and then her younger sister, Tina (’18), went on to do the same her senior season.

“It’s very much a family affair, for sure,” Humphrey said. “I like it.”

In the Panthers’ first game of the season, a 1-1 tie against Scituate, Humphrey gave both Dunns the start – Kathryn at defender and Lauren at forward.

“That was awesome,” Kathryn said. “Scituate was the Fisher League champions, so it felt great to tie against them because they’re a good team.”

Said Lauren: “I was so excited to get to play with her. It was a lot of fun and we played really well, too.”

KEY FORCE

Kathryn was a key force in the middle for the Panthers that game, and Humphrey said he can’t begin to explain her importance to the team as an elder statesman.

“I’m really impressed with Kathryn,” he said. “She was working in the offseason. She was playing in the Bridgewater Dome just doing different things – putting the basketball down a little bit and playing some field hockey, so it definitely helped.”

Humphrey said Kathryn’s biggest improvement from last fall is her technique. “She’s just great at getting low and sweeping the ball,” Humphrey said. “That’s very different because last year she was very high. Now she’s very low and she’s able to drive the ball down the field.”

While Kathryn clamps down on defense, Lauren is flying down the field with the offense. In the Panthers’ 2-1 victory over Silver Lake on Thursday, Sept. 13, Lauren passed the ball to junior Victoria Ryan, who buried it home for a goal to make it 1-0.

“You’re going to see Lauren going more with the offensive flow, just very graceful and fast,” Humphrey said.

NEXT GOALS

The goal the rest of the way for the Dunns is to keep the Panthers’ winning ways going. Through five contests, W-H sits at 2-1-2, its best start since the program resurfaced four years ago.

“We’ll never get this chance again, so I’m glad we got this,” Kathryn said.

Girls’ soccer and golf cruise through Week 2 action

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The highlight of Week 2 was a game-winning 34-yard field goal off the leg of Panthers senior Jake O’Brien.

Week 2 –– the first full week of the fall sports season – is in the books at Whitman-Hanson Regional High. Girls’ soccer, golf, field hockey and football remain undefeated.

Boys’ cross country (1- 1) fell to Hanover, 21-34, Thursday, Sept. 13. The Panthers’ top three finishers were: sophomore Theo Kamperides (third, 15:00), junior Brandon Hager (sixth, 15:33) and junior Nick Hanley (seventh, 15:38).

Girls’ cross country (0-2) was nipped by Hanover, 26- 29, Thursday, Sept. 13. Senior captain Maeve McDonough was W-H’s top finisher with a time of 18:32, which was good for third. Juniors Tori Boss (fourth, 18:46) and Niki Kamperides (sixth, 19:05) also had strong showings.

Field hockey (2-0-2), despite posting 20 shots on net, played to a 0-0 tie on the road against East Bridgewater on Tuesday, Sept. 11. … On Thursday, Todd Humphrey’s club defeated Silver Lake for the first time since the program’s revival. W-H went ahead 1-0 in the second half on a goal from junior Victoria Ryan and then went up 2-0 off the stick of sophomore Lauren Clark. The Lakers scored late to make it a 2-1 final. Seniors defender Kathryn Dunn and Olivia Sheehan and sophomore goalie Maddie Savicke sparked the defense.

Football (2-0) received a game-winning 34-yard field goal with time expiring from senior Jake O’Brien to down New Bedford, 9-6, Friday, Sept. 14. A 14-yard run from senior Billy Martell and 21-yard completion from junior John Zeidan – filling in for Ethan Phelps (illness) at quarterback – to senior Ryan Downing keyed the final drive.

Golf (3-0) topped East Bridgewater, 31.5-22.5, in match play Monday, Sept. 10. Junior Matt Korzec defeated his opponent by an 8-1 score to lead the Panthers. … Three days later, W-H edged Duxbury, 238-245. Senior captain Owen Manning shot a 2-overpar 36, while Korzec posted a 2-over-par to lift the Panthers.

Boys’ soccer (2-1) began the week with a 6-1 rout of Rockland on Monday, Sept. 10. Senior Nolan Clack and junior captain Jason Brodeur each scored a pair of goals. … On Friday, a late Pembroke tally sent the Titans past the Panthers, 2-1. Sophomore Dalton Desrocher had the lone goal.

Girls’ soccer (3-0) blanked Plymouth North, 3-0, Wednesday, Sept. 12. Freshmen Kelsee Wozniak and Olivia Borgen and junior Riley Bina supplied W-H’s goals. … On Friday, the Panthers and senior goalkeeper Skylar Kuzmich (five saves) shut out Pembroke, 4-0. Borgen, classmate Nora Manning, junior Samantha Perkins and senior captain Sammy Smith scored. The defense was anchored by seniors Smith and Olivia Johnson and juniors Erin Wood and Courtney Woodward.

Girls’ volleyball (1-3) picked up its first win of the season, 3-2 over Silver Lake, Monday, Sept. 10. After splitting the first four sets (25-22, SL; 25-14, WH; 25-19, WH; 25-23 SL), W-H won the fifth set, 15-11. Junior Ella Sweeney registered 12 kills, senior captain Nicole Scott had 15 digs and sophomore Caileen Hurley posted 27 assists. … On Wednesday, the Panthers were swept by North Quincy, 3-0. Set scores were: 25-13, 25-21 and 25-19. … On Friday, Plymouth North bested W-H, 3-0. Set sores were: 25- 21, 25-19 and 25-23.

*Express weekly roundups consist of games from Monday to Saturday. 

