The 2013 final was anything but easy for the still young Panthers. After 37 minutes, Feehan star Maddie Jolin had put the Shamrocks ahead, but HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Taylor Cogliano equalized in the 61st minute and then provided the assist for freshman Meg Adams for her to knock in her fourth goal of the playoffs.
Although the season would come to an end in the next round against eventual state champion Newton North, Franklin once again proved to be among the top programs in the state. The Panthers can also look to 2014 with excitement as only a handful of players graduated as Franklin goes in search of a three-peat.
Kevin Stone covered the game for the MetroWest Daily News:
Megan Adams, just a freshman on the Franklin girls soccer team, added her own chapter on Sunday to what is quickly becoming a storied rivalry with Bishop Feehan.
With just 2:51 left to play in the Division 1 South sectional championship game at Taunton High and the score deadlocked, Adams scored what proved to be the game-winning goal in the Panthers’ 2-1 win.
The goal came just a touch over 16 minutes after Franklin junior Taylor Cogliano tied the game at 1-1. Cogliano also got the assist on Adams' goal.
"This is amazing," said Adams. "Obviously, being a freshman I was watching what this team did last year (when it won the state championship), and now to be a part of it is just incredible. Even though we were down this team never quit. Coach (Tom Geysen) always stresses staying composed and I think we did a great job of that tonight."
[Sophomore goalie Dani] Lonati redeemed herself in the second half with a series of good saves that kept Franklin in the game. She slid to stop a Jolin breakaway and then another from Allie Luongo. She also tipped a hard shot over the crossbar. Those saves would turn out to be huge, as Franklin turned its possession into goals.
Cogliano blocked a Feehan clearance and beat the defender and the goalkeeper to the ball before picking out the top corner and making it 1-1. It was the fourth straight tournament game with a goal for the junior.
“Taylor has stepped up the last three games. Big players step up in big games and that’s what she’s done,” said Geysen.
With two minutes remaining, Cogliano read a bouncing ball and then out jumped a defender to flick a header into the path of Adams. The freshman was able to get a toe on the ball just ahead of the Feehan keeper and it rolled inside the post.
Geysen noted, “She’s going to do numerous things wrong because she’s young, but all of a sudden she’ll do something that makes you say, ‘Wow, where did that come from?’ She makes people make mistakes and she has the ability to capitalize when she does.”
With so many returning players from last year's team, the Panthers were not only early favorites in the Hockomock, but had a promising chance of returning to where they are now.
But the preseason didn't go exactly as planned according to Geysen, who said the team had to start anew after a poor offensive output.
"In preseason, we didn't score a goal, in the whole preseason we didn't score a single goal and we were awful," he said. "Three days before our first game we scrapped everything - we got rid of the offense, got rid of the defense and started over."
Geysen credited his players for their hard work and continuing to improve as the season has gone on.
"It's just been a work in progress the whole time and they keep working at it," Geysen said. "They come to practice everyday and know what they need to do. We don't have the most talented soccer players necessarily, a lot of kids play club, but theres a lot of good athletes and kids that are mentally tough. When you get to this point in the season, that's what you need. As much as talent, you need mental toughness because you're playing every other day and that's a hard thing to do."
#10: The Rivalry Rematch
#11: Vaulting To The Top
#12: Triple Overtime Thriller
#13: The Brick Wall
#14: Making A Big Splash
#15: The Buzzer Beater
Honorable Mention: The Finalists
2012-2013: The Complete Countdown