WAKEFIELD — After a few early season setbacks and adjustments, the Wakefield High girls’ soccer team has gotten a taste of victory and is gnawing at a winning record.
The Warriors took their third straight win of the season, 6-1 over Watertown on Monday at home. Wakefield came out hungry and didn’t waste any time pressing the goal line from the starting whistle.
It was just under two minutes into the game when senior captain Shea Sunken connected with junior Stella Carlino on a line drive corner kick that Carlino pounded into the bottom right corner for a piping hot start for the Warriors. While the Raiders were rattled by the quick goal, they settled quickly into their game.
Watertown’s junior center midfielder Moya Flanagan and senior Elsa Ryan were both powerful and fierce on the counter attack but were no matchup for Wakefield’s midfield and the persistence of senior Kayla Hurley. Hurley’s quickness and salty aggression diffused any spark Flanagan and Ryan attempted to strike up.
The Warrior defensive centerbacks, senior captain Abby Myette and freshman Laurel Renzi roasted the attacking Raiders, pulling balls from the air to their feet for quick distribution back to Wakefield.
The game was simmering at centerfield much of the first half with Carlino, Hurley and rookie Ella Ferrell all chopping up the Raider momentum. Watertown’s freshman goalkeeper, Julia Pipitone, was holding the Warriors’ attacking off until the 38th minute of the game when Teaghan Johnson made a tackle on the ball to squash the breakaway attempt and fired up a give-and-go opportunity for Sunken and senior captain Aliza Margolis, who powered goal No. 2 into the oven just before the timer went off.
The Warriors returned from their halftime huddle “cooking” and with Margolis and Sunken, it was a recipe for success. The pair put three goals together in the first 18 minutes of the half, each sinking shots and acquiring assists that had the crowd eating up the action.
With much of the second half on the clock and a 5-0 lead, Wakefield was ready for the final course and coach Nico Manganiello took the opportunity to make some strategic moves to offer some fresh legs and a little spice to the pitch.
Turns out, junior Molly Anderson and Sophomore Quin Wilcox were just the ingredients Manganiello was looking for when they brought the heat and speed the Warriors needed in the back third as Watertown resurged after a break on an unlucky handball in the box that led to a penalty kick for Watertown and a goal for the Raiders’ Elsa Ryan.
In the end, it was junior Audrey Callahan who stirred up the action on the outside midfield with power crosses and just-miss rockets on net that had the Raider defensive line on their heels and taking note of the depth of this Warrior roster.
The Raiders’ goalkeeper was working the box and tracking down the attacks from Callahan when Keira O’Brien sent a long sideline shot to the corner flag that Johnson caught up to and took Watertown off guard with an absolutely perfect cross to senior Ally Bligh, who’s precision timing on the ball led to the final goal and a 6-1 win.
The Warriors hit the road on Wednesday night and came away with a hard-earned, 3-3 tie against Wilmington, moving to 3-4-1 on the season.
A tough stretch of games for the Warriors starts today, 4:15 p.m. in Winchester against the 7-0-1 Red and Black.