A flair for heroics: O’Brien hits game-winning field goal, W-H upends New Bedford

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Before the season even started, Mike Driscoll let his feelings be known of his senior kicker Jake O’Brien.

“Jake is a big, big, big part of our team,” said the eighth-year Whitman-Hanson Regional High football coach back in August. “I’ve never had a kid who you feel confident trotting him out there from 40, 45.”

On Friday night, Driscoll’s confidence was tested as was O’Brien’s poise. 

After a Mike Connors run advanced the ball to the New Bedford 17 and two timeouts thereafter, O’Brien got his time to shine in front of a packed Dennis M. O’Brien Stadium. 

With four seconds remaining and the score knotted at 6, the fourth-year varsity kicker knocked in a game-winning 34-yard field goal as time expired to send the Panthers to a 9-6 victory.

“When it came time to do it, I wasn’t really thinking, just kind of instinct — all this practice time I’ve put in for a long, long time finally paid off for me tonight,” O’Brien said.

With 3:09 left, W-H (2-0) forced New Bedford (0-2) to punt after just a 17-second drive. On the punt, senior Billy Martell drew a catch interference call, which advanced the ball to the Whalers 40. Martell then bulldozed his way ahead 14 yards to get the Panthers inside New Bedford territory.

“I knew when Billy got that run we were in position there. He said we were good from inside 30, in warmups he was booming them in from like 45, so I felt pretty confident. He wanted the ball on the right hash and Mike (Connors) knew that, so Mike got it to the right hash and Jake came through.”

Junior John Zeidan – starting under center for senior quarterback Ethan Phelps (illness) – followed up Martell’s run by hitting senior Ryan Downing, who just had an interception, in stride down the left side for a 21-yard completion with time winding down to get into field goal range.

“I was a little nervous,” Zeidan said. “I knew what he had to do to win the game. I knew the plays.”

The Panthers struck first in this one with 37.4 seconds remaining in the first half when Connors plowed his way to pay dirt from 1 yard out. A 37-yard throw from Zeidan to senior captain Jacob Nixon keyed the drive.

Tru Williams countered for the Whalers in the third, hitting Joey Alverio on a 9-yard pitch and catch to even the score at 6.

W-H’s defense was sparked by senior captains Connors, Rian Schwede and Quinn Sweeney, along with Downing and seniors Nate Beath and Ryan Trongone.

The Panthers begin league play next week when they travel to Hingham (1-0) at 7 p.m.

“We’ll enjoy this for a little while and they we’ll get right back at it,” Driscoll said.

Kuzmich’s path to the net paved by obstacle at young age

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Kuzmich during the semifinals last season. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Syklar Kuzmich is in her fourth year as W-H’s starting goalkeeper.

Faced with an obstacle at a young age that could have halted her soccer career, Skylar Kuzmich found her niche elsewhere on the pitch.

After jumping into the sport a few years prior, Kuzmich hit a bump in the road when she was 11. Running up and down the field was proving too much as her asthma was getting the best of her, leaving the then-middle schooler with two options.

“I could either quit the sport or become a goalkeeper,” Kuzmich explained.

She chose the latter. Then, she spent the next years in town and club play mastering the position before arriving in high school where she’d blossom into one of the state’s best goalkeepers.

Kuzmich, now a senior, has started for Whitman-Hanson Regional High’s girls’ soccer team since she was a freshman. The Panthers own a 58-5-3 record and haven’t fallen short of the South Sectional semifinals in her first three seasons, a span she’s posted 37 shutouts in.

“I always know that even if I mess up on defense, Sky is there and I trust Sky because she is an amazing goalie,” classmate and fellow captain Sammy Smith said.

Last season was when Kuzmich took her game to a new level, posting shutouts in 10 of 19 games. She earned Patriot League All-Star recognition.

After falling to league rival Hingham, 3-1, Oct. 17, W-H found itself with a rematch against the Harborwomen on the road in the South Sectional quarterfinals Nov. 7.

Kuzmich turned away numerous shots in the first half to keep the score deadlocked at 1-1, before the Panthers pulled ahead 2-1 in the second and that’s where it would stand.

“She made three of four saves there that absolutely gave us an opportunity to win the game,” head coach David Floeck recalled. “I’m hoping we don’t have to see too many highlight-reel saves but we’re happy that we have her there to make a few if she needs to.”

Kuzmich stopped 16 shots in the game.

“She makes these amazing saves and I’m jealous because I don’t know how she does it,” Smith said. “She’s like a ninja.”

Jealousy isn’t all that flows through Smith’s mind watching Kuzmich, a Hofstra University commit, protect the Panthers’ goal.

“I’m confident with her behind me in net at all times,” Smith said.

Kuzmich said that while she deals with the same struggles most all goalkeepers do, her attitude allows her to stay sane in net.

“After you let up a goal you have to have a goldfish mindset,” Kuzmich said. “Forget about it [and] move on to the next save. You can’t let it get in your head or else you’ll let in another one and part of that is you just need to be a little crazy too because one, you’re diving at the ball all the time and two, you have to forget something that just happened even if it was your mistake.”

Floeck said that while he’s had to circle in numerous players on the backline over the past few seasons and plans to do the same this fall, he can count on Kuzmich to put them in the right positions to succeed.

“We’ll have some different people on defense and she’s the one, she’s the conductor of that,” he explained. “I’ve said from Day 1 that one of her greatest attributes is the saves she never has to make because she organizes our defense so well that she shuts off opportunities before they get to her. She can still make the game-saving save, but she shuts off a lot.”