Zombies "A Scream" in Boston

The BrocktonPost
BROCKTON—When Brockton resident Pat Gorman stepped out of South Station in Boston Tuesday morning, the last thing she expected was to see a man walking off a bus bleeding from a gory wound in his head.
At first, Gorman said, she worried the man needed medical help, but as she walked closer and the man opened his mouth, let out a long groan and waved his arms around, and others just like him filled the streets, she realized something else was going on.
“He started to howl and groan and other people got off the bus and they were covered in blood--I figured out it was a zombie thing,” Gorman said.
Once she knew people were not really hurt, she thought it was a howl—literally.
“It was a scream,” said Gorman, a member of Brockton Garden Club and other community groups.
Gorman, a regular commuter from Montello Station to South Station arrived at about 8:45 a.m. Tuesday morning to walk among the “walking dead,” or hundreds of actors and actresses taking part in a world-wide public relations stunt for a new TV series—not surprisingly called “The Walking Dead” from AMC and Fox International that premieres Sunday night.
The mob of zombies howled, shrieked, and left faux bloody tracks as they made their way from South Station to Boston’s Public Gardens and the State House.
The zombie invasion was held in 25 cities worldwide, including London, England, Hong Kong, China, Bogata, Columbia and Madrid, Spain.
(Photo courtesy AMC)

Spellman V-Ball Evens Cross Town Rivalry

NOTE: Originally posted Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2010
The Brockton Post
BROCKTON--Cardinal Spellman's girls volleyball team had their revenge against Brockton Monday shutting out their cross-town rivals 3-0 in a powerful performance team members hope will be enough momentum to drive toward a playoff berth and an eventual championship.
"This was a big game for us," said co-Captain Shaylyn Roach, a Spellman senior from Weymouth. "Brockton's a big school and they beat us last week. We just came out and played our game," she said.
Last Wednesday the Boxers beat the Cardinals 3-1 at Brockton High in matches that were hotly contested and decided only by a few points.
Less than a week later and on their home gym, the Cardinals shutdown Brockton's heavy hitters and dominated at the net to take three straight games and improving the team's record to 7-5.
"After last week's loss we talked about stepping up to the challenge and not taking the foot off the gas," said Cardinals coach Ali Gerrish. "All my starters played really well. It was really a team effort," Gerrish said.
On the other side of the court, Boxers coach Jack Olson was completely unhappy with his team's performance.
"They outplayed us," Olson said. "We just waited for them to make a mistake and they never did," he said.
Both coaches said this year is the first year in many that Spellman and Brockton have met on the volleyball court and both sides are enjoying the renewed rivalry.
During yesterday's match while not many spectators watched those who were there made their presence known, especially Whitman's Kelly Ahlstedt, who teammate Molly Anderson gave "a shout out" to for Ahlstedt's steady shout outs and chants throughout the match that gave the non-league game the feel and sound of a playoff match.
The defeat drops the Boxers below .500 to 4-5 and is the team's second loss in as many games after losing Friday's match against undefeated New Bedford.
Brockton faces another tough opponent Friday at Bridgewater-Raynham.
With the win, Spellman looks forward to traveling to Aquinas High School Wednesday and while Coach Gerrish is taking games one at a time, especially against league powerhouses like Bishop Fenwick and Bishop Stang some of the volleyball team's supporters are looking further into the future.
"They're going to win the championship," shouted Meredith McManus, now assistant coach for girls soccer who last year won a soccer championship as a senior. "We got one, now they're going to get one," she said.

