SEAN HOGAN punches away a Melrose cross on Monday night, one of multiple strong saves for the senior in a 2-2 tie. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
WAKEFIELD — Monday’s boys’ soccer game between Wakefield and Melrose at Walton Field was a playoff-type environment — only fitting for a Warrior team who needed a point to officially qualify for the Div. 2 state tournament.
They got it with a hard-earned 2-2 tie against their rivals, the second tie of the season between the two after a 1-1 draw on Sept. 20 in Melrose.
“It’s always nice clinching against Melrose on our home field,” said Wakefield head coach Matt Angelo. “It was a great environment. I told them tonight’s going to be the closest tournament atmosphere we’re going to get.”
In that atmosphere, with rows of fans spanning the sidelines opposite the benches, both teams went to work on putting on a show with exciting 50/50 battles for possession setting the tone for the rest of the matchup.
Wakefield struck first on a beautiful one-touch goal from senior captain Nemo Rizk.
ETHAN MARGOLIS battles against Joey Beshel of Melrose, a common theme in the midfield between two of the best teams in the Middlesex League. Margolis had a goal and an assist as Wakefield punched their ticket to the Div. 2 state tournament in front of a great crowd. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
Junior Darragh Casey set up the play, capitalizing on a turnover from a Melrose defender by gaining possession on the right wing and sending it to senior captain Ethan Margolis along the sideline. Margolis, without a little help from his bench, picked out Rizk early and played a perfect ball with pace to his classmate who timed it up and buried it into the top left corner, sending the crowd and the Warrior bench to another decibel.
Wakefield got strong defensive plays throughout in this one, certainly necessary against one of the Middlesex League’s highest scoring teams.
Junior Marc Laverdiere had a sliding shot block and multiple wins in the midfield right after the goal and Wakefield defensive line came ready to play, starting with center backs, senior JJ Faulkner and junior Brian Purcell along with fullbacks junior Frankie Leone and freshman Matthew Keefe.
“Our whole back line has been phenomenal all year,” said Angelo. “Brian Purcell came up huge tonight, he’s been battling an ankle injury all year but he’s getting back to full strength. JJ Faulkner, I tell him after every game, ‘I’m so lucky you’re on our team.’ He does the little things and the dirty work that keeps us in games. Without those two back there, tonight would have been a lot different.”
Goalie Sean Hogan made the save of the year on a breakaway in which a Melrose forward was one-on-one with the senior when Hogan charged and made a kick save which going into a slide. About two minutes later, Melrose found their equalizer with three minutes left in the half on a corner kick taken by Joey Beshel that somehow snuck in the near side and caused the referees to stop play and check the siding of the net before determining it was a good goal.
With a 1-1 score at the break, word reached those in the area code that a dandy was brewing as the crowd continued to grow. They witnessed more of the same in the second half – including a Warrior goal that again came about nine minutes into play.
NEMO RIZK scored Wakefield’s first goal on a beautiful one-timer against Melrose on Monday night. Rizk and the Warriors will host Burlington for Senior Night this Monday at 6:15 p.m. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
Rizk looped in a free kick just outside the box into a dangerous part of the box with Wakefield crashing the net. A Melrose clear attempt was blocked by Margolis and ricocheted right past the keeper and in for a 2-1 Warrior lead.
Rizk, Margolis, Casey and senior captain Lucas Kehoe continued to put the pressure on the visitors, including a Casey shot that hit the outside of the goalpost but Melrose was able to hold on and take a timeout with 24:14 to reset.
Their response came in a flash on a quick counter attack as Jovan Ssebugwawo scored to make it 2-2 with 14 minutes left.
The remainder of the game featured more scoring chances but Hogan stood strong with a quality save on a low shot and Wakefield earned the point they needed to get the job done.
“I told them, I couldn’t be more proud of the fight they showed today,” said Angelo. “That was a really physical, old-school game and we really held our own against a really tough team. I’m proud of this team; they’ve’ worked so hard all year.”
Wakefield, who went on to beat Stoneham in the final minutes, 2-1 yesterday, is just one point back of Melrose in Freedom Division play. The Warriors (11 Freedom points, 7-2-6 overall) have games against Burlington and Watertown remaining while Melrose (12 Freedom points, 10-2-2 overall) will play Wilmington twice and Stoneham.
The Warriors, ranked 8th in the latest MIAA Div. 2 power rankings (Melrose is 4th), will try to finish their season as strongly as possible, including a big week next week when they host Burlington for Senior Night on Monday at 6:15 p.m. and Watertown on Wednesday at 6 p.m. for their first Alumni and youth soccer game, featuring Warriors past, present and future.
These guys have set goals, they want to finish top 10 in the power rankings and they want to keep chasing Melrose for first place in the small,” said Angelo. “After a performance like tonight, I won’t have any extra motivation for them; they’re going to handle it themselves.
“We’ve done the hard part, we’re in the tournament. Our goal now is to win out and get the highest possible seed we can for the tournament.”
