The Bromfield Trojans narrowly beat Tahanto 2-1 Sunday afternoon, Nov. 12, to win their quarterfinal match against the Stags in this year’s Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 5 soccer tournament.
The victory, which followed last week’s 8-0 round of 16 win against Mystic Valley, earned Bromfield a place in the Division 5 semifinals and a Nov. 15 match against No. 2 seed Douglas.
Last Sunday’s game was played before a thunderous crowd of more than 200 fans on a chilly afternoon at Ayer Shirley’s Norton field. Bromfield junior Brendan Listzwan scored the first of Bromfield’s two goals 27 minutes into the first half, assisted by Lucas Bala. Bala passed the ball over a crush of Tahanto backfielders to Listzwan, who tapped it past a Stag defender, beat the goalie to the ball, and booted it into the net.
The second goal was scored moments into the second half by Theo Myles on a pass from Liam Glew. Tahanto’s lone goal was scored by senior Nathan MacConnell with 10 minutes remaining in the game.
Head coach Alex Horne, Luke MacLean, Brendan Listzwan, Ryan Donahoe, Chris Demetros, and assistant head coach Tom Hill pose with a trophy after winning their state quarterfinal game and moving into the final four. (Photos by Lisa Aciukewicz)
The game was hard fought, with multiple penalties called on each team. Bromfield freshman fullback Finn Candon was roughed up on a play and temporarily sidelined during the first half. Two Tahanto players suffered injuries but returned to the field. Listzwan, who played for the entire game, was fouled repeatedly but was himself given a yellow card near the end of the second half. “Referees often miss a foul but see the retaliation,” a Bromfield coach observed.
The team’s victory was tarnished by the unsportsmanlike conduct of a Bromfield player who disrespected a member of the Tahanto team after the game. Coach Horne later apologized to the player, Tahanto’s coach, and the school’s athletic director and benched the offending Trojan player for the upcoming semifinal. Later in the week, at an event held at the Harvard Alpaca Ranch on Mill Road, Horne reminded the team that such conduct was unacceptable, that the actions of one individual had clouded what should have been a celebration of team success.
“We have standards of excellence … and show respect on the field to whoever we play, whether we win, and more importantly, if we lose,” Horne said. “When you wear the jersey that says Bromfield, it’s not representing your team, not representing your school; it’s representing the town of Harvard, Massachusetts, … your families, your parents, your grandparents, your siblings, your neighbors, your community. We need to remember that there is zero tolerance for unsportsmanlike conduct. … It can never happen again.”
Following Horne’s talk, yoga instructor Krista Schepanovsky led the assembled team in a series of yoga exercises to stretch and relax the players’ muscles, bruised and tightened from Sunday’s game. Several coaches joined in, following Schepanovsky’s poses on a well-grazed field they shared with a dozen alpacas (see photos below). Co-owner Matt Varrell provided the players with containers of treats to offer the animals, some of whom were interested, others not so much. “This is an amazing example of how the community comes together in Harvard to support one of our high school teams,” Horne told the Press.
Making a statement in the round of 16
Last week’s round of 16 victory against Mystic Valley offered a glimpse of Bromfield’s potential for the tougher championship matches to come. The 8-0 victory, on a cold Wednesday night at Ayer Shirley’s Norton Field, showcased the Trojans’ improved defense and ability to score goals.
Liam Glew (#16) challenges the Tahanto goalie as brother Conor (#3) watches in Bromfield’s 2-1 state semifinal win.
Listzwan scored the first goal of the night when a free kick morphed into a penalty when Mystic players pulled Listzwan down inside the box, preventing him from tapping a loose ball into the goal. Listzwan’s clean, top corner penalty shot drew cheers from the stands and bench and opened the floodgates to more scoring opportunities.
Listzwan was back at the net a second time, hitting the post with a shot that junior Jake Dwight cleaned up on the rebound. Moments later, a Mystic defender added to Bromfield’s lead with an own goal. In defending a cross from Listzwan, the defender caught the ball on his chest and backed into the goal, adding a point to the Trojan total.
In the final 10 minutes of the half, senior captain Ryan Donahoe crossed the field from 20 meters out, scoring a strong, top left corner goal. The half ended with Bromfield ahead 4-0.
The Trojans doubled their lead in the second half as Listzwan and Donahoe scored one goal apiece and sophomore Conor Glew scored two more in the final moments of the game for an 8-0 shutout.
“I think we played some of our best soccer we’ve played all year,” said Donahoe. “This proves we’ve got what it takes.”
Olivia Muller-Juez contributed to this story.
Post-game stress reduction
Bromfield varsity soccer player Colin Holt feeds an alpaca a treat at a special practice for the boys team, Monday, Nov. 13. The team had a recovery day doing yoga at the Harvard Alpaca Ranch. (Photos by Lisa Aciukewicz)
Striking a pose: An alpaca eyes the camera quizzically as Evan Burek goes into downward dog while Colin Holt does up dog during alpaca yoga at the Harvard Alpaca Ranch.
Bromfield boys varsity soccer ball boy Miller Reichenbach feeds an alpaca as goalkeeper Luke MacLean looks on.
