As the last remaining Hingham High School sports team in the fall playoffs, all eyes have been on the boys’ soccer team as they continued their push for the state championship. But before they made the trip to Worcester State, they first had to take down the one-seeded Wakefield Memorial in Walpole.
Tuesday night, the Harbormen traveled to Walpole High School to take on Wakefield. Known for their defense, the opponent established a strong barrier between the ball and the goal. Throughout the first half, despite the ball being on Wakefield’s side of the field, Hingham struggled to get the ball into the net. This all changed in the second half as in the 53rd minute, Alessandro Neira broke that barrier. The penalty kick led to the go-ahead score, putting Hingham on top. Later in the game, Jacob Riker made a diving stop during a Wakefield PK to keep the score 1-0. This score stayed for the rest of the game, sending the Harbormen to Worcester to take on the defending champions Oliver-Ames.
When asked about his team’s success, captain Brayden Lawler attributed their amazing season to their ability to, “stay calm throughout the course of the entire 80 minutes.” By staying calm, the Harbormen have generated success late in the game, often scoring first in the second half. This strategy led them to their final game of the season on Saturday.
Fighting through the cold, the Harbormen looked to take down the defending champions: Oliver-Ames. Throughout the first half, both teams played the stellar defenses they were known for. Staying calm going into the 2nd half, the boys continued to keep the ball out of their net, pushing the ball up the field. The game stayed extremely close up until the end of regulation, where it remained 0-0. After a scoreless first round of overtime, both teams knew they needed to score eventually. Ultimately, the defending champions felt this sense of urgency. After a big kick up the field, Jackson Mercier kicked the ball past a diving Jacob Riker into the corner, ending the season for the Harbormen and securing the team with their 3rd consecutive championship.
This season would not have been possible without the support of many key pieces. More specifically, first-year coach David Leahy. Stepping in for the legendary Coach Carlin, he had big shoes to fill. Providing an extra spark to the roster, he led the boys to the best season in a while for the Harbormen. When asked, Matt Cummings attributed their success to Leahy’s “ability to push kids to play above their capabilities” allowing him to “find the special attributes in a player and use it to our advantage.” This contribution ultimately led the Harbormen to their best season in a while.
Though they fell short of a state title, the boys have a lot to be proud of. Reflecting on the season, they finished the regular season with a 15-2-1 record, effectively making them the fourth seed. On Top of that, they pushed their way past strong Nashoba and Wakefield Memorial teams to get themselves one goal from being state champions. The boys will look to continue their success next year with their young and up-and-coming stars.
