Seniors have led resurgence for Catholic Memorial soccer, and hope it carries into postseason

This story was originally published by the Boston Globe on October 27, 2026.

There was plenty of love and support at senior night for the Catholic Memorial boys’ soccer team. There is for any senior night.

This one felt a little different.

Maybe it was because the Knights had spent years on the wrong side of results in the Catholic Conference. Or because only two years ago, the team won three games. Or that three years ago, they won just one.

Maybe it was because there’s now a lot of belief in a program that didn’t have it for years.

“It took a lot from us to get where we are right now,” senior captain Nico Suarez said.

With not just parents, but full families on the field for a photo postgame, third-year coach Chris Bingham looked on at the joy.

“We didn’t have this three years ago,” he said.

At 10-3-2, the Knights are ranked No. 12 in this week’s Globe Top 20 and sixth in the MIAA’s Division 1 power rankings.

How did they get here from a single win three seasons ago?

It started with Bingham taking over before the 2024 season. The year before, the team was young and just happy to be on the pitch. Then results started to turn in Bingham’s first year, and they started to believe.

Last fall, CM qualified for the MIAA tournament for the first time since 2009 with a 9-5-4 record. A 16-year gap between postseason berths, and now two in a row.

“This year, they were like, ‘OK, maybe we’ll make the playoffs again,’ ” Bingham said. “Then they’ve just totally surprised themselves, putting in performance after performance.”

Suarez first played for Bingham at the youth level — so did senior captains Jonny Camargo and Chino Azurdia Cedeno, who joined the Catholic Memorial team in their sophomore years.

They’ve taken a lot playing for a coach who is constantly motivating them.

“I think it’s an honor to play for Bingham,” Azurdia Cedeno said. “He pushes us to be better every single day, every single game.”

To senior captain Charlie Huff, who joins Suarez on the Knights’ backline, the last few years have taught them a lot about their willingness to win.

“This last year has been just a product of all the hard work and dedication we’ve been putting into this program, trying to put Catholic Memorial soccer on the Massachusetts map,” Huff said.

Azurdia Cedeno leads the squad with 13 assists, along with six goals. Connecting with senior Walter Martinez (six goals, nine assists), freshman Arthur Da Silva (eight goals, three assists), and Camargo (six goals, five assists), the Knights are a joy to watch. Attacking moves often feature deft touches, skillful interchanges, one-twos, and movement off the ball to open up space.

Suarez has contributed three goals and nine assists from the back line. Normally an outside back, he’s shifted to center back to help the squad.

A lot of their possession-based system thrives because of the motivation Bingham brings.

“He never stops talking when he’s on the field,” Suarez said. “He never gives up on us. He never stops talking, even if we’re down. He keeps us going the whole time.”

The Knights’ bid for a Catholic Conference championship ended with a Thursday loss to St. John’s (Shrewsbury). But finishing second, 2 points behind BC High and ahead of St. John’s, Xaverian, and St. John’s Prep — all whom have made deep tournament runs in recent years — shows how far the program has come.

Bingham hailed the impact his senior leaders have had. After all, they’re the ones who experienced those lean years together.

“Being here over the years, learning from what our captains have showed us and being able to put that to the freshmen, sophomores, juniors, has been a really big part of this,” Camargo said.

For all that growth, a first-round exit a season ago to Concord-Carlisle left them unsatisfied. Falling short in the league title race evokes similar feelings. That all could be changed with a run in the state tournament.

“This is what we’ve been waiting for all three years, right?” Azurdia Cedeno said. “There’s a lot on the line.”