THE MELROSE Red Raider soccer team will host Scituate in the first round of the Div. 2 playoffs on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. Pictured is Max Farmelant. (Raj Das www.edphotos.com)
9th seed Melrose will host Scituate on Sat.
By JENNIFER GENTILE
MELROSE—The Melrose High boy’s soccer team enters playoffs this week with a very strong record of 12-4 and has drawn the #9 seed in Div. 2 playoff field as they enter postseason. Melrose will host Situate (#24 seed) in the first round of the Div. 2 playoffs on Nov. 6 at home at Fred Green Field at 2:30 p.m.
They will do so while on a three-game winning streak and a 4-0 shutout over Wilmington on Friday, Oct. 29 during their regular season finale.
Entering playoffs at 12-4 certainly feels good for Melrose, who essentially finished third in all Middlesex League play behind Arlington and Reading, also a feat on its own. During their regular season finale against Wilmington, Melrose relied on four difference scorers in the shutout – Parker Thornton, Joey Beshel, Amir Lahkiky, and Liam O’Hara—while keeper Jay Vogan had his 8th shutout of the season at the net.
Melrose is playing complete soccer right now with all facets of the game smooth. Melrose coach Dean Serino sees this team playing as a collective group with an incredible chemistry that is paying dividends. “This was a complete team win against Wilmington and we really put it together in the second half,” he says.
While Melrose High boy’s soccer has had a remarkably successful past decade, this is a team that has a bit of a X factor. They possess a camaraderie, energy and friendship that bleeds into the game and it starts from the top.
“We wouldn’t be 12-4 league champs without our seniors and our captains,” says coach Serino. “They are so close, like great lifelong friends, it translates on the field. These guys, along with the rest of the team, just love playing this game and it brings up their skill level.”
Parker Thorton, Melrose’s leading scorer, is also the league leader in scoring with 21 points (15 pts. 6 assists.) He’s been—to say the least—a game changer. Says his coach, “Parker is just an all-around wonderful player. His effort has always been great, but he prepped so much in the off season to get to where he is now. He does it all. Just the complete package.”
Serino has also been quite pleased with Melrose defense, who have shutout opponents 8 times this season. “Our defense has really stepped it up. Obviously Liam O’Hara in the midfield has been huge for us, plus Niall [Gavin] and Matt [Whelan] in the back. They’ve all been great and helped Jay [Vogan] whose doing a solid job in the net.”
The winner of Saturday’s game is slated to play either Wakefield or Nauset Regional on November 10 at a time TBD. Brackets can be viewed on the MIAA website and tournament updates can be found on our social media pages.
It’s a rather odd playoff field that could see Melrose potentially traveling to Cape Cod in a second round scenario. That’s the MIAA’s new playoff system for you, which has taken away sectional play that used to keep early playoff teams within their own region. Now, there’s no telling where any team will travel in their rounds of play. And Serino is okay with that. “Sure, there is extra travel involved, but it will nice to play different opponents we might never otherwise have a chance to face,” he says. “We’ve seen so much of our north rivals, so keeping it fresh could be a good thing.”
One thing is for you, if Melrose continues doing what they are now, look for the Red Raiders to possibly enjoy an extended playoff run. Says Serino, “We want to tighten up small details for playoffs. Once we score, defense has to carry the rest and in playoff soccer that clock ticks fast. The important part is for this team to stay fresh and remain hungry, and let me tell you, this team is.”
Keep updated on playoff information at www.miaa.net or on our social media pages, including @MelroseWNSports.
