Monument Mountain Advances to State Final Four

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. -- On a day when both teams had trouble finding a finishing touch, Monument Mountain's Lucca Hernandez was in the right place at the right time.

 

Hernandez headed home Silas Heck's cross from the right wing in the waning minutes of the first half to send the third-seeded Spartans to a 1-0 win over Westport in the Division 4 State Quarter-Finals.

 

"Last year, we lost to these guys," Hernandez said, referencing the 2025 state playoffs at Westport. "So we knew it wasoing to be a battle. We had to give everything we've got.

 

"And I just got lucky on that ball and just kind of headed it with some luck. But, yeah, it feels great."

 

It was just enough offense on a day when it felt like the Monument Mountain offense could do everything but score most of the afternoon.

 

For the better part of the first 38 minutes, the Spartns had the Wildcats on their heels. But a combination of missed connections in the final third, shots off frame and a couple of offsides calls kept the match scoreless.

 

"I think it's because for both teams the conditions were just so sloppy from football [on Thursday] and the rain this week and a little bit of snow on it this morning.

 

"We were just slipping, and that final pass, we just couldn't find a way to link up the way we have the last couple of games. It wasn't like we were short of chances going forward. But just didn't quite have that touch."

 

Just four minutes in, the Westport keeper came off his line to beat Sean Collins to a through ball at the top of the 18 and deny a breakaway opportunity. Four minutes later, LUke Guerrero was fouled deep on the right wing to give the Spartans a dangerous opportunity, but their direct free kick into the 18 was defended well by the Wildcats.

 

Westport's coach called an early timeout in the 15th minute, and the Wildcats responded with a few minutes of possession. But the tide quickly turned back in Monument Mountain's favor.

 

Finally, with less than two minutes remaining and time being kept on the field, Mason Whiteman gave the ball to Heck high on the right wing, and he placed a cross into the middle of the 18. Westport's keeper came out to try to make a play, but Hernandez got a head on the ball and sent it into the goal to make it 1-0.

 

There was just one hairy moment for the Spartans in the second half, when Westport appeared to get the ball behind keeper Calvin Cooney (six saves) in the 56th minute, but a Spartan defender was able to clear the ball off the line.

 

In the final stages, Monument did a good job of protecting its 1-0 lead by stopping Westport in the midfield and getting the ball deep into the attacking zone to bleed precious minutes off the clock.

 

Now the Spartans a little time to get ready for the state semi-final, scheduled for Monday night at Ludlow High against No. 10 Littleton, a quarter-final upset winner over No. 2 West Bridgewater on Saturday.

 

Monument Mountain will be going someplace no Berkshire County soccer team has gone since the advent of the statwide tournament format in 2021.

 

"It's good recognition for the program to have that," Naventi said. "We felt like we were one step away last year with a couple of bad bounces and Calvin [Cooney] getting injured down at Westport. So they were happy to get redemption. The stars aligned to get to see them again, too, which our guys were really, really thankful for.

 

"But it says a lot about our seniors, especially, who have really gone on a pretty remarkable run the last four years. So I'm happy for them.

 

Photos from this game to come.