PLYMOUTH – A strong matchup between two of the top three boys soccer teams in the Patriot League Keenan Division ended up being a shutout victory for Hingham, as it blanked Plymouth North, 2-0, on Tuesday afternoon.
The Harbormen (7-1-2) came in on an eight-game unbeaten streak, going 6-0-2 in that span after a season-opening loss to Hanover on Sept. 11. Hingham was coming off another clean sheet victory at Whitman-Hanson last Friday.
With the last matchup between the teams resulting in a 1-1 tie in Hingham on Sept. 23, Hingham senior goalkeeper James Watters said a shift in strategy helped steer his team to victory.
“We had switched our formation at halftime, and it made a huge difference,” Watters said.
The Harbormen scored a goal in each half and peppered Plymouth North (6-4-1) with shots on net all game. Plymouth North had a few chances, including an open shot that was taken by Grayson Merrill as he went past Watters. But he but missed the open net as the shot went out of bounds after hitting the post in the first half.
“I just think that this is a group of guys that really push for each other and getting that one goal in the first half and another one in the second half,” Hingham head coach Dave Leahy said. “I just think they’re a very tight group that works hard together.”
Tucker Tomlinson scored off a side pass from Jack Monroe in the 27th minute, which led to Tomlinson finding twine in the left side of the net.
In the 60th minute, Kwaku Oppong scored on the right side of the field, and it went past Eagles netminder Landon Cole. He was assisted by Luca Greco.
The Eagles were only able to manage one shot on goal, which Watters credited to the excellent play from his center backs.
The Harbormen have a tough schedule for the last month of their regular season, which includes facing off against Duxbury on the road next Tuesday. It could be a potential chance to get past the Dragons in the Patriot League Keenan Division standings.
While the road ahead could get challenging, Watters said Tuesday’s result will build confidence for the home stretch.
“We got a difficult schedule for the rest of the season, but obviously this clean sheet gives us a lot of energy,” Watters said. “We’re super ready to get our rankings up in the Patriot League, and hopefully have a nice seed in the tournament.”
