THE MHS boy’s soccer team was in total control in their opening round playoff win over Minnechaug with a 5-1 victory. After press time, Melrose advances to the Final Four defeating Billerica 3-1 in the Quarterfinals and Westwood 3-1 in the Round of 16. #7 Melrose will face #6 Oliver Ames in the State Semi-Final game Tuesday 11/14 at Xaverian for a 7 p.m. start. (photo by Raj Das edphotos.com)
Update post publication:
Melrose falls in the State Semi-Finals to #6 Oliver Ames 2-1 (OT) – Nov. 14
Published November 10, 2023
Melrose boys’ soccer advances to Sweet 16
Enjoys a 5-1 win over Minnechaug to host Westwood
By JENNIFER GENTILE
MELROSE—The Melrose High boys’ soccer team is picking up where they left off last season by advancing to the Div. 2 Sweet 16 round of playoffs following a big 5-1 win over visiting Minnechaug on Sunday evening at Fred Green Field.
It was a complete effort by No. 6 seed Melrose (14-3-2) which advances them at press time to host No. 10 seed Westwood (10-4-3) on Wednesday Nov. 8 (post deadline). Melrose has the potential to host another game depending on the outcome of the Billerica/Westborough game on Nov. 9. In that proposed action, a victory will launch Melrose into the D2 Final Four and bring a trophy back to Melrose.
Against Minnechaug, Melrose enjoyed a productive second half when they scored three goals to take the game away from the Falcons, 5-1. Melrose seniors Nick Thermenos and Jovan Ssebugwawo both had two goals and senior captain Amir Lahkiky had one. It was a particularly strong game for Ssebugwawo who assisted both Lahkiky and Thermenos’ goals.
“This was a great win,” said head coach Dean Merino after the game. “When stakes are high Jovan is a player who rises to the occasion. Overall, the team followed the game plan, and Minnachaug was a good team. The score was deceiving.”
It was fairly even during the opening minutes of the game, with Melrose taking some shots that just missed, including one by Sam O’Donnell, before Nick Thermenos fed the ball to Ssebugwawo who fired a gun into the net at 34:40 to give Melrose a 1-0 lead.
Lahkiky was all over Minnechaug goalie Ben Wilson and nearly scored twice but was deflected. But soon Ssebugwawo launched an attack, set up by Tyler Lecomte, drawing Wilson out and catapulting the ball behind him into the net for a goal to give Melrose a 2-0 lead going into the half.
“It was important for us to score first, within the first ten minutes and we did with Jovan’s two goals. It set the tone,” said Serino about the halftime score.
Melrose offense doubled down in the second half, when Amir Lahkiky scored on an assist from Ssebugwawo just a minute into play to make it 3-0. Thermenos scored his first of two goals at 10:35 (Ssebugwawo asst), before Minnechaug finally got on board with a goal by Matt O’Keefe at 8:34 to prevent a Melrose shutout. That would be only goal Melrose senior Aiden Heipler would allow, and Thermenos would later top it off with one more goal courtesy of a turnover in the closing minutes for a final 5-1 win.
Senior Aiden Heipler held the fort at the net for the win, along with a talented Melrose defense. And that was also key for the team. “I thought we played really well defensively,” says Serino. “I thought Dannny [Muller] Tyler [Lecomte] and John [Arens] were clutch. Malek [Sayegh] also played well before he went down with an injury and then Sam O’Donnell came in and did well in his spot.”
As Melrose hosts their next home game, Serino expressed gratitude to the MHS athletic department for opening up Fred Green Field for a 4:30 p.m. game in the midst of other programming. “It’s nice to have that kind of support on the varsity level from Steve [Fogarty] Playing at this field [opposed to West Knoll] is always an advantage.”
As for the competition, Serino anticipates a well-coached and competitive Westwood team. “We’ve scouted and studied film,” he says. “They seem similar to some ML teams that we play. At this time of season, it’s anyone’s game. We’re a team who really enjoys playing together and these players are close off the field too. We’ve proved that when we believe in ourselves, we can compete with anyone.”
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