Woodstock beats East Lyme 2-0 to win ECC Div. I boys' soccer title
East Lyme — Even with a two-goal lead and under a minute remaining Thursday night, Woodstock Academy coach Paul Rearden's voice carried the urgency of a much closer game, imploring his players for every last morsel of effort.
"This game has this horrible habit of biting you in the butt," Rearden said later.
True enough. But Rearden's team also showed the ability to kick the aforementioned body part throughout the Eastern Connecticut Conference Division I boys' soccer tournament.
Woodstock, playing a true road game, again making the hour-long bus ride down Interstate 395, prevailed nonetheless, earning a 2-0 win over East Lyme and its first conference tournament title.
"The belief these kids have in each other is something special," Rearden said.
The Centaurs (12-5-2) took out top-seeded Stonington, 2-1 in overtime, in the semifinals.
Most Valuable Player Chase Anderson, a defender, scored the only goal Woodstock needed late in the first half. It was but his second goal of the season.
"I surprised myself," Anderson said. "I don't score that many."
Alex Quintas Gonzalez scored in the second half for the Centaurs, who roll into the state tournament.
East Lyme (14-4-1), which defeated Ledyard in overtime Tuesday night, had more chances to score early than late.
"We actually played pretty well," East Lymc coach Paul Christensen said. "We had a couple of chances early and just couldn't get it on frame. It wasn't our night to finish."
Not only was this Woodstock's night, but its season. As in the entire school. Woodstock won the ECC volleyball title Wednesday night, also defeating East Lyme, and its girls' soccer team defeated top-seeded Plainfield 1-0 later Thursday night to win the Division I title.
"Any time of day, walk around Woodstock and all you feel is such a positive environment," Rearden said. "I know that sounds corny. But nothing epitomizes that more than Woodstock. You see it daily."
• Top-seeded Lyman Memorial won the Division II tournament championship at Montville with a 3-2 overtime victory over No. 2 Windham. The Whippets had rallied for a pair of late goals to force sudden death before the Bulldogs ended it when Dylan Lucey scored the game-winner just 1:05 into the first overtime. It was Lyman's third win over Windham this year.
m.dimauro@theday.com
2018 ECC BOYS' SOCCER AWARD WINNERS
Following is a list of Eastern Connecticut Conference boys' soccer all-stars, sportsmanship and scholar-athlete award winners:
Division I
First team — Forwards: Sam Montalto (Stonington), Alec Kosinski (East Lyme), Cady Tyler (Fitch); Midfielders: Tyler Fidrych (Stonington), Jamison Magowan (Stonington), Matt Kung (East Lyme), Eric Leuchner (Fitch); Defenders: R.J. Parrilla (Stonington), Giovanni Valentine (Fitch), Jonathan Synott (NFA); Goalkeeper: Peter Fernholz (Stonington).
Honorable mention — Midfielders: Graham Johnstone (Stonington), Kurt Mahlke (East Lyme); Defender: Will Cannella (Stonington); Goalkeepers: Suneal Lall (East Lyme), Troy Mauer (NFA).
Sportsmanship award — Brian Callegari (East Lyme), Manish Rane-Castrodad (Fitch), Micah Spruance (NFA), Jake O'Keefe (Stonington).
Scholar-athlete — Matt Kung (East Lyme), Andrew Kerst (Fitch), Mason Larkin (NFA), Cooper Wall (Stonington).
Division II
First team — Forwards: Jordan Guerra (Bacon), Nick Washington (Ledyard); Midfielders: Ethan Holcomb (Woodstock), Harrison Searle (Waterford), Ian Kamperschroer (Ledyard), Darian Stanchinia (Bacon); Defenders: Adam Crawford (Ledyard), Cole Hackett (Woodstock), Ty Stanchina (Bacon), James Gregg (Waterford); Goalkeeper: Ken Turner (Ledyard).
Honorable mention — Midfielders: Jose Guevara Gomes (Waterford), Sam Schroll (Bacon); Defenders: Thomas Stachen (New London), Cole Dirico (Ledyard), Alejandro Quintas Gonzalez (Woodstock).
Sportsmanship award — Matthew Tiffany (Woodstock), Greg Vilardo (Bacon), Nick Bailey (Ledyard), Rockenson Charles (New London), Esteban Reyes (Waterford).
Scholar-athlete — Lucas Couture (Woodstock), Chris Maffuid (Bacon), Adam Crawford (Ledyard), Giusseppe Conte (New London), Alexander Fayan (Waterford).
Division III
First team — Forwards: Drew Archer (Lyman Memorial), Alfonso Vazquez (Windham), Julian Valdes (Montville); Midfielders: Brandon Sirois (Lyman), Ellis Phillips-Gallucci (Windham), Tyler Velazquez (Montville), Jack Minas (Montville); Defenders: Jaden Calixto (Windham), Spencer Merritt (Lyman), Jacob Rose (Montville); Goalkeeper: Zach Merritt (Lyman).
Honorable mention — Midfielders: Dylan Lucey (Lyman), Josh Perry (Lyman), Jack Varley (Montville); Defenders: Nick Barrett (Lyman), Christian Vargas (Windham).
Sportsmanship award — Zach Dunnack (Lyman), Luis Gonzalez (Windham), Aiden Christie (Griswold), Bryan Barrow (Killingly), Derek Strickland (Montville).
Scholar-athlete — Jonah Person (Lyman), Zachary Zaremba-Flores (Windham), Matt Spinelli (Griswold), Ryan Schultz (Killingly), Keaton Sulman (Montville).
Division IV
First team — Forwards: Billy Niles (St. Bernard), Spencer Fulone (Tourtellotte), Jalen Arriaga (Plainfield), Hunter Touchette (Putnam); Midfielders: Kobie Bates (Putnam), Scott Pion (Wheeler), Tenzin Jamphel (St. Bernard); Defenders: Seth Jones (Wheeler), Ian Spracklin (Wheeler), Kyle Haynes (Putnam); Goalkeeper: Baker Bowen (Wheeler).
Honorable mention — Forwards: Andrew Curran (Plainfield), Shane Sutton (St. Bernard), Lukas Jones (Wheeler); Midfielders: Jonathan Foster (St. Bernard), John Digiacomo (Plainfield).
Sportsmanship award — Kyle Clement (St. Bernard), Tyler Fadden (Plainfield), Michael Ionkin (Putnam), Samson Hauptmann (Wheeler), Nima Sherpa (Tourtellotte).
Scholar-athlete — Burke Niles (St. Bernard), John Digiacomo (Plainfield), Kyle Haynes (Putnam), Conor Melinosky (Wheeler), John Merrill (Tourtellotte).
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