Bikers' Roar Fills FD Union Hall

NOTE: Originally posted Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2010
Brockton Post
BROCKTON—The deafening roar of thunder surrounded Perkins Avenue and North Montello Street as the gleaming tailpipes and polished leather of hundreds of motorcycles headed to the final stop of the 8th annual Brockton Fire Department motorcycle run for charity.
Two-by-two, riders on Harley Davidson’s, Honda’s, and Kawasaki’s poured into the parking lot next to Brockton Fire Department Local 144’s union hall parking lot on Perkins Avenue.
“We came to support Local 144,” said Roger Poulin, a firefighter from Rhode Island who joined last Saturday’s ride with fellow Rhode Island jake Alan Bova (Pictured below).
While it was their first ride with Fire and Iron—a riding club of Brockton firefighters, families and friends--like many of the participants Poulin and Bova said they are frequent riders on the dozens of fundraising rides that take place throughout the state during motorcycle riding months—usually spring, summer and fall.
Under bright blue skies and white puffy clouds, an estimated 250 to 300 bikes, some carrying double riders, began the ride at Fire Station #6 on West Street adjacent to Campanelli Stadium and rode through the city’s streets for a more than 90 minute ride from Brockton to Halifax, Carver, Plymouth Duxbury, Pembroke and back through the city via the Bridgewaters.
“It was a nice ride,” Poulin said.
Brockton Firefighter Billy Hill, the union’s treasurer, said the last few years rain and threats of rain have marred the ride and fewer bikers joined in, but last Saturday, he believed was the trek’s biggest one since the first eight-years-ago.
“The weather has a lot to do with it, but at last count we had 250 bikes,” Hill said.
He said the ride, which cost $15 is the department’s biggest fundraiser and supports numerous charitable organizations, including the Muscular Dystrophy Association and Multiple Sclerosis Foundation.
While the riders might think they are having all the fun cruising around the city and the South Shore, many of those who helped set up the tents, tables, beer coolers and other necessities at the Perkins Avenue union hall, were having a good time of their own as they went about their tasks with the day’s band Shoe City Blues cranking music in the background.
“38-24-36,” shouted one of the women pointing out Kathleen Boyer's measurements as she walked toward a tent where a group of women sold T-shirts outside the union hall.
Wearing denim vests with Fire and Iron decals on the back, the women joked and socialized all the while attracting bikers to buy T-shirts or raffle tickets for good causes.
“It’s about having fun and helping out,” Boyer said while simultaneously lighting a cigarette, directing participants to the food line or the beer line and getting a hug from one of many friends.
Boyer, a Pembroke resident and sister of Brockton Fire Lt. James Young, said the Brockton Fire Department joined Fire and Iron about five years ago, and joining the nationwide club is a way for motorcycle enthusiasts to get together and enjoy the sport.
Well-known among the riders, Boyer directed the throngs into the parking lot and jumped into one of two non-motorcycle vehicles that joined the end of the parade: a bright yellow dune buggy and a stealthy, black and red sports car that made its first appearance on the Brockton run.
Some didn’t think the sportscar fit in.
“If you ask me, I think it looks like a tick,” said Donnie Baker, a rider from Brockton who preferred a Harley to the two-seat sports car.
Baker and a group of friends said they were having a great time at the event, however, John Murphy was a little sad because he wished his wife Lorie Anne, who died in 2008 was there.
“She would have loved this. She’d be so psyched,” Murphy said, showing a cross with Lori Anne's name tattooed to his shin.

Boxers' Depina Powers Brockton Over BC High In Season Opener

NOTE: Originally posted Sunday, Sept. 12, 2010
Brockton Post
BROCKTON--Whether he was crashing through three defenders into the end zone or kicking the the nail-in-the-coffin field goal, Brockton's Lucas Depina posted two of Brockton's three scores Friday night in the Boxer's season opening 16-6 win over Boston College High School.
DePina put the Boxers ahead 13-6 in the second quarter after a BC fumble put the Boxers on the 28-yeard-line.
On the first snap senior quarterback Paul Mroz--in his first ever varsity start--sent a bullet to DePina who caught it at about the 6-yard-line and despite being surrounded by BC defenders powered his way into the end zone and a 13-6 Boxers lead.
Seconds after the Herculean effort, Depina came out to kick the point-after-touchdown, but pushed a tired ball wide.

With minutes left in the fourth quarter and after a stout BC defense stopped the Boxers within 5 yards of the end zone, Depina kicked a 19-yard field goal to give Brockton the 16-6 win with 2:02 left in the game.
BC took an early lead on its second possession in the first quarter when Preston Cooper busted through the Boxers defensive line for a 30-yard touch down run.
The Boxers tied the game when junior Albert Louis-Jean--13th in the Associated Press' Top 25 high school prospects--caught a 55-yard bomb and sprinted untouched down the sideline for a 6-6 tie in the first quarter.
The Boxers are back on the field Friday against Taunton High School in Taunton.

