WMass boys soccer: Gateway downs Hopkins in PKs, earns fifth sectional title in program history

WEST SPRINGFIELD — It couldn’t have ended any other way.

After 80 minutes of scoreless regulation, then another 20 minutes of overtime where no goals were had, Monday’s Western Mass. Class D boys soccer title match between Gateway and Hopkins was decided in penalty kicks.

The Gators went a perfect 4-for-4 in the proceedings, which bested the Golden Hawks’ clip of 1-for-3, as top-seeded Gateway garnered its fifth Western Mass. championship in program history and first since 2002 with its 1-0 win over second-seeded Hopkins at Clark Field.

“They had some opportunities, we had some opportunities and it came down to the thing everybody dreads,” Gators head coach Andrew McCaul said. “But we were on the winning side this time. I’ve been in this several times now, it’s never fun, going to PKs. In the end, we’ve worked on PKs all year. We made the tournament last year and hadn’t worked on PKs so it was something we emphasized. But these guys earned it though.”

These two teams played to a scoreless draw all the way back on Sept. 14.

Elijah Chepurenko, Landon McCaul, Josiah Novik and Vitaly Chepurenko all tallied goals during PKs for the Gators, while goalie Zack Hess made one save, watched one shot sail over the crossbar and surrendered one goal to Hawks’ Owen Cain.

Hess’ save came during Hopkins’ first penalty-kick attempt as the senior keeper made a diving stop on Nate Rickles.

“It really is just a guess,” Hess said on the strategy he uses. “[Penalty kicks], I think, are the hardest thing in this game. But what it comes down to really, is you just got to be confident in how you dive, what you do and who you are in the game beforehand.”

Hess was very complimentary of his team’s backline as Gateway allowed hardly any scoring bids throughout the 90-minute affair.

The Hawks’ two best chances came in succession early in the second half as they hit the crossbar twice. Hopkins had been building up the momentum following the opening 20-minutes that saw the Gators control the pace.

“I love my defense,” Hess said. “My defense is part of the reason why we’ve won so many games.”

After a lengthy injury delay in which Gateway’s Weston Anderson needed to be removed from the field by a stretcher, it was the Hawks who controlled possession for the remainder of the first half.

As the deadlock progressed, the physicality throughout the game increased, which appeared to favor Hopkins.

“I think early on, I thought we played real nice soccer,” McCaul said. “Then they amped up the physicality a little bit and it took us a little while to adjust for sure.”

Monday’s victory highlighted an impressive turnaround the Gateway program has undergone in just a handful of seasons. Two years ago, the Gators won only three games and hadn’t qualified for the MIAA tournament since 2021.

Now with a Class D championship, plus its second straight appearance in the Div. 5 state tournament on the horizon, Gateway’s win on Monday meant even more for Hess.

“Knowing that I’m a Western Mass. champion now, in my senior year, is incredible,” Hess said. “I get to show my ability in front of everyone that I love and honestly, it’s a dream.”