Season Snapshot: No Quit in Injury-Riddled Warriors Soccer

It was a damp and dreary Thursday night at Watertown’s Filippello Park. The visiting Wakefield Warriors all stood in a circle around head coach Sam Hochberg, in the shadows of the looming light towers that were supposed to be illuminating the playing field. They weren’t. The lights had inexplicably gone dark—first the left side, followed closely by the right. With the rain coming down in that most annoying of manners, known typically as a persistent drizzle, and the Raiders currently enjoying a staggering 9-0 lead, it almost seemed as though Watertown had literally shot the lights out.

The question was simple: It’s raining, and the Warriors trailed by what may as well have been a hundred goals. Hochberg asked for a show of hands. Who wants to keep playing, asked the Warriors bench boss?

What followed was one of those moments that can define a season. Even one that may not be bound for glory. The moment when the man from the capsized boat decides to either give up and drown or try to swim for it.

Every hand went up; they wanted to play. No one was going to call them quitters.

The Warriors (0-4, 0-1 ML Small) responded with perhaps their best offensive sequence of the game once the light was restored, and despite allowing two more goals to be scored against them, finally losing by an 11-0 margin, they showed heart and determination.

“I think that’s accurate,” said Hochberg, when the incident was brought up following the final whistle. “When the lights came back on they kept playing, they played until the whistle ... We haven’t quit, despite the score. (Today) we played the second half, and played through everything so it’s just a foundation.”

This is perhaps the best way to illustrate Wakefield’s season on the pitch thus far. Beset by injury, riddled with youth, and yet, their will to compete undaunted.

The Warriors have looked a M*A*S*H unit early on this year, with no less than five key injuries slowing the side’s progress. Wakefield’s roster featured six junior varsity call-ups against the Raiders.

“We have five starters, essentially, injured,” said Hochberg. “So, technically, they’re not even varsity players, but they’re certainly still capable of contributing. Any young team is going to go through ups and downs, and right now, we’re down.”

With eight of the 18 players on Wakefield’s varsity roster either freshman or sophomores, the Warriors were always going to be a young team, but the spate of early-season injuries has rendered them even more youthful, and maladies sustained by key contributors have made the steep climb to contention in the Middlesex League even more precipitous.

Hochberg’s response to the question of who looked to be the Warriors key player at this relatively early stage of the campaign spoke volumes.

“Our key player is the guy with the boot on his foot,” Hochberg said, motioning towards freshman stopper Andrew Taliaferro. “He only played in the first game, but throughout the preseason, it was clear that he was going to be an important piece at the back.”

Judging from the sheer number of scoring chances created by Watertown going forward, it’s clear Taliaferro’s absence is being felt.

Apart from the freshman defender, Hochberg said that, at this early juncture, no one else had really distinguished themselves to that degree.

“We’ve gone up and down as a team,” he said. “There hasn’t really been an individual who has stood out.”

That being said, Hochberg still gave credit to junior net-minder Alan Conlon, who has gotten the nod between the sticks so far this season.

“He saved a (penalty kick) the other day,” said the Warriors coach, currently in his fourth season at the helm.“ He’s been doing alright. He’s been my starting ‘keeper during the first half (of the season).”

Indeed, Conlon can’t shoulder too much of the blame for the 11-0 drubbing, as Verdan Yeghiyan’s 10-minute hat-trick—consisting of a low, powerful drive; a crackling header and a superb and inspiring bicycle kick—would have proved a bridge too far for most net-minders to handle. And that was just the first ten minutes.

“They’re skilled, they’re quick,” said Hochberg of Watertown’s performance. “Certainly, a much improved team.”

Wakefield has suffered setbacks at the hands of Arlington, Winchester, Belmont and Watertown, but will be looking to earn its first win on Tuesday, Sept. 20 in the border showdown with traditional rivals Melrose.

Hochberg, a member of WHS’ 1997 state championship side, would like to see better communication on the pitch from his players going forward.

“Communicating. We want to do that better,” he said. “If we communicate with each other, the soccer will take care of itself. Verbal communication, playing for each other. That will go a long way. A team may be one or two goals better than you, but not four or five. Not if you communicate.”