NORTH KINGSTOWN – This time, it won’t be a surprise if the North Kingstown boys soccer team makes a big playoff run.
Last year, the Skippers surged to the state final as the No. 8 seed and finished as the runner-up. A year older and stronger, they appear primed to peak at the right time again and are doing it with a better track record.
Monday’s 3-0 shutout of Bishop Hendricken was their fifth straight win and eighth in their last nine games. Their season line moved to 10-3.
“The confidence is excellent,” senior defender Sebastian Drury said. “We’ve had a few wins in a row to get the ball rolling. It looks like there’s no slowing down right now, but we can’t get ahead of ourselves. It’s just one game at a time.”
Monday’s matchup with the Hawks was the first of three key games in the final week of the regular season. The Skippers were set to face defending state champ Barrington on Wednesday, after press time, in the first meeting since the state final. On Friday, they’ll close out the regular season with a game against rival South Kingstown.
A good last week would set the Skippers up well for the playoffs, both in terms of seeding and momentum. They have a chance to earn the No. 2 seed behind La Salle. Barrington and Chariho are also in the mix for that spot, but the Skippers led the chase as of Monday’s action.
Hendricken is in the top half of the D-I standings but looked to be a few steps off North Kingstown’s pace on Monday. The Skippers largely controlled the action, taking the lead with one goal in the first half and tacking on two more in the second. Goalkeeper Connor Bourque and his defense logged a fourth shutout in their last five games.
“We’re pushing for what we want,” sophomore Brayden Jenison said. “Starting it off with this win, it’s just on to the next big game, pushing for that.”
Jenison delivered the first tally of Monday’s game in the 30th minute when he took a pass at the top corner of the box from Matia Bender and found just enough to space to squeeze a blistering shot inside the far post. The sophomore star is up to nine goals for the season. After getting banged up in a win over Lincoln on Oct. 5, he missed the next game but has come back fully healthy.
A foul in the box gave North an early scoring chance in the second half. Bjarne Maas misfired on the ensuing penalty kick, but the ball caromed back out to Casey Spitzer, who slammed it home for the 2-0 lead.
In the 73rd minute, Zach Oatley made it 3-0 off an assist by Spitzer.
Bourque put an exclamation point on an outstanding defensive effort with a tough save in the final minute of action on a Hendricken volley from close range, locking up the shutout.
“It’s a lot of communication, a lot of intensity,” Drury said of the defensive performance. “The whole back line is doing a great job, but it’s a full team effort. Everyone gets behind the ball, everyone works really hard. I’m proud of how everyone is working.”
The combination of stout defense and goal-scoring potential makes the Skippers as dangerous as ever. Since a 2-0 loss to La Salle on Sept. 30, they have scored 15 goals across their last five games. The Rams remain the team to beat and are still undefeated against in-state opponents.
“Just keeping it simple,” Jenison said. “When we start playing it long, that’s where we get into trouble. If we keep it on the floor and move it, that’s what we’re best at. When our defense is strong, we know we have support from our back line and that lets us be free up top. We can be creative and just score goals.”
After the trip to Barrington on Wednesday, the Skippers will be home for their Friday matchup against South Kingstown, which is slated to begin at 5 p.m.
The postseason begins next week.
“We’re just trying to take it one win at a time,” Drury said. “Today’s the first step of three. Big second step on Wednesday, but going into the playoffs, we just want to carry some momentum.”
The Skippers know better than most that anything can happen in the playoffs. They were proof of it last year. They also know what they’re capable of if they can play their best.
“We know any team can come out and play, so every game you have to come out intense. We beat the No. 1 seed last year, so we know from that experience that anyone can do it,” Jenison said. “We know we’re a good team. We know we’re strong, fit and capable of winning this. It’s just our mindset. If we have a good, healthy, team-bonding mindset, we can win it.”