"Spaceman" Bill Lee To Take Mound--Literally At Rox Sunday

NOTE: Originally posted Friday, Sept. 3, 2010
Story by Lisa E. Crowley
Brockton Post
BROCKTON--Red Sox Hall of Fame pitcher Bill “The Spaceman” Lee will return to Brockton for a start on the mound with the Rox and he will wear an old Brockton Cardinals senior league uniform #45 in honor of Kitty Perry, a teacher at Brockton High School who died after hitting his head on a set of bleachers during a pickup game of basketball in the gym.
“He was our shortstop with the Cardinals. He died instantly. It was really tragic,” Lee, 63, said during a telephone interview from his home in Vermont Friday.
Lee, usually joking and effusive, became almost somber as he recalled playing for the Brockton Cardinals from 1993 to 1999 when he, Perry and a host of others took the diamond on a senior league baseball team that merged with another from Saskatchewan, Canada that went on to win the league championship in 1999.
“We won the championship and then we retired,” Lee said with a chuckle.
However, sadly, Lee said, Perry, who he described as a great guy, died in 1998, a year before the team won the title.
“This is my way to remember him,” Lee said.
Lee takes the mound for a 1:05 p.m. start Sunday, Sept. 5 when the Rox play the Worcester Tornadoes for the final game of the season before the playoffs.
Lee said fans should keep an eye on where the pitcher’s mound is because it might not be in the usual spot because he wants to move the mound back about 1 foot.
“They said I would be taking the mound, but they didn’t say where I was going to take it,” Lee said.
Lee said his reasoning was to neutralize the fastball of the opposing pitcher, but some might take it as preparation for his lobbing, high-arching softball-like pitch called an “eephus.” Lee reiterated it’s about the fastball.
At 63, Lee seems as tireless and flamboyant as in his pro days in Boston where he played from 1969 to 1978, setting the team’s record for most games pitched by a lefthander with 321 and was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2008.
In 1979, Lee was traded to the Montreal Expos. He said he loves Montreal because, unlike Boston it is open until 4 a.m.
“You always knew you could get a 4 a.m. shower because the guys came out to clean the streets,” Lee said.
A California native, Lee was—and still is--as known for his powerful lefthand as for his let-it-all-hang-out attitude and penchant for outspoken liberal politics.
Lee said he can’t stand the rightwing, bible-thumping ultraconservatives, like the Tea Party group--who he said has distorted history.
"There's only one Tea Party," Lee said.
Among other things and, in part, Lee said he blames the conservatives for selling and marketing aluminum bats to youngsters—bats that can’t be used in Major League Baseball and he believes slows the growth of potentially good players.
“Wooden bats make them stronger,” Lee said.
Advice he would give youngsters on breaking into the big leagues is "move to California" or some other state that ball can be played year round, and find a mentor like Raoul Martial "Rod" Dedeaux, from Marseilles, France, who tutuored him to a draft pick out of high school.
Lee has formed a business called The Old Bat Company with a group of baseball bat-making craftsmen from the Appalachian Mountain region that sells “rock-hard” bats out of Rock maple and birch lumber.
One of their customers is Red Sox slugger David Ortiz.
Lee said at 63 he is not a role model for the senior set.
“No,” Lee said emphatically. “I’m a role model for 12-year-olds,” he said.
His advice to old, grumpy seniors is to have two shots of Tequila and stop being grumpy.
“You know those people who are over 100-years-old? You know how they got there? A glass of vodka,” Lee said.
After Sunday’s game, Lee will appear at Mulligan’s at Joe Angelo’s Café on Main Street with Rox pitching coach Ed Nottle and the Peter Jay Band for an event to raise money for the Children’s Autism Program. The cost is $25 and includes raffles and prizes.
Lee said he is looking forward to the game with the Rox and “for sure” wants to win.
Keeping a tab on the weather forecast, Lee said, before the game he will spend time at a Hurricane Earl party with friends in the Rockport-Ipswich area.
He said he has fond memories of Brockton and listed numerous names and places he holds dear.
“I know all about Brockton: Taymor Shoes; Rocky Marciano; George’s Café, Charlie Tartaglia, Billy Rodenbush--a Brockton police officer…my accountant…,” Lee said. “Brockton’s a great city and I’m looking forward to coming back,” he said.
Tickets are still available for Sunday's game and can be purchased by calling the Rox at 508-559-7070 or on the Rox website. (Top photo courtesy of Brockton Rox via Boston Globe; middle two photos from 1978 official Boston Red Sox yearbook; bottom photo courtesy The Old Bats)

