WHS boys’ soccer awaits postseason opponent

It’s been a very up-and-down campaign for the Watertown boys’ soccer team, and as the Raiders honored their seniors with one final home farewell, the team could only manage a 1-1 draw against Wilmington.

Two goals in quick succession at the end of the first half — one from either team — proved to be the only goals of the game. Watertown had the majority of the offensive chances late in the game, but couldn’t convert and had to settle for a tie, a result that clinched the Middlesex League title for Wilmington.

It was Senior Night at Victory Field, and once the pregame festivities had ended, the focus shifted to a match that would likely decide the winner of the Middlesex League. Both teams had major chances early, but it was the Wildcats who would break the deadlock after a half-hour of play.

Wilmington senior Ryan Kinsella found the ball a few yards from the Watertown net and buried a shot from point-blank range, as senior goalkeeper Joe Keikian had no time to react for a 1-0 Wildcats lead.

Watertown senior captain Raffi De Souza wasted little time getting his team back in the game, equalizing minutes later.

Receiving the ball 30 yards away from the goal, De Souza proceeded to take on five Wilmington defenders, before firing a powerful shot into the bottom left corner. Wilmington keeper Ryan Horgan didn’t even have time to try to make a save, and the score was level at 1 going into the half.

Watertown almost doubled the lead when junior Roman Davis rose for a header from a corner kick, but it was saved on the line by a Wilmington defender and things remained even.

Both teams came out aggressively in the second half, but neither team’s attacks yielded any score. Watertown began to dominate the game over the last 20 minutes. The Raiders took corner kick after corner kick after corner kick, but couldn’t manage to bury any of them. Horgan made multiple key saves to keep the game tied, while the Raiders repelled multiple Wildcat attacks on the other end of the field.

When the final whistle blew, the final score read 1-1, and Wilmington (9-1-3) had clinched their Middlesex League title.

The Raiders (7-5-2) finished second in the standings for the third consecutive year and are awaiting the pairings to see which they will play first in the MIAA tournament.

–Oct. 30, 2014–