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Article on Lexington Victory over Needham
High School Boys Soccer heads to the play-off after a strong regular season finish.
Lexington Minuteman
By Gary Lerner
The Lexington High School Boys Soccer team faced off against Needham High school under the lights in Needham on Saturday evening. The Lexington Boys arrived with a win on Thursday over Woburn. Needham is a highly ranked state team that the LHS Boys have never defeated. Lexington came closest to challenging Needham last year with a hotly contested 1-1 tie.
As the season has come to a close, the team has played well. This season’s team exhibited great team work, good ball control and flashy individual ball handling. In the middle part of the season, despite the team’s skill and energy, spotty play and a few momentary defensive lapses has hurt the Minutemen’s league performance.
Not the case as Lexington faced off against Thursday at Woburn Memorial high school under a dark and rainy sky. Lexington scored twice in the first 20 minutes, including a great display of ball handling by Hagop Kouchakdjian who slipped past multiple defenders to score.
The ever-persistent Tanner’s squad kept the game close. Woburn scored with 14 minutes remaining in the first half despite the strong performance by senior Josh Lane, starting in goal for the second time this season.
Lexington totally dominated in the second half as the rain continued in earnest. Lexington added a third goal to take a commanding 3 to 1 lead. Strong defensive performances by Michael Bove, Alexander Lerner, and Alfred Joseph, muted Woburn’s ongoing attacks.
Woburn scored a second goal with 10 minutes remaining, after securing a kick outside the penalty area, and blasting it over the wall formed by Lexington. Lexington finished strong and held on for the 3 – 2 win.
Saturday night Lexington faced Needham for the last regular season game. Needham started strong with high energy and physical play. The Needham Rockets challenged every play with speed, strength and skill. The game remained scoreless in the first 20 minutes as play was marked by Lexington’s attempt to control the play despite relentless pressure applied by Needham at both ends of the field.
With 20 minutes remaining, Lexington’s Senior Sagan Patarroyo-White launched a near post shot that bounced beneath the grasp of a diving Needham keeper. With a 1-0 lead and spirits high, Lexington played strong to finish the first half.
In the second half Lexington went on the offensive, starting with control of the midfield led by aggressive performances from Nick Barbesino, Beltran Maroto, and Jessie Strod. Kouchakdjian, Patarroyo-White and Andrew Chipashvili launched numerous attacks, all well defended by Needham. Even the wing defenders Lerner and Bove launched forward attacks.
Often times two and three Needham defenders swarmed around Lexington ball handlers that dared to cross into the penalty area. And then it happened. Kouchakdjian under intense pressure as he approached goal, passed the ball to Chipashvili, who drove the ball into the back of the net out of reach of the keeper.
With 30 minutes to go, Lexington leads Needham 2-0. With tensions high, and the Needham home crowd increasingly frustrated and vocal, can Lexington finish strong?
Significant Needham attacks follow. Needham rockets a shot past Lexington’s Adrian Porras only to soundly hit the post and bounce back into play. Another failed Needham attempt. But with 10 minutes to go, a Needham corner kick finds the head of a Needham attacker who proficiently deflects it into goal; the spell is broken.
The Needham attacks continue. With less than a minute remaining one attacker gets control of a waist high ball, right in front of the net. He is one-on-one with 6’6” Porras. Porras dives on the attack and makes a great save to preserve the lead. The whistles blow; the game is over. Lexington has for the first time in memory defeated Needham, 2 – 1.
Lexington High Boys Varsity soccer finish the season with a streak of three wins and an overall record of 11-6-2 (9-5 in the Middlesex league). Fall 2016 MIAA tournament matchups are to be announced shortly. Lexington expects to play its first game this Friday. Check the MIAA website for details. Come support Lexington High School!
Varsity Team Clinches Playoff Berth
The LHS Varsity Boys soccer team clinched a playoff berth with their recent tie against Arlington. Before the Woburn game, which the boys won 3-2, Lexington was in 5th place out of 12 in the Middlesex league. Stay tuned for more info on the post season schedule.
The Senior Day ceremony will be held after our last home game, October 25th. Game time 3:45 pm at Lincoln field.
This is a chance to celebrate our graduating seniors and their achievement of sportsmanship, perseverance, and overall soccer excellence.
Each senior will be recognized and our acclaimed team photographers will be on hand for a photo of each senior player and parents.
Families, fellow players, fans all welcome and encouraged to join us.
Thanks,
Eran
Parents please sign up for the LHS Boosters yahoo email group to get news, information and announcements. There are two ways to sign up:
Visit https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/LHS-boys-soccer-boosters/info
and click join group.
Send an email to: lhs-boys-soccer-boosters-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Players and parents are invited to come together for the Season Kickoff Meeting. This will include pizza and drinks. The booster club usually takes this opportunity to make important announcements for parents so please attend if you are able.
Date: Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Time: 5:45pm
Place: Lincoln Field