Balizinha Soccer A Ball in Brockton

NOTE: Originally posted Thursday, Aug. 30, 2010
Brockton Post
BROCKTON—Jose “Tuca” Rodrigues and his four teammates didn’t expect to walk away with the championship trophy for what is hoped to be the first annual Balizinha soccer tournament--a form of street soccer played in city parks around the world. “It was fun—better than sitting at home watching TV,” he said (Pictured above in red pinnie).
Not only did the team not waste their time watching TV, they walked away with a trophy and bragging rights. Initially, the adult division was to get a cash prize, but because teams did not pay to register, the winners have the honor of being the champs.
“We didn’t expect to win,” said 18-year-old Brockton High grad Zaias Andrade (Pictured below holding the championship trophy with Alex Resende, 14, of Brockton).
The tournament was sponsored by Self Help Inc., and organized by Fredson Gomes, the community and outreach coordinator for the agency’s community development division, with the help of Arnold Danielson, a founder of Greater Brockton Society for Poetry and the Arts who helped serve burgers and hot dogs during the matches which began at 9:30 a.m. Saturday and finished around 1:30 p.m.
The Taunton River Watershed Association and Brockton Symphony Orchestra set up informational tables near the sidelines and Jacinto “Djessa” Gomes, Fredson Gomes’ father, made miniature soccer nets for the tourney from recycled metal pipes and netting.
The tournament featured five teams of five players who passed, dribbled and scored on a concrete tennis court that was overrun with weeds before the match, and from all accounts is hardly used.
“No one plays tennis anymore,” said Lily Gomes, a soon-to-be freshman at Brockton High School and Gomes’ sister who helped register players.
Teams played two 14-minute halves with each side playing with four players on the court and one substitution who could jump in on the fly.
Organizers received help sprucing up the courts located in a section of Harold D. Bent Playground on Belmont Avenue—commonly known as the Ash Street Park—from a handful of Americorps volunteers who have been in the city since the torrential rains and subsequent flooding in March.
The volunteers pulled weeds and unrelenting shrubs from the cracks (Pictured below) in the surface and helped clean the area of potentially dangerous debris.
Jacquie Baker, a Doylestown, Penn., native and a spokeswoman for the AmeriCorps group currently in the city, said along with numerous other volunteer tasks, members are also required to help with a community-wide event, such as the Balizinha tourney.
“It’s a lot of work, but it’s a lot of fun and this is a great idea,” Baker said of the tournament.
While the numbers of players—about 25—and spectators—about 25—was not as many as hoped, Danielson said it is something to build on.
“I can see this exploding, I can see this happening—a festival, something,” he said.
His enthusiasm isn’t without merit.
The five teams who came to play brought a high level of skill and spectators were treated to a fast-paced, hard-fought game of soccer that featured blind behind the back passes, ankle-wrenching cuts and twists, and ballet-like turns away from opponents.
The winning team, calling themselves “Angola” and wearing red pinnies, stuffed opponents with strong defense and took the most of its opportunities, including a rocket from 27-year-old Brockton resident Rui Santos,(Pictured above scoring a goal in the finals) whose second goal of the finals put Angola up 3-0 early in the second half over team “Battles" who wore yellow pinnies.
Things got tense when Battles busted through Angola’s defense and popped two goals into the net, cutting the lead to 3-2 with more than 9 minutes left to play.
Referee Moises Rodriques, (Pictured below) a member of former Mayor James Harrington’s staff, said after the match he was looking for the match to get intense, but happily the men playing didn’t get too feisty and throughout the tournament there was little to no foul play.
Fredson Gomes, who refereed the games with Rodriques, only threw one yellow card—a minor infraction--in the entire tournament.
“It was a great day, and we hope we’ll be able to do it again,” Gomes said.
For a previous story about the tournament, please see http://www.brocktonpost.com/2010/08/balizinha-soccer-tourney-hits-brockton.htmlarchive.

