November 20, 2024 – Story and photos by Joshua Ross
Soccer is an easy game. Just score more goals and make more saves than your opponent. Last night seniors Jacob Riker and Alessandro Neyra might have made the save and goal of their careers as Hingham upset the top seed in Division II in the semifinal game.
The fourth seeded Harbormen and Wakefield were scoreless through the first half until the 13th minute into the second half when Neyra scored on a penalty shot. Hingham looked to extend their lead after senior Luke Ackerman’s hustle play in the box resulted in another penalty shot attempt. Senior Brayden Lawler’s shot was saved by the Wakefield’s goalie. Then with under 10 minutes to play, Wakefield was awarded a penalty shot. The Warriors’ top player, Jack Millward placed the ball 12 yards in front of the Patriot League MVP and EMSCA New England All Star in Hingham’s net. Millward shot the ball low to the left as Riker dove and extended to make the save of his life.
“We had watch film on them and him specifically because he’s their best player,” Riker said after recording his 17th shutout of the season. “I watch film on his penalties and I was pretty confident he was going that way.”
Whether it was film study or just guessing right, the save kept Wakefield off the scoreboard and Hingham’s streak of not allowing a goal in the playoffs continues.
“Jacob Riker is an excellent player, an excellent kid,” first year coach Dave Leahy said. “Three year starter. Two year captain. MVP of the Patriot League and up for All American. He deserves every single second of it. For it to end the way it did, and him get the save, it’s a great story book ending. And we got one more page to fill, one more chapter to go.”
The scorecard will say 1-0, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. Hingham came in as the underdog and played like the favorites in almost every aspect of the game. Time of possession, take-aways, scoring opportunities…they were one step ahead, one step faster than Wakefield. Their ball movement and defense was arguably the best it’s been all season.
“It was a lot of fun to watch,” added Leahy. “We work on it all the time. The kids have fun working on it. We have the kids to do it. They love to pass, they love each other and it works, it works very well.”
Hingham’s shutdown defense wears on the opponents and that was evident last night.
“It’s pretty clear in their faces, especially number 10 (Millward),” explained Riker. “They get mad and then it spreads throughout the team and gives them negative energy. It brings the energy down when they are yelling at their teammates. Especially Nicky (Harris), he frustrates them pretty well.”
It’s not all defense though. The Harbormen played most of the game in the Warriors’ end finally capitalizing on a penalty shot.
“Sandro played excellent,” commented Leahy on the game’s only scorer. “He got that goal for the PK and stepped up.”
The reward for winning is now a rematch of last year’s quarterfinal game vs Oliver Ames when Hingham lost at home 1-0. It’s been a game that has been on the Harbormen’s minds for a year.
“We have one thing in mind and that’s beating them,” Riker said. “That was a tough loss last year. I was sad about that one for a while. But now, we saw the bracket and Oliver Ames was on the other side of the bracket, that is who we want to play. So this is definitely our ideal match-up.”
When the boys lace them up on Saturday at 12:30pm at Worcester State, it will be Hingham’s first time playing for a state championship in the program’s long, success history.
“It’s incredibly exciting. I don’t even know what to say,” Leahy reflected on the milestone. “These kids are just unbelievable. They just keep on playing.”
GAME PHOTOS
