- Details
- Category: Current Issue
Putting the ball into the net has been a challenge for the Woodstock Academy boys’ soccer team this season.
The Centaurs have scored only four goals in their first six games.
That challenge continued Sept. 26.
“The boys gave their all and totally dominated the game. We just can’t buy a goal,” said Woodstock Academy coach Paul Rearden.
As a result, the Centaurs left Norwich Free Academy with another loss by shutout, 3-0, at the hands of the Wildcats.
The loss dropped the Centaurs to 0-6 overall and 0-3 in Division I of the ECC.
There was little the Woodstock Academy boys’ soccer team could do Sept. 24 either.
“I just said to the boys, sometimes, you have to get slapped around the head for the mistakes we made, but other times, you just have to hold up your hand, and say, ‘Good team’ ”Rearden said.
Such was the case with Stonington.
The Bears were dominant and went home with a 5-0 victory over the Centaurs.
No one was more dominant than Stonington’s sophomore striker Sam Montalto.
“The thing that I was the most grateful about (Tuesday) was that I wasn’t on the field marking him,” Rearden said. “When you have a striker like that, it wasn’t just what he was doing on the ball; it was his movement without it. They have the kids behind with the vision and ability to play some through balls that they got to him.”
Rearden wasn’t happy with the first two goals which he thought were the result of defensive breakdowns.
Montalto took a pass from fellow sophomore Will Sawin just 3 minutes, 18 seconds into the match and beat Centaurs goalie Colin Manuilow.
Manuilow was starting in place of Zach Roethlein who was saddled with a red card in the previous match against East Lyme.
Manuilow recorded nine saves for the Centaurs.
One of his goal kicks, however, found the wrong jersey.
Montalto picked it off, dribbled it in and fired it home just five minutes after his first tally.
Montalto got his hat trick before the first half was even half over.
A Montalto shot was rejected by Manuilow, but Tyler Fidrych picked it up for the Bears, and gave it back to the striker who scored for a third time with 20:12 left in the first half.
Fidrych would get one of his own with 9:17 to play in the first half and Ethan Allen finished the scoring off with a goal for Stonington 8 ½ minutes into the second half.
Rearden said the team has been a little snakebit thus far this season.
A bounce or two, here-and-there, might have helped.
“We’ve had two goals this season where the ball has come right off the crossbar and landed straight at the feet of the other team. It’s little things like that you just have to shake your head at,” Rearden said.
But Rearden remains optimistic because of the manner in which his team continues to play.
Despite being down the five goals Sept. 24, his Centaurs were still challenging for 50-50 balls and winning them.
“They never gave up,” Rearden said. “One day, we will, hopefully, have a little luck on our side. As long as you keep on trying to do the right thing, it’s all you can do. You just have to keep reinforcing that. They are a great set of kids.”
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
..