CHARLES GAGNE scored Wakefield’s game-winner with eight minutes left in a thrilling, 3-2 first round victory over Silver Lake last night at Landrigan Field. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
WAKEFIELD — Earning the top seed in the state tournament is a blessing. It means home field advantage throughout the journey. The fans at Landrigan Field certainly helped their No. 1 boys’ soccer team in a 3-2 victory over No. 32 Silver Lake in the first round of the Div. 2 state tournament last night. The Warriors used that extra boost of adrenaline to break a tense, 2-2 tie when senior captain Charles Gagne scored on a header off a corner kick from junior Matt Keefe, and the fans buoyed an exhausted defense to hold on for the win.
“We could hear them the whole game, it really perked us up,” said Gagne. “It’s so awesome to be playing for everyone in the stands. Having that support gives us an extra boost to know we’re not just playing for ourselves but the program’s history and our town and everyone who comes out to support us so getting the win for them, it just feels so much better than doing it for ourselves.”
And yet, the visiting Lakers helped Wakefield learn a valuable lesson in their first game as No. 1: Earning the top seed in the state tournament is a curse.
“Everyone wants to beat the number one team,” said head coach Matt Angelo, whose Warriors are looking to return to the State Championship game this year. “What’s helped us is we’ve been number one in our league all year and everyone’s been coming at us. Of course, the tournament heightens that with the threat of not having tomorrow but we’re used to it.
“We started off strong and then hit a lull. I think an adrenaline dump happened along with some nerves but the same thing happened in our first tournament game last year: emotions were up and down.”
Silver Lake proved to be a formidable opponent from the very beginning as both teams battled for an advantage with no tallies in the first 25 minutes.
“We knew their biggest strength was their work rate, effort and desire to win and they showed it,” said Angelo of Silver Lake. “I thought we were the better technical team but when it came to grittiness inside both boxes and challenging balls in the air, they really put a physical game on us that no team has this year.”
In a blink, a tense stalemate turned into an All-Star game as the two squads combined for 3 goals in the final 15 minutes of the first half.
Junior captain and leading scorer Jack Millward made it 1-0 with an assist to junior Mhamed Boukataya who played it into the box after a great cross from sophomore Guy Revah. The Lakers found the equalizer with 3 minutes left.
Not to be outdone, Millward responded one minute later to reclaim the lead.
Or so everyone thought. He was credited with the goal on a deflection in front off a Keefe shot. That assumption is what happens when you’re one of the state’s top scorers, but the captain was quick to correct it after the game.
“That was all Keefe,” admitted Millward, proud to give the goal to one of Wakefield’s top passers and most unselfish players. Keefe’s goal came on a counter attack started by freshman goalie Kai Mercer whose throw to sophomore Alex De Morais started the rush. Keefe got it in space on the left wing, burned a defender and put together a perfect give-and-go with De Morais, resulting in a one-timer that deflected off the defender who was marking Millward in front.
The second half was even more tense as the stakes heightened and the nerves kicked in. A one-goal lead as the No. 1 seed on your home field? That’s pressure you can only understand through experience.
Silver Lake tied it with 16 minutes to go, swinging all the momentum and officially putting the Warriors on upset alert.
There to save Wakefield with eight minutes left was Gagne, driving a header into the turf off a perfect ball from Keefe. The short hop created a massive bounce that fit neatly over the Laker keeper’s outstretched glove and into the cage, bringing all of Landrigan to its feet.
“I don’t have the vocabulary to express how important he is to this team,” said Angelo of Gagne. “He’s the glue. Unfortunately, we had to change his position about midway through the second half to sit him with the back line because their forwards were giving us fits but he does everything for us. He’s our utility guy and I mean that in the highest regard.”
In the end, Wakefield’s all-junior back line including center backs Aidan Bligh and Aden Stevenson and full backs Danny Kidder and Nik Dhingra locked in while Mercer held down the fort to secure Wakefield’s first tournament win of 2024.
Aside from Gagne, Millward, Bligh and Keefe, Wakefield was in the unique position of a No. 1 seed and reigning state champion finalist that was also learning how to play in the tournament. With seven new starters and an inexperienced bench, the younger Warriors stepped up while the more battle-tested ones led the way.
“This was the first meaningful tournament minutes for the majority of the guys,” said Angelo. “We’re not a veteran team, so this was a great learning experience…if we learn from it.”
Said Gagne, “A lot of the guys didn’t get many minutes because of our experience last year but it was impressive how they were able to lock in at the end and hold it down for the last eight minutes. It shows a win no matter what mentality and it was good to see them step up.”
“All these guys saw last year what it takes to make a deep run,” agreed Millward. “It doesn’t matter what seed you are, it’s going to be a hard game because it could be your last.”
As Angelo said, Wakefield’s experience as the best in the Middlesex League helped them learn what its like to play with a target on your back. The Warriors, who won the Freedom Division title for the second straight year, played in countless close games this season — tests that certainly helped them against the Lakers.
Now, the Warriors can try to get more comfortable as the hunted, and go forward on their home field with the belief that they can make a deep run once again.
“We’re not too proud to celebrate a win,” said Angelo. “We’ll enjoy this and then the coaches will get to work tonight on Billerica but the message is going to being the same: we just want to get better at everything.”
The Warriors will welcome No. 17 Billerica to town on Friday night, 6 p.m. back at Landrigan. The Indians beat No. 16 Westwood in penalty kicks on the road in the first round. With a much closer commute than Silver Lake’s fans, Wakefield can expect a rowdier crowd in the Round of 16.
“Hopefully we get even more fans for the Billerica game,” said Millward. “They know what we’re made of and that we have to protect the No. 1 seed so it’s a big game Friday night.”
The winner will advance to the quarterfinals where they will play the winner of No. 9 Revere vs. No. 8 Bedford.
