Dearborn STEM Academy loses a heartbreaker to Sutton High School in Mass. Division 5 state soccer final

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Soccer at the high school level in Massachusetts has increased over the last few years. Dearborn STEM Academy, in its first season of its cooperative team with Albert D. Holland School of Technology, previously Jeremiah Burke High School, made it all the way to the Massachusetts Division 5 state title game against Sutton High School before losing a gut-wrenching 1-0 shootout victory that came down to penalty kicks, 3-1 in favor of Sutton.

East Boston reached the Massachusetts Division 4 state semifinal round of competition before losing to Cohasset High by a 2-1 margin in a classic double-overtime affair.

Dearborn’s Rich Damoura steps into a kick. PHOTO: JOE ALLEN

Dearborn STEM Academy reached the Division 4 championship game with their 2-1 triumph over TechBoston Academy. Sutton made it to the big game by trouncing Smith Academy 9-0, Hopedale 3-1, and Maynard 1-0 in kicks.

Two hot goaltenders proved to be the difference between the teams, and both were playing for Sutton.  Issac Bradley pitched a shutout in the net to force a shutout. Paul Kupker finished the deal in the penalty kick phase, a 3-1 win, as the second-seeded Sutton Sammies captured their sixth Mass. Boys State Soccer championship. 

“They are a hell of a team,” said Sutton coach Mike Elster about the Dearborn STEM squad. “We knew they were highly athletic. We knew they were skilled one-on-one players. So, we were nervous.  This was a different type of team than the ones we played in the regular season. So we knew it was going to be a game.”

Senior captain Sam Amara streaks across the pitch. PHOTO: JOE ALLEN

The coach’s words proved prophetic, as the championship game was a defensive battle with few scoring chances. Dearborn star Sam Amara came closest to scoring on a long shot on the Sutton net in the 66th minute of play, only to be denied by a spectacular save by Bradley, who tipped the shot off the crossbar to preserve the scoreless tie that stood up through two overtime sessions.

In a surprising move, Elster put Kupker, a newcomer, on the team-in net for the shootout.  Kupker, originally from West Germany and studying abroad at Sutton for this semester, is primarily a midfielder.  But he showed his coach and team something special when defending penalty kicks in practice.

Coach Elster: “Issac Bradley, our keeper for the game, is outstanding; he really is. He’s a high-level keeper and does a great job,” said Coach Elster, adding, “We recognized and knew that Paul had a keeper background, so we tested him. We found after we had been working on PKS for weeks, that sometimes it comes down to that. The bottom line was that Paul demonstrated that he was a better keeper at PKS. So we talked to Issac, and he completely understood. The team also understood, and the decision was made.”

And what a courageous decision it was; an unselfish goaltender and team backed it up.

Reflecting on his teammates’ attitudes towards him when he came to Sutton High, Kupker said, “They welcomed me and made me feel a part of this team right from the start. We had a great team spirit over the entire season.”

Penalty kick goals by Matthew Mulderig, Kyle Kolofsky and Brady Pitts backed the effort of their penalty-kick goalie specialist, who recorded a key save to help Sutton High School win Mass. state title number six.

“I’m leaving in December, after Christmas. So, I didn’t move here permanently. I signed up for the Sutton Soccer program because of the American experience,” said Kupker “Things are different in Germany.  But I have a lasting memory to take back home with me.”    

Wolverine midfielder Emmanuel Pires dribbles against Sutton. PHOTO: JOE ALLEN

And while the Sammies of Sutton bask in the glow of victory, strong praise should be given to the young men of Dearborn STEM Academy for a great season, 10-8-2, under coach Joao Barros and the continued growth of the soccer program.

“We are still searching to bring the first state soccer championship to the city of Boston, said Barros. “We lost to Bromfield 1-0 in the state final back in 2019, and we had the better scoring opportunities in this title loss to Sutton. I believe our time is going to come. The Sutton soccer program is strong because their players play year-round.  We are trying to get our players to do the same. In the meantime, we will just keep pounding at the door until we reach our goal.”