BELCHERTOWN — Don’t leave the Belchertown boys soccer team for dead.
The Orioles started the season 2-2-2 with the hardest part of their schedule looming. They adjusted, jelled together and only lost twice since.
“I think our effort was one thing. Kids thought ‘oh we’re Belchertown, we can walk on the field and beat these teams,’” senior captain Owen Raines said. “We were playing dumb soccer, but we’ve smartened up a bit.”
Belchertown trailed in both the Western Massachusetts Division 3 final against Mount Greylock and Tuesday’s state semifinal against Blackstone Valley Tech. The Orioles didn’t crumble, rallying to win both games and earn their first state final berth since 2014.
So if Belchertown lets down the first goal in Saturday’s state final, the Orioles know they’re still alive.
“If we go down 1-0, it’s just going to be a whole ‘nother animal coming out of us,” Raines said.
Belchertown (12-4-6) will face South champion Medway (20-2-1) at 2:30 p.m. for the state title at Foley Stadium in Worcester. It’s the same site and opponent as 2013, when the Orioles won the only state championship in program history.
“Those guys know what it takes to win these big games and what they have to do to get that end result. These guys realize how big of a moment this is for them,” Belchertown coach Zach Siano said. “The guys know how big the moment is, and they don’t seem to be fazed for it whatsoever.”
Medway was the third seed in the South – just like Belchertown was in the West – and beat Bedford, 1-0, in the other state semifinal.
“One of the most fundamentally sound teams I’ve seen. Super dangerous in the air,” Siano said. “It’s a team that absolutely deserves to be in the state finals, and we know we have to play our best game of the season to bring home another trophy for us.”
The Mustangs breezed through their first two rounds with seven goals in the first round then eight in the quarterfinal. They needed double overtime to beat Scituate in the semifinals and won the South title over Norton on penalties.
“They’re probably going to be one of the best teams we’ll ever play,” senior keeper Tony Martel said. “I don’t think they’re anything we can’t handle.”
Belchertown’s game is predicated on effort. The Orioles press high and try to use the entire field in their attack. Medway features strong, powerful athletes and have a player that can turn any throw into a corner kick with how he can place the ball.
“Winning the 50-50 balls is going to be important,” Raines said. “If we can’t win it, challenge it and make them work hard to win it – not give up.”
Belchertown hasn’t folded yet. After a frustrating 1-1 draw against Mahar in early October, Raines and Martel brought the team together for a heart to heart.
“We said, ‘We don’t have forever. The end of the season’s getting close, playoff time is getting closer,’” Raines said. “These younger guys really bought into that.”
The Orioles rely on a large group of underclassmen. They have nine seniors, but also play 13 freshmen or sophomores. Freshman Ethan Czaporowski leads Belchertown with 20 goals and 14 assists.
“I don’t think anybody thought we would get here,” senior Zach Lajeunesse said. “We came together at the right time.”
Their biggest challenge lies ahead. If the state championship game is anything like the rest of the season, Belchertown faces an uphill battle. Good thing the Orioles know how to keep pushing.
“I always believed in the team, the right run of games and the right stretch of form would lead us in the right direction,” Raines said. “I knew what we could do.”
Kyle Grabowski can be reached at kgrabowski@gazettenet.com. Follow him on Twitter @kylegrbwsk.