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The Woodstock Academy boys’ soccer team did something they haven’t done all that much this season.
The Centaurs jumped out in front of New London on a Logan Talbot goal just 3 minutes, 56 seconds into the match.
Still, coach Paul Rearden wasn’t happy about his team’s early play.
“I actually thought it was probably the worst we played this season,” said the Woodstock Academy coach. “Our shape was all over the place. There wasn’t much discipline and when they had the ball, we were sloppy and gave it away.”
As a result, the Whalers tied the match.
And that was a mistake for New London which found itself on the wrong side of an 8-1 score to the Centaurs Oct. 3.
It was the first win of the season for Woodstock Academy.
“It’s a huge win,” said senior captain Nathan Craig. “It’s the first one. We got some finishing in. Our strikers are getting more confident and that will help us in other games.”
The Whalers’ Wesley Paulo took a ball that skidded off a Centaur player’s head and went backwards down the sidelines.
The New London player lofted it in from about 35 yards out and it found the upper portion of the opposite corner of the net with 25:34 left in the first half.
The Centaurs retook the lead just 2:24 later when Eric Phongsa had a break away.
New London keeper Emmanuel Marin had no choice but to come out and challenge the Woodstock Academy striker and the two collided.
The Centaurs were awarded a penalty kick and Sean Rearden put it home for the 2-1 lead.
Just 1:15 later, Phongsa would get his own.
He took a defensive clear from Gabe Geyer and again was challenged by Marin, this time well away from the net.
Phongsa slipped by the keeper and casually rolled the ball into an open net.
Just 24 seconds after that, Reid Butler came in from the right, got Marin to commit, and made a beautiful cross to Richard Hickson who converted into an empty net to make it 4-1.
Phongsa made it 5-1 by the half when a corner kick by Hickson was re-directed by Sean Rearden on to Phongsa’s foot who scored his second goal of the match.
Paul Rearden began to empty the bench. Geyer, Chad Graley and Justin Marcotte all scored in the second half.
Unfortunately for the Centaurs, the script returned to what has become normal for the season Oct. 5; they fell to 1-7 with a 4-1 loss to Amherst, Mass.
“They were a good side,” Paul Rearden said. “I think they were the better team. When the ball was in our box, we competed for everything. But when it dropped outside, everybody backed off and their first two goals were on long shots. Maybe you get caught on the first one, you can’t let it happen a second time. We make mistakes, we get punished for them.”
Amherst made a mistake but it came too late to make too much of a difference.
Hickson was tripped inside the area and Woodstock Academy was awarded a penalty kick. Sean Rearden converted his second PK of the week.
The only problem was the goal came with just 17 seconds left.
“Getting the PK says wonders about the spirit of the boys,” Paul Rearden said. “These boys never stop. They don’t know when they’re beaten. That’s a massive positive.”
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
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