Jonas Bros. Devotees Swarm Rox Stadium

NOTE: Originally posted Thursday, Aug. 26, 2010
Story and photos by Lisa E. Crowley
Brockton Post
BROCKTON—A quartet of Rhode Island teenagers hooted and hollered and sang snippets of their favorite Jonas Brothers songs—a chorus of lyrics that did not go unnoticed by hearthrob Nick Jonas, whose position playing third base for a softball game Thursday afternoon at Campanelli Stadium was within earshot of the exuberant girls.
“He gave us a thumbs up,” said Crystal Ocasio, 16, of Johnston, R.I., who with friends Sarah Wilson, Stephanie DuPuis, and Emily Gomes (Pictured below with thumbs up) joined nearly 5,000 Jonas Brothers fans who came from near and far for a softball game and Jonas Bros. extravaganza that challenged teenagers to pledge not to text-while-driving.
The driving awareness program, called “X the Text,” is sponsored by Allstate Insurance Company and features the Jonas Brothers as ball players—a team called the “Road Dogs,” which evolved last year from after show, blow-off-steam games between the brothers, their road crews and others in the band’s entourage into a public safety extravaganza.
The Road Dogs--made up of Nick, Joe (Pictured right throwing softball) and Kevin Jonas and extended members of the road crew--invades minor league stadiums with a road show blitz that not only delights hordes of screaming fans who may or may not have tickets to a Jonas Brothers concert at a nearby stadium later that night, but also promotes safe driving and the best part-- it's all free for their fans.
Kevin Jonas (#19 pictured below cheering runs by the Road Dogs) during interviews with local media before the game said driving-while-texting is dangerous and can be prevented.
“A lot of people are out there doing it and everybody is guilty of doing it,” Jonas said. “I think if you can raise awareness it can make a difference,” he said.
The Road Dogs cavalcade included T-shirt giveaways and the Jonas Brothers giving their own no-text pledge on the field with fans who received autographed shirts.
All fans who took the pledge with a thumbprint signature--hence thumbs up--received a key chain and other Jonas Brothers gifts.
Outside the stadium fans signed their autographs on the Road Dogs' bus—a sleek, silver carriage that features larger-than-life images of the three brothers in their softball uniforms.
Since “X the Text” began last November, the initiative has collected more than 85,000 pledges from teenagers.
The Jonas Brothers will play in 12 “X the Text” softball games this summer, the next in Camden, N.J., before a concert at Susquehanna Bank Center—all opportunities for their rabid fans to get close to the heartthrobs.
Emily Gomes, of Lincoln, R.I., who drove her three friends from Rhode Island to the Brockton softball game, said she has taken the no-text pledge and will take it to heart as the girls travel down Route 24 to the Comcast Center in Mansfield for the second of two Jonas Brothers concerts.
The girls said they won the tickets from Boston radio station Kiss-108 FM, and for DuPuis and Gomes it’s their 15th Jonas Brothers concert—a musical trek that has taken them to six states and shows as far away as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
“We love them,” said Sarah Wilson, who added the four met on an online social networking site begun by the band—whose roots were in Christian music until they skyrocketed to superstardom with the Disney movie “Camp Rock,” and a subsequent television show.
“Yeah, I’m a Jesus freak,” Wilson said, “and I love all their popular stuff, but I love their worship music the best,” she said.
While teens shouted and screamed when the Jonas Brothers came to bat, ran the bases, caught a ball, or made a play, the Road Dogs’ opponents, Marquis Jet Flyers, a team of friends and employees of Marquis Jet —a Boston and New York based private jet travel company--had the joy of playing with the celebrities, but tasted the agony of defeat.
The Road Dogs beat the Flyers 25-17, and at one point the Road Dogs led 15-2.
“They kicked our butt. They got the trophy,” said Mike Lynch, a Scituate resident who was invited to play by longtime friend William J. Allard, a Cohasset resident and one of the founders of Marquis Jet. (Pictured below with Nick Jonas)
Michelle Southworth, a Hingham resident whose husband Wayne plays Sunday softball with Marquis Jet employees and friends said the Sunday games are competitive- including cuts and knocked out teeth—and the Flyers didn’t want to lose to the celebrity superstars.
“They said they wanted to kick those boys’ butts,” Southworth said with a smile.
Lynch said despite the loss the game was a lot of fun and being invited to play in the game impressed his 15-year-old daughter Kelsey Anne, a Jonas Brothers devotee who went to last night’s concert at Comcast Center and went on stage with a group of other fans picked out of the crowd by the brothers to perform a 2010 pop version of “Musical Chairs” with the band.
The softball game, Lynch said, was his time to shine.
Kelsey Anne, Lynch said, (Pictured below with teammate Hingham resident Jeff Cashman) scored the tickets for last night’s show-- including a visit to the sound check before the concert--all by herself, but for today’s softball game, Dad was the one with the all-access tickets.
“I got some points today,” Lynch said.
Many of the fans tried to explain the mania behind the band and ticked off numerous songs whose lyrics play at heart strings and call to mind feelings of longing for love lost and bliss in love found.
One woman, Webster resident Ashley Sweeney, a 21-year-old Iota Delta Nu sorority sister at UMass Dartmouth, said a Jonas Brothers concert last year helped soothe the pain of her father David’s death days before the concert.
“My father’s death was really, really hard on us, but my mother, my family, my friends, all said ‘Go, Dad loved music, he knows you love the Jonas Brothers—go,’” Sweeney said.
She went to the show and doesn’t regret it. Sweeney (Pictured above with friend Amanda) held back tears as she recalled the Jonas Brothers playing two songs at that concert, "Fly With Me," and "Black Key," which reminded her of her father and sent waves of chills and goose bumps up and down her body.
“It really helped. I would just really like to thank them,” Sweeney said.
Sweeney, with her friend Amanda Dolan, a Hingham resident, said she is one of the “older” Jonas Brothers fans and people might think she’s silly, but she loves the music, the lyrics, and Nick, Joe and Kevin.
“I’ll do anything for them,” Sweeney said, adding she drove 90 minutes from Webster, Mass., for the game. “It was the longest ride,” she said.
Although many said it was the music and lyrics that attracted them to the band, an unabashed common theme pulsed through the throngs of mostly teenage girls at Campanelli Stadium who shouted wedding proposals and screeched undying love, and while they said the Jonas boys are excellent role models, fantastic musicians and lyricists, there are other reasons to fall in love with three young men living a teenager’s rock star dream.
“They’re cute,” said Zabrinah Kelle, 15, of Brockton, whose 14-year-old friend Victoria Viola, added, “nice butts,” to which their 14-year-old pal Allison Lemack noted, “they’re hotties.”

