Saugus boys’ soccer team reaches double digits in victories

  It has certainly been a turnaround season for the Saugus High School boys’ soccer team, and it appears the development of players in the town’s youth soccer leagues has helped to build a formidable program at the high school level. Since suffering a 5-1 loss to Gloucester back on Oct. 10, the postseason-bound Sachems have reeled off six consecutive wins and have allowed just two goals in those five contests. The team has also reached 12 victories on the season and could be in position for at least a first-round playoff game at home.

  The latest triumph came on Wednesday on the road against Peabody – a 2-1 defeat of the Tanners. Last week, Saugus knocked off Swampscott, 5-1, on Monday, beat Greater Lawrence Tech last Thursday (a 5-0 shutout) and blanked the Danvers Falcons in an impressive 2-0 home showing last Tuesday.

  Forward Max Anajjar popped home both goals in the win over Danvers while teammates Nicholas Alves, Cam Soroko and Alejandro Ortega put forth key efforts to aid the cause. The Sachems tallied once each in the first and second halves while, at the same time, playing solid defensively to keep the Falcons off the scoreboard.

  Head Coach Guillermo Sepulveda has overseen the Sachems’ progression from a borderline playoff challenger in recent years to a legitimate and dangerous postseason representative this fall. He told the press after the Danvers win last week that the town’s youth soccer movement and the players’ familiarity with each other has made a lot of difference. “[The players have] grown up together. They’ve played ball in town,” Sepulveda explained. “A lot of them are a product of Saugus soccer from when they were little kids.”

  Sepulveda also pointed out that ball possession, patience and ball movement have been the key to the teams’ success this season. “We don’t go for the quick shot all the time,” he said.

  The Sachems close out the regular season at Mystic Valley on Friday.