Playing in the State Semifinals Old Hat for One Watertown Team, New Experience for the Other

Two Watertown High School teams play tonight for a berth in the state final. For one, that has become a regular in the state semifinals and another has not reached this point for years.

The Raiders boys’ soccer team continued its historic run Monday by taking out Weston in the MIAA Div. 3 North Section final. Coach Frank Cacia said his team has shown resilience throughout the state tournament.

“We got scored on in the first game (against Georgetown) with 25 seconds left and we came back and won it in overtime,” Cacia said.

In Monday’s section final, the Raiders had a good shot to score the go ahead goal late in the game, but could not convert the breakaway opportunity. The team regrouped and won on penalty kicks.

Cacia credited his players for working hard, even before the season began.

“These boys worked their butts off,” Cacia said. “While I was vacationing for two and a half months in Italy (over the summer) they were working out two hours every single morning. They deserve this.”

Watertown faces South Section champion Dover-Sherborn, who could be a tough hurdle, Cacia said.

“I saw them play (Sunday) night,” he said. “They are solid. Everybody is good at this point in the game.”

Watertown plays Dover-Sherborn at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Veterans Stadium in Quincy, with the winner playing in the state final Saturday in Worcester.

Field Hockey

Coach Eileen Donohue has guided her team to the state semifinals for the fifth straight year. The three-time defending state champions seek to keep their unbeaten streak going and complete a perfect season, but first they must beat Apponequet in the state semifinal of the MIAA Div. 2 field hockey tournament.

Apponequet is a new opponent for the Raiders. The South Section champions also come in undefeated and untied, having beaten Canton – the South Champion the past three years – in the South Section semifinals.

After Monday’s North Section final victory over Manchester-Essex, Donohue said she has not seen Apponequet play, but said the look good on paper.

“They score a lot of goals and they are undefeated,” Donohue said.

Watertown plays in the state semifinal Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Reading Memorial High School. The winner plays in the state final on Saturday at Worcester State University.