The Boston International Newcomer’s Academy (BINcA) boys’ soccer team has been on a tear this season with the team following up last year’s breakout Final Four appearance by streaking into the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) Division 5 tournament with the #1 seed.

Postseason play for the Lions started on Tuesday night at Almont Park in Mattapan when they defeated fellow Dorchester soccer startup, Community Academy of Science and Health (CASH), 3-2, in overtime.

In a tough, physical contest, BINcA was challenged with every step of the way by the scrappy #33 seed, which tied the game with a penalty late in the contest. Early in OT, Lions striker Mahmoud Al’s corner kick made the winning difference.

Next stop: BINcA plays Rising Tide Charter School of Plymouth this Friday (Nov. 8) at Almont Park at 4 p.m.

Echoing through the halls of Boston International Newcomers Academy (BINcA) in Dorchester are words in dozens of national languages, but despite these differences, a diverse set of students has excelled through playing the game of soccer. The school’s team is ranked at the top of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association’s (MIAA) Division 5 boys’ tournament that started this week.

According to their coach, Edmar Varela, who notes that “soccer worldwide” is the most popular sport, “the ball is universal. All of our kids are English language learners. Some recently just came, and some have been in the country for two or three years, but rarely will you find anyone more than three years at the school.”

BINcA, located at 100 Maxwell St. on Codman Hill, welcomes English language learners who are entering a United States school system for the first time and have either limited English proficiency, or a gap in their formal education. On his team this year, Varela, who also teaches physical education at the school, counts students from Haiti, Syria, Guatemala, Cape Verde, and El Salvador – all brand new to the country over the last few years. While they don’t always understand what their fellow players and classmates are saying, he said, “we find a way to communicate on the field. We don’t have to speak the same language. The ball finds its way around the field despite the language barriers.”

Senior left back William Bazelais, who wears No. 11, hails from Haiti. He said his favorite part about BINcA is playing soccer with his teammates every day. “It’s my first time being on a team that everybody has a different nationality. We don’t have to speak the same language. We have connections with each other. Everyone gets along together, it doesn’t matter your language, it doesn’t matter where you come from, your nationality, or your past.”

Sophomore midfielder Xavier Arriola blasts a corner kick during the first half of the game on Oct. 28.
Seth Daniel photo

Fellow senior Anthony Dilbert, a center midfielder from Honduras, added, “My favorite part about being on the team is we all consider each other a family. We are always together.”

Varela was born in Angola, but, like his students, came to Dorchester as an adolescent. While he had much to learn about life in America, he already knew all about soccer, and that’s the same experience his current roster brings to the Maxwell Street campus. Once on the field, his players can forget about the uncertainties at home and school, and for a few hours focus on soccer. 

“A lot of our kids are from low-income families; they have all sorts of barriers besides language. Some of their home situations are not the best, some of our kids live in shelters,” Varela said in an interview with The Reporter. “It’s just a beautiful thing for them to find a way to thrive on the soccer field and be happy, just do something special for the school and community.” 

And thriving on the field is something the team has found offers a sort of common language. For most of the year, they were at the top of the MIAA Division 5 Power Rankings, meaning they are considered one of the best teams in the state, coming off an impressive campaign last year that saw them unexpectedly advance to the Final Four.

This year has been a follow-up to last year’s success, where the Lions went undefeated in their regular season but lost the City Championship game to Boston Latin Academy (BLA). Wanting to show they were ready for the big moment this year, the team set out on a redemption tour and took home the City League title after defeating the collaborative Jeremiah Burke High School/Dearborn Stem Academy, 2-0, in the championship game two weeks ago.

“The fact that the kids are from different countries, I feel like everybody brings a different type of style to the game,” said Varela. “We have kids who are very defensive and can be physical; we have kids who have dribbling abilities and know how to find and feed guys differently. You can definitely see the diversity in the field. Different styles of play from all the guys.”

Bazelais added, “It feels like we did something big. As a senior in my last year, I feel like I am leaving something in the school so that every time I come back, I can see it.”

While winning the Boston City League is a big accomplishment, the team is not done yet. With Tuesday’s close call against CASH, another Dorchester school that has emerged as a powerhouse in high school soccer this year by using the skills of so many players just arriving in the country, the players have advanced on their mission. “Our goal is to win states this season,” said sophomore center back Steevenson Chanson. “I want to get two trophies; this year we’re going to bring the championship back to BINcA.” 

Coach Varela did his part for the players’ goal on Tuesday when he put Mahmoud Al in as a late substitution ahead of his winning kick. “We came in on the blind side and didn’t know their style, but in a way, it was a good test,” said Varela. “I prefer a harder game to win than too easy of a game…We have to always respect the opponent. Despite rankings, you don’t know who will show up. A test like this only makes us stronger.”

When asked about his expectations for the rest of the tournament, Varela said, “I’m expecting a solid run. The goal is to try our best to get the second trophy. Obviously, this is a bigger trophy, and my understanding is that a BPS team has never won a state tournament in soccer.”
With the leadership of Varela and co-captains Bazelais and Dilbert, all the players seem to be speaking the same language of victory.
Reporter News Editor Seth Daniel contributed to this article.