SOUTH DEERFIELD — The Monomoy boys soccer team wasn’t going to go away easily against Frontier. 

The ninth-seeded Sharks made the long bus ride from Harwich to South Deerfield to take on the eight-seeded Redhawks in the MIAA Div. 4 Round of 16 on Wednesday, and through 30 minutes of action, Monomoy was generating better chances but had nothing to show for it on the scoreboard. 

The tide flipped in the 32nd minute when Frontier drew a penalty kick and converted to take a 1-0 lead at the break. 

Instead of giving in, the upset-minded Sharks kept coming in the final 40 minutes of play. Monomoy knotted the score early and smashed in a goal in the 72nd minute to take the late lead. The Redhawks weren’t able to equalize and dropped a 2-1 decision.

The Sharks (14-3-3) advanced to the state quarterfinals and a matchup at top-seeded Cohasset.

“I don’t think we’ve had a team pressure us that consistently, that well and for that long all season,” Frontier coach Evan Horton said, “and we played some really good teams. Fifty-fifty balls, balls up in the air, they took over those. That ended up making the difference. In the past we responded to that pressure. Collectively I saw us back off today. That was the concerning part and it led to both of their goals.” 

It was Seamus St. Pierre who scored the game winner for Monomoy. 

The ball deflected to St. Pierre just outside the box, and he took one dribble to his right and drove the ball into the top corner of the goal with 8:12 remaining on the game clock to give the Sharks the late lead. 

The goal came following a wave of pressure from Monomoy, which was generating the better chances throughout the second half. 

“The goal they scored was a beautiful goal,” Horton said. “At that distance, you’re asking a lot for your keeper to keep that shot out.” 

It was the Sharks that came out flying early in the contest, just missing on a corner kick that went to the far post. The Monomoy shot whizzed just past the post and out of play in the 12th minute. 

Frontier (18-3) settled in and started to put pressure on the Shark defense, and in the 33rd minute Chanhee Son dribbled on the edge of the box and was tackled, leading to a penalty kick. 

Aidan Valderrama stepped up to take the PK and the senior booted it into the left corner of the goal to give the Redhawks a 1-0 lead. 

It didn’t take long for Monomoy to even the scoring. 

The Sharks came out buzzing in the second half, nearly drawing a penalty of their own in the box before earning a free kick in the Frontier half of the field. The ball was knocked into the box where Tate Laramee was able to slide in to get his foot on a deflected ball and knock it into the goal to tie the game up at one in the 44th minute. 

Monomoy peppered Frontier goalie Owen Babb throughout, particularly early in the first half and throughout the second half looking for the game winner, but the junior stood his ground and came up with numerous saves to keep the Redhawks alive late into regulation. 

“Owen has been lights out,” Horton said. “He’s kept us in so many games. He’s come up with two or three incredible saves in what feels like every game. He’s showcasing how talented he is to go with his size. He’s a premier goalkeeper in the area. He kept us in it today. They could have been up two or three early on plays we were out to lunch on. I was very pleased with him today.” 

The loss ended Frontier’s season, and though it wasn’t the result it hoped for, the Redhawks went unbeaten in the Moriarty League, reached the Western Mass. Class B finals and made it to the Round of 16 of the state tournament. 

“We had an incredible season,” Horton said. “I don’t think this team has gotten a lot of respect from a lot of people. That’s too bad because we don’t pick our league. They showed up, won a lot of games and dominated. At the end of the season we played good competition and were in every game. I realize that Frontier isn’t being talked about with the Hampshires and Cohassets but I think we could play with anybody in the state. It’s tough to say after a loss but that’s how I feel.”

Div. 5 Round of 16

Sutton 5, Mahar 0 — The 16th-seeded Senators were unable to get on the board against the top-seeded Sammies, with Sutton scoring three times in the first half and tacking two more on during the final 40 minutes to knock off Mahar in the Round of 16 of the Div. 5 tournament. 

The Sammies (15-2-3) moved on to face the winner of No. 8 Westport and No. 24 Hull in the state quarterfinals. 

Tristan Gaj came up with seven saves for the Sens while Coltin Fausett stopped one shot.

Mahar closed out its season with a 13-5 record.