Boys soccer falls short to #1 Wakefield to end tourney run
The Revere High boys soccer team’s magnificent, magical season came to a heartbreaking conclusion with a 1-0 loss at Wakefield last Thursday evening in the Elite Eight quarterfinal round of the MIAA Division 2 state soccer tournament.
The Patriots, the champions of the Greater Boston League who entered the tourney as the #9 seed in D-2 with a 12-2-2 record, went toe-to-toe (no pun intended) with #1 seeded Wakefield (15-2-1) through a scoreless first half and the first 20 minutes of the second half.
Coach Manny Lopes’s disciplined Revere squad held their shape throughout the contest and held the advantage in possession by a 60-40 margin.
Wakefield’s scoring opportunities in the first half came principally via counterattacks, but Patriot goalkeeper Malek Sakhri was equal to the challenge, making some superb stops in the first 40 minutes. Malek came out of his net to cut down the angle to stone a Wakefield winger, who had broken in on the right side, from five yards out; made a diving save to his right off a shot from the middle of the box from 15 yards out; and then stopped a Wakefield free kick with a spectacular, leaping save in which his outstretched hand deflected the ball just over the crossbar (the ball struck the football crossbar, which was just inches above the soccer goal’s crossbar).
The second half played out much the same way, with the Patriots controlling possession and Wakefield making forays on counterattacks. Revere had a golden opportunity to take the lead with 25:40 to play. The Patriots controlled the ball in the midfield and sent a pass into the box, from where a Revere player took a point-blank shot from 15 yards out that was stopped by the Wakefield keeper. The rebound went to the keeper’s left, where a streaking Revere winger blasted a one-touch shot from eight yards out on which the keeper managed to make a leaping deflection with his fingertips, sending the ball off the crossbar.
However, the ball ricocheted straight down without crossing the goal line — if the shot had been a fraction of an inch lower, it would have deflected into the net — and the Wakefield defense managed to clear the ball out of danger.
Four minutes later, Wakefield struck for the game’s lone goal. A Wakefield midfielder sent a nice through-ball that went behind the Revere defender to Sakhri’s right. As the Wakefield striker sped behind, and then ahead, of the Patriot defender, Sakrhi came out to the top of the box to try to reach the ball before the Wakefield player. However, Malek was two steps too late. The streaking Wakefield player took a touch, moved to his left, and then shot the ball past a diving Sakhri into the open net.
Revere put up a furious, all-out effort in the final minutes, and had some superb chances. However, the Patriots were unable to reach the back of the Wakefield net — thus bringing an end to a memorable, most-successful-season-ever for the Revere High boys soccer program.
RHS girls compete in D-2 state meet
The Revere High girls cross country team wrapped up its 2024 season at the Division 2A State Meet two weeks ago at Ft. Devens. “Unfortunately, we didn’t advance, either as a team or as any individuals,” said RHS head coach Katie Sinnott. “We ran at Fort Devens for the first time, so we were unfamiliar with the course. “Off the starting line we got a little bottlenecked and pushed back, so that didn’t put us into a good place right from the beginning,” Sinnott continued.
“The course also took the runners out into a technical terrain loop with a steep hill and narrow path which definitely posed a challenge. “While the girls’ times were not as fast as the previous week (at the State Coaches Meet in Wrentham), many of them improved or were close to their times on the Malden course, which is the most similar course in our league,” Sinnott added. “Again, I am very proud of these girls for sticking through a mentally and physically demanding season and I wish them luck as they all head into the track seasons. “I look forward to building a strong team again next cross country season. If anyone knows a student who will be attending RHS next year and is interested in participating in a sport, cross country is a great one. We are really supportive, inclusive, and the sport is all about bettering yourself. Any athlete who plays a sport in the winter, but not in the fall, should consider joining,” Sinnott concluded. Individual results (5K course): Olivia Rupp – 56th overall – 22:53 Valeria Sepulveda Quintero – 128th overall – 25:52 Rania Hamdani – 131st overall – 25:56 Daniela Santana Baez – 138th overall – 26:37 Emma DeCrosta – 156th overall – 29:45
