[ccfic caption-text format="plaintext"]
By Mike Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
With both teams having already secured spots in their respective state tournament sectionals, Medfield High boys soccer hosted Dover-Sherborn for the second and final meeting between the two rivals on Monday afternoon on a wet Fisher Field.
The Warriors (8-3-6) entered Monday’s contest on an 11-game unbeaten streak and looking to complete the season sweep of the Raiders (8-7-3) after a 2-1 win at DS back on October 1.
Senior John McNeil drew first blood for Medfield with 29:53 to play in the first half as the captain and midfielder flew in down the wing, won the battle for a loose ball and stung home a left-legged shot inside the far right post to make it 1-0 Medfield.
Medfield’s James Layden (20) moves the ball through the middle with Dover-Sherborn’s Wyatt Goldfisher (14) hot on his tail.
A series of big-time saves by Medfield senior keeper Will DePiero allowed the game to remain 1-0 in favor of the Warriors late in the first half. Following a Medfield turnover at the midfield during stoppage time, senior captain Adam Fam broke in down the right side, navigated through a pair of Medfield defenders and hammered a shot down low past a diving DiPiero to knot the game at one for DS at halftime.
The momentum gained from the tying goal by Fam carried over into the second half for the Raiders, as DS began to carry the majority of the play. Despite the Raiders resurgence, Medfield was able to thwart the go-ahead goal, thanks to a diving save by DePiero on Fam during stoppage time. Off transition the other way, DS keeper Hans Martin-Heer made the save of the game on a cross from McNeil to senior Jake Sherman, snagging the ball out of the air from point blank distance off the leg of Sherman. The clock hit zeroes and the game concluded in a 1-1 tie.
DS (DIII) and Medfield (DII) will now wait to find out where they will be placed in their respective South sectional brackets.
For funny and incisive sports analysis, follow Mike Flanagan on his personal Twitter and Instagram @flano0.
