Belchertown loves to say “just another Tuesday” about its boys soccer games, no matter how big those games get. Or what day they’re on.
It helps alleviate nerves. The Orioles have also played in so many of them that they can run together. The No. 3 seed in the MIAA Division 3 Tournament will face No. 2 Dedham in the state semifinals at 6:15 p.m. Wednesday at Medway High School.
“We look at it as just another game on our calendar. We’ve been in the spot before,” Belchertown coach Zach Siano said. “We know what’s expected of us, what’s expected of our program. We know what the stage is.”
Belchertown (17-1-4) has played in two straight state finals – it’s aiming for three in a row – and is in its fourth consecutive state semifinal. The Orioles won the title in 2019. They’ve won four Western Massachusetts championships in a row.
“The expectation is that we are supposed to win. I noticed it after Western Mass. and after the [state] quarterfinal game, it’s more of a relief than joy. The expectation is that we’re supposed to be in this spot,” Siano said. “It’s disheartening at times because you’d like them to be more excited about their accomplishments. Winning begets winning.”
The Orioles have won their last eight games and shut out five of those opponents. Senior Jack Holt paces Belchertown’s offense with 30 goals, while Nick Adzima has six goals and nine assists.
“Things are clicking at the right time. We’re buying into a bit more of what the coaches are asking of them,” Siano said. “It’s a matter of it gelling a unit and buying into what we’re selling them. The guys have done it 10-fold.”
Dedham won its last two games 1-0, one in overtime, and captured a 2-0 victory in the opening round.
“I know they have one of the stronger keepers in the state. Solid defensively, big, strong fast,” Siano said. “I look at them as comparable to any team we’d play in the Smith [League]. That’s a compliment. This team would slot right in there.”
Belchertown finished second in the ultra-competitive Smith League filled with some of the best teams in Western Massachusetts, many of them larger schools.
“Playing strong programs in Western Mass. got these guys battle tested,” Siano said.
Nearly a dozen Hampshire Regional players weren’t alive the last time the Raiders played in a state semifinal. They won the 2005 Western Massachusetts championship and haven’t appeared in even a sectional final since.
“I told them it’s been a long time. That quarterfinal game was a program milestone,” Hampshire coach Steven Croft said. “They’re aware of some of the history but not specifically.”
But that’s all history, and No. 5 Hampshire hopes to make more and advance to its first state final when it faces No. 1 Cohasset in the MIAA Division 4 semifinals at 5 p.m. Wednesday in Leominster at Doyle Field.
The Raiders (15-5-1) sailed to the quarterfinals with offensive explosions against Blackstone-Millville (seven goals) and Ipswich (four goals) before winning a tight 1-0 quarterfinal against defending state champion Hamilton-Wenham.
The teams met last season in the quarterfinals, and the Skippers prevailed 3-0 to reach the 2021 Final Four. A bigger prize is on the table this year.
“We know some of their key players, but it’s a different team. We’re a different team,” Croft said. “It’s a new game, it’s a new opportunity.”
Cohasset (15-1-3) is unbeaten in its last 17 games. Only three schools have scored more than once against the Skippers, and only Notre Dame Academy, which hung seven on them in mid-September, has at least three.
The Raiders’ only loss since mid-October was against Belchertown in the Western Massachusetts Class B semifinals. Ella Forest leads Hampshire with 18 goals and seven assists, while Maisie Bowler has put away 13 goals and five assists. Keeper Makena Rogalski 108 saves and four clean sheets.
“It’s mental toughness overall and playing hard every game, that’s something I’ve been big on,” Croft said. “It’s a long season and you’ve got to always stay focused and play hard. You never know what’s going to happen in any of these games.”