ADEN STEVENSON (right), Guy Revah and the Wakefield High boys’ soccer team are one win away from a rematch against Oliver Ames in the Div. 2 State Championship game. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
WALPOLE — Last year’s Div. 2 boys’ soccer state champion, Oliver Ames, has returned to the Finals after defeating Mansfield 1-0 in overtime last night at Walpole High’s Turco Field.
The 3rd-ranked Tigers, who defeated Wakefield 1-0 in OT in the State Championship game last year, will watch the No. 1 Warriors take on No. 4 Hingham tonight, 7 p.m. back at Walpole High. Oliver Ames beat Hingham 1-0 in the quarterfinals last year.
Wakefield (18-2-1) will travel to Walpole following three state tournament victories over No. 32 Silver Lake (3-2), No. 17 Billerica (1-0) and No. 9 Revere (1-0).
Hingham (18-2-1) made the Final Four after wins over No. 36 Nashoba (1-0), No. 20 Milton (2-0) and No. 5 Minnechaug (2-0).
As evidenced by their scores, the Harbormen have yet to concede a goal in the tournament. They have now recorded 16 shutouts this season, led by their goalkeeper, senior captain Jacob Riker, an Eastern Mass. Soccer Coaches Association All-New England team member this year.
Wakefield will counter with an EMSCA All-New England member of their own in junior captain and striker Jack Millward. Millward, the leading scorer for the Warriors, was the Middlesex League’s Player of the Year and an All-Conference team member.
Senior captain and midfielder Charles Gagne was also named to the Middlesex League’s All-Conference team recently. Gagne was injured during Wakefield’s win over Revere last Tuesday. It is unknown whether he will be available for the Warriors in the Final Four tonight.
Three more All-Stars for Wakefield were junior midfielder Matt Keefe, junior centerback Aidan Bligh and sophomore midfielder Alex De Morais.
The postseason has been a balanced effort for the Warrior attack this year. Wakefield has five different scorers in their three postseason wins: Millward (1G, 1A), Keefe (1G, 1A), De Morais (1G, 1A) Gagne (1G) and junior Mhamed Boukataya (1G, 2A).
Meanwhile, Wakefield’s midfield and defense have been strong, especially in the last two games with shutouts over Billerica and Revere. Freshman goalkeeper Kai Mercer has been steady and the defensive back line of Bligh and junior classmates Aden Stevenson, Nik Dhingra and Danny Kidder have been lights out.
Hingham also has a balanced and experienced team. Riker was quick to shout out a strong defense in front of him following their third straight shutout of the tournament. Fellow senior captains Adam Healey and Brayden Lawler scored goals in the Harbormen’s 2-0 quarterfinal victory over a tough Minnechaug team.
The result should be another hard-fought postseason classic between two talented squads.
The winner will meet Oliver Ames in the Div. 2 State Championship on Saturday, 12:30 p.m. at Worcester State.
