LYNN – Despite the cold wind blowing through Manning Field on Wednesday evening, St. Mary’s brought the heat to win 2-0 over Catholic Central League boys soccer foe Bishop Stang.
Bishop Stang (6-5-4) put up a strong fight, and for the majority of the match it seemed like anyone’s game as St. Mary’s (7-4-2) didn’t score the first goal until the second half. Head coach Dan Garcia said the win gave his team a confidence boost, as Bishop Stang has played well against the rest of the CCL.
“I think it was a great win for us,” said Garcia. “Stang has played great … they’ve had a lot better results against the same teams that we’ve played.”
Sophomore Aidan Martins said the team was approaching the game with a lot of focus due to Bishop Stang being a quality opponent.
“We knew we needed to have intensity going into it, or else it wasn’t going to be a good game,” Martins said.
The first half was filled with several near goals, but the respective defenses were able to hold up. Bishop Stang goalkeeper Robby Duarte made big saves off great chances from St. Mary’s, which kept the game scoreless at halftime.
“First half was a battle,” Garcia said. “We weren’t playing as much as a team as I would’ve liked. In the second half, we showed who we are … and it was some great togetherness that brought us toward that victory.”
With the second half underway, the pressure was mounting for both teams, as time was running out to secure the win.
With just under 14 minutes the tension was broken when Aiden Martins of St. Mary’s scored the first goal of the game. The scoring seemed to reinvigorate the team, as Garcia confirmed.
“The first goal, that set the tone for the rest of the game,” he said. “We never really felt like losing after the first one.”
Just a bit later in the half, St. Mary’s standout Mauricio Marin scored another goal, securing the win. Martins explained how this game was a turning point for the team.
“It’s been a rough season, but today we played amazingly,” Martins said. “I thought we controlled the game very well. We deserve more, but two nothing is a great result against a strong team.”
This was the only match between the programs in 2025, and they will soon turn their attention toward their respective state tournament brackets. Garcia said this victory set the tone for how St. Mary’s can succeed going forward.
“We knew it was going to be a tough one coming in,” Garcia said. “I think to come out with a victory … says a lot about who we are.”
