METHUEN — Last fall, the Methuen High boys’ soccer team shocked the state when it finished with 11 wins, a 16-game unbeaten streak, which included dramatic, upset state tournament victories over Bishop Feehan and Weymouth, before losing to Xaverian in the Division 1 Round of 8.
Eleven players, including eight starters graduated leaving this year’s roster filled with inexperience and many questions.
On Tuesday night, there were no signs of inexperience, or no lingering questions.
In a physical and chippy game, the Rangers got past a much improved Lawrence Lancers team 2-1, which concluded the team’s regular season with a surprising 10-2-6 record.
“We knew coming into this season that all of the younger guys had to step up,” said Owen Reilly, one of Methuen’s four captains. “We wanted to build a winning culture, we want to keep pushing and make the state tournament every year. We want that to be the standard here with Methuen soccer. It wasn’t like, ‘oh we lost so many guys’, it was more about let’s keep this going. We just had to work and here we are.”
Riding another long unbeaten streak of nine games (7-0-2), Methuen has outscored teams 20-8. Erik Delaney has played a big part of it with timely goals. He scored his seventh goal of the season late in the first half to give Methuen a 1-0 lead over the Lancers before Arthur Machado added what proved to be the game winner early in the second half.
“Delaney has been scoring a lot of goals and a lot of big goals for us,” said Marin. “He’s been awesome, scoring and assisting on goals and doing whatever we need of him.”
Besides a loss to Lowell — the two-time MVC large school champs who haven’t lost a regular season game in two years — Methuen hasn’t given up more than two goals in the other 17 games. Against Lawrence, Landen Girardi, Yahya Gajjaoui, Breiner Taborda Reyes and Johnmary Ssenyonjo all played strong games in front of goalie Matthew Mrabu, who was once again excellent in net making seven saves.
“Matthew has risen up to the occasion. He has been unbelievable. He was the back-up for three years and got his chance this year. He hasn’t stopped. He waited for this opportunity and now is taking advantage of it,” Marin.
Clinging to a 2-0 lead with under 16 minutes to go, Mrabu made a ten-bell save leaping and pushing the ball over the net on a blazing shot from 20 yards out by Antony Perez.
“That was an unbelievable save,” said Marin.
The save led to a corner kick, and Lopez got his revenge with a header, cutting the deficit in half.
Mrabu made two big saves down the stretch to help the Rangers seal the win.
“(Mrabu) has been doing that all season. He keeps us in every game by making these huge saves,” said Marin.
Methuen will now have close to three weeks off before its next game coming in the state tournament. It will give the team time to get fully healthy.
“No one thought we would be where we are right now. It’s been unbelievable what these guys have been able to do this year. We’re surprising teams, and we’re going to keep going. We have a nine-game unbeaten streak so things are looking good,” said Marin.
Once the state tournament does begin, most likely Methuen will have a play-in game, just like they did last year and went on to upset Bishop Feehan in overtime.
“We know that we can play with any team in the state. It just comes down to showing it,” said Reilly.