Updates post publication:
Melrose ties Stoneham 0-0 on Senior Night (Oct. 25)
Melrose defeats Marblehead 5-3 (Oct. 28)
By JENNIFER GENTILE
MELROSE—The Melrose High boys’ soccer are 11-3-1 on the season following two, key ML Freedom games against Wilmington and Burlington this week and they are ready to get down to business as a high seed in the Div. 2 MIAA playoff bracket.
At press time they are ranked #9, and have been consistently high all season— at the top of the division—which means they are all but assured of a home playoff game. Brackets will be released on Tuesday, Nov. 1 with action projected to take place around Nov. 3.
On Friday, Oct. 20, Melrose traveled to Burlington to face the Red Devils and walked away with a 2-0 win, courtesy of goals from seniors Amir Lahkiky and Jovan Ssebugwawo. Defensively, senior goalie Aiden Heipler scored the shutout at the net, with Patrick Stratford and Eric Hall playing very well on defense.
“Burlington works hard and plays well,” said Melrose head coach Dean Serino after the game. The victory was Melrose’s second one against the Red Devils following their 3-0 win over them in September.
Melrose followed that up with a big 6-1 win over Wilmington on the road on Monday night, a game that saw a collection of goals from a variety of players. Finding the net overall were Eric Hall, Sam O’Donnell, Jovan Ssebugwawo, Liam Gavin, and Owen Brodeur.
Amir Lahkiky had three assists along with Aiden Barber and Liam Gavin, who each had one. Once again, Aiden Heipler held down the fort at the net.
The wins have helped improve Melrose’s win total heading into final power rankings to be released on Friday. Playoff brackets are expected to be released on Tuesday.
It’s been an otherwise near flawless season for Melrose, with Wakefield being the teams’ kryptonite in 2023. Out of the rare, three losses they’ve had this season, two have come from their rival Warriors who they fell to 3-1 on October 18 at home.
Wakefield scored two quick goals and according to Serino, it set the tone. “It was a grind to climb back, but we played well and had a lot of opportunities. It was 2-1 and we just didn’t get that tying goal,” says the coach.
That gives Wakefield the Freedom League title after their two wins over Stoneham and Burlington this week. Melrose has remained flawless against all ML Freedom teams (besides Wakefield) continuing their never-ending rivalry that finds the two teams often battling each other in Div. 2 playoffs, as well. At the end of the day, the Freedom League remains a Melrose/Wakefield battle.
Says Serino, “We have played well and gave away points along the way that could’ve made a difference, but we have won [title] the last 5 of six years and it’s always close in the Middlesex league.”
But taking two wins in a row is just what Melrose needs entering playoffs. The coach contends there has been lots of work from the entire team.
“We’ve had six games in the last 10 days, so it’s been a full team effort for these wins. Jack McCormack, Micah Presley and Tommy McElligot have played well,” says Serino.
Finding the net will be important for Melrose in the coming days with tough challenges ahead. They have two must-see games against stiff competition at home at Fred Green Field over the weekend. On Friday, they host rival Marblehead at 7:15 p.m. for Soccer Night Melrose and on Monday they host Newton South. Both teams bring a degree of difficulty that represents a perfect primer for playoffs.
But they are in good hands. Senior captain Amir Lahkiky remains at the top (or close to) in the league for points. “He always scores the important goals for us,” notes his coach, who also points out the many goals of Jovan Ssubagwawo, Liam Gavin, and Nick Thermenos and Tyler Lecomte. Look for that group to serve critical roles in a playoff run.
As they prepare for playoffs, Coach Serino would like to see the team focus on consistency. “We need to put it all together for 80 minutes as a team and playing with great chemistry and highlighting how skilled we are and how well we move the ball.”