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WALTHAM - It was a strong start, but a heartbreaking conclusion.
Neythan Larreynaga headed in the game-winning goal with seconds left in regulation as the No. 27 Waltham High boys soccer team (9-7-2) upended No. 38 seed Medford 2-1 in preliminary round action of the MIAA Division 1 State Tournament Saturday.
With the win, the Hawks advance to face No. 6 Catholic Memorial, while Medford ends its season at 7-8-4.
“This was a tough one,” said Medford Coach John Prestigiovanni, who is in his second year as head coach. “Our boys fought right till the very end. That last goal was scored with five seconds left, but we had a great season. I’m proud of the boys.”
Playing on Waltham High’s new state-of-the-art turf field, Medford seemed to make the most of their soggy road trip, at least initially.
The Mustangs held a potent Waltham club scoreless for the entire first half, splish-splashing through some rain-soaked conditions, before striking late in the stanza and holding the 1-0 lead at halftime.
The Hawks regrouped in the second half, however, scoring the game-tying tally within the first two minutes, before breaking the Mustangs' hearts scoring the eventual game-winner off a header in the closing moments.
“It feels good,” said Waltham coach Cristiano Casalini. “It was a wide-open game. It could have gone either way. I think we produced, but the game was a little bit sloppy [especially] with the distribution of the ball. Controls were difficult. We had the ability to conclude on the free kicks and corners. That made the difference.”
“Medford played very well,” he added. “It was a good fight. They were a very good team.”
The Mustangs grabbed some early momentum in the first half. Senior striker Neyvitton Da Silva netted the go-ahead goal. Collecting a feed from senior Leonardo Lopes, the upperclassman scored with under five minutes to play in the stanza. The late tally gave Medford the 1-0 edge at halftime.
The lead was short-lived, however, as Waltham shifted gears following the break. Senior forward Aiden Oduor led the charge scoring off a scramble just 1:10 into the second stanza, knotting the game up at 1-1. It was nip-and-tuck the rest of the way as both teams battled it out on the slick turf terrain.
Medford’s defense kept close tabs on Oduor for much of the contest. Junior Ruthson Bleck shadowed the sharpshooter for most of the game. Meanwhile, Medford High goaltender Liam Casey remained rock solid, robbing Oduor with a sprawling save late in the stanza. A junior varsity call-up playing in place of injured netminder Jack Germaine, Casey nearly stole the show making several game-saving stops.
But in the end, it was the Hawks that would have final say.
Converging on a free kick from senior Chouaga Blaise Rodas, Larreynaga scored off an ensuing header to seal the come-from-behind victory.
“I thought both teams were aggressive going at the ball,” said Prestigiovanni. “They both wanted to fight for the ball. The momentum changed for both teams several times. It could have been anyone’s games today.”
Medford will lose 13 seniors in the off-season, including team captain Cassidy Collins, sharpshooter Diego Miranda, Chamblain Samuel Arol, Joao Lopes, Jonatha Silva and Jacob Murdock. Leonardo Lopes, Gabriel Lucas, Ryan Godley, Gabriel Mariano, Hector Sanchez and Vitor Silva, also left a winning work ethic on which the returning lettermen can build.
“I’m proud of our boys,” said Prestigiovanni. “It was a great journey this year. I’m happy I got to do this with them. [The future] looks very good. We’ll be hungrier coming back here next year.”
