November 4, 2026

Pope Francis Boys Soccer clinch Western Mass

REGIONAL
By Josh Mitchell

Pope Francis Boys Soccer won the Western Mass Class B Championship in a penalty kick shootout over Monument Mountain, Sunday, Nov. 1. (IObserve photo/ credit Wendy Harrington)

SPRINGFIELD – In a penalty kick shootout, the top-seeded Pope Francis Boys Soccer defeated No. 3 Monument Mountain in the Western Mass Boys Class B Championship Sunday, Nov. 1 at Berkshire Community College.

The temperature was cold, but the Monument Mountain fans were riled up as it had more of a home field play for the Spartans rather than a neutral site. Going into halftime, the score was tied up 0-0. With 25 minutes left in the 2nd half, Monument Mountain’s own Sean Collins took a free kick and perfectly placed it into the back of the net, making it 1-0, Spartans.

Ten minutes later, the Cardinals answered on a corner kick as Jackson Calheno crossed the ball into the box and Johnathon Martowiski headed it past the keeper, tying the game. The game remained  tied through regulation and both overtime periods.

The game moved into a penalty kick shootout where Cardinals goalie Max Graham shined, making three saves in a row to give Pope Francis the Western Massachusetts Class B championship.

“It’s purely just luck. I can’t give away my secrets just yet. It really could be my moment, it could not. You have to have faith in God really,” Graham said.

The victory makes back to back Western Mass titles for the Cardinals. Pope Francis head coach Coach Mark Richards said this championship game was stressful to say the least.

“I’m happy, but there is an overwhelming sense of relief after that. Nobody likes being in penalty kicks, but our guys stepped up. I just told them that this was a very mature performance. This was the third year in a row we were in a final. They handled it so well. I’m just relieved that it is over and I’m very proud of the boys,” Richards said.

Senior captain Braedan Fitzgerald said he had no doubt that his team would be able to fight their way back being down in the second half.

“The hard work we had the whole game, even when we were down, just shows who we are as a team. I love these guys, they are such a family and that is what makes us get through all of this together,” Fitzgerald said.

The Pope Francis Boys Soccer team now awaits the state tournament bracket and when they will be playing next. The bracket will be announced Thursday, Nov. 5th at 1pm.