Girls pg 7 11-4-21
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Woodstock Academy coach Dennis Snelling and his girls’ soccer team had one goal in their match against Killingly Oct. 30 — don’t get eliminated. The Centaurs had to either defeat or tie Killingly to qualify for postseason play. They tied at 2-2.
“It’s hard to play for a tie so you play to win and take a tie as a result,” Snelling said.
Woodstock (5-8-3) did not qualify for the ECC tournament but will play in the Class L state tournament which could begin for the Centaurs as early Nov. 6.
The Centaurs were the aggressors early. They took 10 shots at Killingly keeper Aryn Nisbet in the first 40 minutes of play while Killingly was only able to get one shot off in the direction of the Woodstock net.
The Centaurs finally found the net 10 minutes into the second half when freshman Juliet Allard scored her eighth goal of the season.
Nisbet came out to a get a ball but could not hold on to its slippery surface and when it popped loose, Allard saw her opportunity and popped it into the net.
Killingly, however, wasn’t about to go quietly. Mikala Dube tied the match when she took a corner from Illyana Malarkey and re-directed it into the Woodstock net just 3 minutes, 20 seconds after the Allard tally.
Gelhaus had been peppering the net all night. The junior would finish with 10 shots at Nisbet but only one found its way through with 21:24 left in regulation as the Centaurs were awarded a free kick to the right of the net from just outside the area.
Gelhaus sailed it in, over the top of a leaping Nisbet, just under the crossbar and it settled just inside the far post for her 12th goal of the season to put Woodstock on top, 2-1. Unfortunately, there was still a half of soccer and more still to play.
Killingly (8-6-2) tied the match again when Casey Beauregard tallied with 19:59 to play in regulation. Killingly had a couple of shots in the first 10-minute overtime and the Centaurs had a couple in the second including a hard shot off the crossbar by Gelhaus. But the extra-long match ended in a tie and, the Centaurs have, at least, one more game to play.
Earlier in the week the team was tested when they went down to the E. Lyme Vikings, 6-0. It was the final ECC Div. I match of the season for the Centaurs who finished 2-3-1 in the division. The two held each other scoreless for the first 37 minutes, but the momentum swung in the Vikings (13-2, 6-0) favor when they scored two goals in the final three minutes of the first half. E. Lyme then chipped away in the second half, getting four goals, including two in the final four minutes to account for the final.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
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Mustang pg 7 11-4-21
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Ines Goryanova. Photo by Trent Peters.
Ines Goryanova doesn’t typically get nervous before games. She didn’t think Friday’s season-opener for the Putnam Science Academy girls’ Prep Black team was any different.
“But a lot of people were telling me I looked like I was,” said Goryanova, a first-year player at PSA who hails from London. “Maybe there were some nerves but I thought things went all right.”
That they did. Goryanova led the Mustangs to an 84-47 thumping of CCRI, finishing with a team-high 17 points plus four assists and seven steals. Her first bucket came after her first steal, deep in the backcourt, a lefty layup right around three minutes in. And it set the defensive tone for PSA, which harassed and pressured CCRI into turnovers, contested shots, and bad shots.
“I think it’s because on defense we’re a loud and energetic team and communication helps,” Goryanova said. “We’re just a strong team on defense. We like getting stops and steals and then running the floor. Defense is one of our biggest strengths for sure.
“As a team for our first game, we played well. There are obviously things that we need to sort out, like boxing out and rebounding, but for our first game, I thought we did really well. We ran well, we took shots we normally shoot, we defended. Overall, I thought it was good.”
Goryanova is a player whom PSA coach Devin Hill was excited to land a commitment from over the summer. As a member of the Class of 2024, Hill can build some culture and consistency with her for two more seasons beyond this one. And she is someone who has plenty of experience playing in high-pressure games. In fact, she led her British national U16 team to a national championship in February 2020 at the age of 14, a memory that is forever burned into her memory. The experience is something that can help her at PSA as well, particularly in terms of playing styles.
“Just playing with a lot of different people and meeting people at camps, it just helps you understand that everyone has a different playing style,” she said. “And learning to play with those different styles just makes you such a better player. For me, it was just developing new skills. So here at PSA, when we’re on the fast break, I know Janeya Grant) is a shooter, I know she’s going to be in the corner, so if I can drive it in a few more meters, and kick it to her, I know she’s there.”
Goryanova was one of, if not the best player on the team throughout the preseason, then carried it into Game 1. She could also end up being the team’s leading scorer this year with her well-rounded offensive game. Goryanova knocked down three 3-pointers, hit a couple of free throws, and then scored on drives and mid-range jumpers Friday. PSA was in control of CCRI throughout, leading 51-28 at halftime. Any time CCRI made a little run to get itself back in the game, Goryanova, Genevive Wedemeyer, Paris Kirk and others were there to answer back with a larger run of their own to balloon the lead some more.
