Grant MacLean dashes to maintain control of the ball in the Sutton game.
(Photos by Lisa Aciukewicz)
Dylan Osgood watches as his shot sneaks over the goalkeeper’s glove. The shot went on to hit the post and bounce out. No goal!
Fullback Mitch Williams races for the ball.
With a 1-0 loss in an exhausting semifinal confrontation with Sutton that stretched into double overtime, the Bromfield boys varsity soccer team’s season came to a disappointing end Friday in Lunenburg. The Trojans’ season record stands at 15-3-1.
Sutton came out strong at the start of the match, with early control of the ball. Just five minutes in, Sutton’s Lucas Ritzer charged for Bromfield’s net. As he readied himself for a kick, Bromfield senior left defender Jack Landry stole the ball and lobbed it back into Sutton’s control.
At seven minutes, Ritzer returned with a header, which was securely blocked by Bromfield’s talented keeper, sophomore Ryan Kennedy.
The Sammies tried for another goal at 12 minutes, as Sutton’s Riley Steele bulleted the ball from the left side of Bromfield’s net. It slipped over Kennedy’s shoulder and over the crossbar.
Bromfield fought back five minutes later with an intricate passing strategy. Sophomore left midfielder Ben L’Ecuyer drew the attention of several opponents, and then swiftly passed the ball to junior striker Dylan Osgood. With a small opening for a goal, Osgood feigned a shot and popped the ball upward to senior striker Sam Elkind, who barely missed the opportunity for the header.
At 21 minutes, senior center midfielder Brenton Stoddart took his direct free kick in an unexpected direction, as he skillfully passed the ball to senior striker D’vonne Williams. Despite the well-executed pass, Williams smashed the ball with a lopsided spin, sending it out of bounds.
In response, Sutton’s Justin Rothermich lobbed an unfocused shot at 27 minutes, entangling the ball in Bromfield’s net from the outside.
Bromfield’s closest attempt came at 30 minutes, as senior left midfielder Grant MacLean crossed a perfect pass to Osgood, who ripped a shot from the left side of Sutton’s net. This powerful blow bounced off the inside of the right goal post, prompting confused cheers from Bromfield’s supporters in the stands.
At 51 minutes, Elkind charged down to the right side of Sutton’s net and blasted a shot into the hands of Sutton’s keeper Robert Mailea.
Attempt after attempt, Mailea’s goal-keeping reflexes kept Bromfield’s offensive at bay. At 57 minutes, Osgood’s bullet deflected off Mailea right to Elkind, who tapped the ball back at Mailea. With an effortless deflection, senior stopper Mitchell Williams quickly attempted another shot, which was caught by the keeper’s steady grip.
Sutton’s offensive kicked back at 64 minutes, when Rothermich rushed down to the Bromfield net. Even as Rothermich was blocked off by two defensive Trojans, he smashed a low-rolling ball straight into Kennedy’s hands.
Senior striker Sam Elkind takes a shot.
Just five minutes later, Rothermich returned with a similar rush tactic. As Bromfield began to swarm around him, he shot a left-spinning ball, pressuring Kennedy to sprint out from his net in order to swipe the ball into Bromfield’s possession.
The remainder of the regulation time was packed with missed opportunities by both teams, as the 0-0 stalemate pushed the match to double overtime.
As the ball flew back and forth from both sides, the game-ending goal came with just three minutes remaining in the second overtime. Sutton’s Tim Gaetani lobbed the ball with a perfect left curve, pressuring Kennedy to sprint out and capture it. Just as Kennedy left his net, Gordy Smythe headed the ball straight over Kennedy for Sutton’s 1-0 victory.
“We played fairly well,” said Bromfield coach Tom Hill. “We just made the same old mistakes. We need to learn how to adjust and change our strategies.”
Team captain Stoddart said it’s sad to see the season come to an end, but he’s not disappointed in the team’s performance against Sutton or in the season as a whole.
“We played a good solid game and just got a bit of bad luck at the end,” he said. “I’ve had the privilege of leading this team and playing soccer with great kids. We became more than just a team by the end of the year; we became best friends. I’m excited to carry out these friendships for the rest of the year, past the soccer season. I hope when people remember this year’s team they remember us as a classy, respectful group of kids.”
Sutton continued to the district finals where they defeated Keefe Tech, 3-0, to become the 2011 Central District Division 3 champions.
