With the dog days of August and double sessions now just a memory, the Chelsea High football team will kick off its 2013 campaign Friday evening when the Red Devils host St. Joseph’s of Newton under the lights at Chelsea Stadium at 7:00.
“The players have been practicing very hard this week and we’re looking forward to our first game,” said CHS head coach Mike Stellato.
The season-opening encounter will have special significance with the announcement of the dedication of the press box (see story, Page 1)at the Stadium in the memory of the long-time and beloved Voice of the Red Devils, Arnie Goodman.
“Mr. Goodman was a man who was well-liked by many people,” said Stellato of Goodman, who served as a teacher in the Chelsea school system for many years and who was a basketball coach at the high school among the many caps he wore on the local sports scene for decades.
The Red Devils will honor Goodman by wearing a decal on the back of their helmets with his initials, AG, throughout the contest.
Although Chelsea is a young team with few seniors, the Red Devils have high hopes for a strong campaign after a fine pre-season that included good showings in scrimmages against West Roxbury, Marian of Framingham, and Boston English.
The Red Devil starting lineup on offense is as follows: Senior Jose Romero at left tackle; sophomore Denny Hernandez at left guard; junior Francisco Mercedes at center; junior Jomael Dejesus at right guard; junior Jason Donatelli at right tackle; junior Adrial Rodriguez at tight end; junior Albie Alicea at wide receiver; junior Kalvin Duran at wide receiver; junior Mark Anthony Williams at quarterback; senior Jose Martinez at running back; and junior Yvad Rosado at running back.
Boys soccer team
opens with 7-0 win;
hosts Everett today
The Chelsea High boy soccer team opened the 2013 season and the defense of its Commonwealth Athletic Conference title with a resounding 7-0 triumph over CAC rival Minuteman Regional Tuesday afternoon at Chelsea Stadium.
The Red Devils sprinted to a 3-0 lead in the opening half and never looked back, as they served notice that they once again figure to be the class of the CAC. Freshman center midfielder Oscar Murillo earned the distinction of potting the first goal of the season when he nicely settled a crossing pass in the box and drilled a shot past the Minuteman keeper.
Senior captain Luis Cruz, the top goal-scorer in the CAC last season, picked up where he left off from his outstanding 2012 campaign with a pair of goals. Senior midfielder Anthony Ortiz also reached the back of the net twice for Chelsea. Senior mid Thoai Nguyen and junior defenseman Josue Ramirez potted solo markers for the Red Devils.
“It was a total team effort,” said CHS assistant coach Evan Protasowicki. “Everybody made a contribution to the victory.”
The CHS defensive corps of Ramirez, captain Jaime Barahona, Juan Perez, Christian Torres, and Orlando Castillo kept Minuteman penned in its own end throughout the contest, sustaining the pressure on the Minuteman goal for virtually the entire 80 minutes.
“Our defense played very well,” noted Protasowicki. “They communicated and passed among each other nicely throughout the game.”
Head coach Mick Milutinovic and his crew will take on Division 1 non-league rival Everett today at 4:00 at the Stadium. The schools have developed a nice rivalry on the soccer field in recent years and the contest figures to be a closely-contested affair.
Chelsea then is off until Wednesday of next week when they host Greater Lowell, which promises to be one of the Red Devils’ tougher opponents in the CAC.