Grant and Kirk both finished with 13 points, while Wedemeyer added 10 points and four steals. The Mustangs next game is November 11 against Vision Academy.
By Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy
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PMS pg 7 11-4-21
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PMS finale cancelled
PUTNAM — Due to inclement weather, the Putnam Middle School boys’ soccer team’s season finale was cancelled and will not be made up, according to coach Adam Heath.
Heath said: “The team saw a lot of younger kids needing to play in order to fill out a roster for the 2021 season. Everyone grew as individuals and more importantly as a team. Departing us will be our three 8th graders; Joao Victor Vieira, Abdoulaye Mbye, and Dillon Guilbault. I couldn’t to be happier with the effort these boys gave me the entire season. The scoreboard was not indicative of the effort and heart the boys gave all season. They never quit and given the circumstances surrounding the season, it makes this year a success for these boys.”
Guilbault plans on attending Marianapolis Preparatory School in the fall while both Vieira and Mbye plan to attend Putnam High School. The final standings: Canterbury (3 - 0); Ashford (2 - 1) and Putnam (0 - 3).
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Griffins pg 8 11-4-21
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Oct. 30 the Pomfret School boys’ varsity soccer team beat Wilbraham & Monson 2-0. Pomfret goals came from: Frederick Coulibaly 70th (unassisted); and Devin Walcott 75th (unassisted). Saves came from: Austin Kendig 7; and Javier Alonso 5.
Coach Patrick Burke said: “While the first half was a back and forth affair, Pomfret had more of the possession and opportunities in the second half and our persistence paid off with goals in the 70th and 75th minute. In the first half our defense of Eumir Rodriguez, Gerald Gao, Ryan Cho, Lyle Bernard, Ethan Forbes, and Henry Cattell did a nice job of dealing with Wilbraham’s counter attacks while goalkeeper Austin Kendig responded well to Wilbraham’s free kicks and shots including one great diving save. Our midfield of Caleb White, Grant Maurer, Kaya Horvath, Lawrence Viola, Anson Meerbergen, Nick Ferrucci, Devin Walcott, and Nate Watson strived to facilitate play for us while also working hard to get back when Wilbraham pushed numbers forward. Van Horvath, Dylan Tran, Declan Chapman, Cole Castro, Jerry Da, Fred Coulibaly, and Tareq Altayyar were instrumental in our attack and their hold up play allowed us to get forward. “We found more time on the ball and more possession in the second half. Declan, Cole, Lawrence, Kaya, Grant, Dylan and Devin were consistent threats. On the other side of the ball our defense remained solid while goalkeeper Javier Alsono controlled his box well. We got a spark from Nate streaking down the flank. Although the shot this run gave us momentum and just a few minutes later we broke the deadlock. A nice combination from Caleb, Devin, and Grant put Fred through and, although the ball was a bit out of reach; Fred’s pressure forced a mistake from Wilbraham’s keeper which resulted in a deflection goal for Fred. Minutes later another nice play in the midfield got the ball to Devin who went on a strong solo run. Devin kept his composure and coolly finished low and hard into the net. Up 2-0 we continued to attack as Fred, Devin, and Declan all went close again.”
Loss to S. Kent, 5-0
Oct. 27 the Griffins lost to South Kent 5-0. Pomfret Saves: Austin Kendig 7; and Javier Alonso 3.
Burke said South Kent was able to capitalize on a number of Pomfret errors. "Pomfret’s offensive opportunities came mostly through Fred Coulibaly and Nate Watson on the wing, while Declan Chapman, Devin Walcott, and Dylan Tran found some time on the ball. Goalkeeper Austin Kendig came up with some nice saves early and things seemed to be settling in, but a loose ball in our box resulted in a penalty kick for South Kent. Their talented #2 scored and seven minutes later South Kent had a second goal. We responded well and the final 25 minutes of the half were pretty even. Caleb White, Kaya Horvath, Ethan Forbes and Lawrence Viola gave us strong minutes in the back and midfield while Cole Castro and Nick Ferrucci gave us a spark up top. Our defense (Gerald Gao, Henry Cattell, Eumir Rodriguez, Ryan Cho, Lawrence, and Ethan) reorganized and focused, and we had some run outs and chances with Fred testing South Kent’s keeper, but we went into the half down 2-0. In the first 15 minutes of the second half, Grant Maurer came the closest while Dylan, Fred, Devin, Cole and Declan all found time on the ball. In the 60th, 62nd, and 75th minute some mistakes in our back line and lapses in focus allowed South Kent to increase their lead to 5-0. Jerry Da, Nate, and Kaya played a strong final 15 minutes, and we were a bit unlucky to not get one after Declan put Nate through and the South Kent keeper came up with a strong save. At the final whistle it was 5-0 in favor of South Kent.”
By Patrick Burke
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