Spellman V-Ball Evens Cross Town Rivalry

The Brockton Post
BROCKTON--Cardinal Spellman's girls volleyball team had their revenge against Brockton Monday shutting out their cross-town rivals 3-0 in a powerful performance team members hope will be enough momentum to drive toward a playoff berth and an eventual championship.
"This was a big game for us," said co-Captain Shaylyn Roach, a Spellman senior from Weymouth. "Brockton's a big school and they beat us last week. We just came out and played our game," she said.
Last Wednesday the Boxers beat the Cardinals 3-1 at Brockton High in matches that were hotly contested and decided only by a few points.
Less than a week later and on their home gym, the Cardinals shutdown Brockton's heavy hitters and dominated at the net to take three straight games and improving the team's record to 7-5.
"After last week's loss we talked about stepping up to the challenge and not taking the foot off the gas," said Cardinals coach Ali Gerrish. "All my starters played really well. It was really a team effort," Gerrish said.
On the other side of the court, Boxers coach Jack Olson was completely unhappy with his team's performance.
"They outplayed us," Olson said. "We just waited for them to make a mistake and they never did," he said.
Both coaches said this year is the first year in many that Spellman and Brockton have met on the volleyball court and both sides are enjoying the renewed rivalry.
During yesterday's match while not many spectators watched those who were there made their presence known, especially Whitman's Kelly Ahlstedt, who teammate Molly Anderson gave "a shout out" to for Ahlstedt's steady shout outs and chants throughout the match that gave the non-league game the feel and sound of a playoff match.
The defeat drops the Boxers below .500 to 4-5 and is the team's second loss in as many games after losing Friday's match against undefeated New Bedford.
Brockton faces another tough opponent Friday at Bridgewater-Raynham.
With the win, Spellman looks forward to traveling to Aquinas High School Wednesday and while Coach Gerrish is taking games one at a time, especially against league powerhouses like Bishop Fenwick and Bishop Stang some of the volleyball team's supporters are looking further into the future.
"They're going to win the championship," shouted Meredith McManus, now assistant coach for girls soccer who last year won a soccer championship as a senior. "We got one, now they're going to get one," she said.