High school soccer is back across Massachusetts, mere weeks removed from a historic FIFA World Cup on home soil.
Thirteen or so years ago, Frantzdy Pierrot was playing for Melrose in the Freedom Division. This June, he played at striker for Haiti in three games at the World Cup, including the opener against Scotland at Gillette Stadium. It’s a reminder that high school soccer in the Bay State often harbors talent that can stretch far and wide – from college and professional to even the pinnacle of the sport.
This fall features a stacked competitive field for boys soccer.
In Division 1, Natick is the defending champion after ousting St. John’s Prep in the tournament final, 3-2. The Redhawks retain talented striker Cole Boggis, who had two assists and the game-winning goal in the final.
Boggis, who notched 16 goals and 13 assists last season, is committed to UMass.
After tryouts this summer, the Redhawks will defend their title with 22 players selected from an initial trial pool of more than 100. Coach Daniel Joseph is looking to Boggis, as well as senior captain Luca Tavilla, to help lead a team that graduated 12 seniors.
“Last year, we went on a run from Oct. 1 through late November that was awesome, as if it was straight out of a movie,” said Joseph, who enters his third season at the helm. “I don’t feel like that momentum has died off. They are locked in and ready to go, and I don’t feel the level of talent has decreased.”
The Redhawks, which lifted their first state title last year, won all three of their preseason games, a sign that this year’s crew is hungry for more.
“We’re moving the momentum toward it being like everyone’s World Cup final when they play Natick,” Joseph said. “We know they’re going to be playing their hardest against us.”
Joining Natick in the state tournament last year were four Carey Division opponents: Wellesley, Brookline and Newton North. As for last year’s other finalist, St. John’s Prep will reload in a stacked Catholic Conference, having graduated 16 seniors and nine starters. The Catholic Conference will be competitive, with expectations elevated for BC High, Catholic Memorial and St. John’s of Shrewsbury.
In Thorpe, Newton South, last year’s No. 3 seed, leads the charge, with senior and Dual County All-Star Ethan LaVelle anchoring the midfield. Concord-Carlisle, led by EMass. All-Star midfielder Donovan Eaton, as well as Lincoln-Sudbury, enter the fall having reached the state tournament last year. Reigning four-seed Needham headlines Herget and is led by defender Austin Williams, last year’s Bay State Herget MVP.
In Division 2, where the reigning champion is West Springfield, expectations are for Oliver Ames and Mansfield to both dominate the Davenport Division in Hockomock. Both sides are looking for a better finish at the state tournament, where they each reached the round of 16 last year.
Masconomet went 16-2-3 and had the most wins in Division 2, but faces Danvers and Marblehead, which also reached the tournament, in the Dunn Division.
Last year’s Division 3 champions, Norwell, look to go unbeaten in back-to-back seasons. In the semifinals, Norwell defeated Dover-Sherborn, the top dogs in Tri-Valley with Medfield. Senior Medfield striker Max Tilmann is one to watch – he scored 33 goals for the Warriors last year as Tri-Valley MVP.
In Division 4, the Bromfield School returns as defending champions and seeking its 15th title, having graduated twins Conor and Liam Glew, who both combined for the only goal in last year’s final victory against Rockland.
Headlining Division 5 is reigning champion Boston International, which topped the Boston City League with 15 wins last year. Boston International also captured its second consecutive league title last year, beating East Boston 1-0, with junior goalkeeper Jeffrey Luis back after earning six clean sheets on the team’s championship run in 2025.
Three more teams from the Boston City League reached the tournament last year – TechBoston, Charlestown and Brighton.
