New Britain — Bill Glenney's postgame message to his team — your high school soccer memories will far exceed the result of this game — will resonate with time's passage. It's just that finality is painful at this time of year.

Glenney's team finished with 15 wins, the most of any Ledyard team he's coached in 17 years. But the deep run into the Class M tournament ended Tuesday night with a 3-0 loss to No. 1 (and undefeated) Ellington, a program with significant tournament tradition.

"I knew coming in we would be spending a lot of time chasing and a lot of time watching them move the ball around," Glenney said. "We get to halftime 0-0 and I was ecstatic. My biggest worry was the first 10 minutes, giving up a goal and then not recovering. Ellington is used to being here. Nerves for them are probably nonexistent. I didn't think we were nervous at all, though. To be tied with the No. 1 team and top have shortened the game — I can't ask for much more."

Ellington's Ethan Moser scored the only goal his team would need just three minutes, 23 seconds into the second half, finally solving Ledyard keeper Blake McLeod. James Maznicki and Nick Forst added goals later.

"We lost one of the best goalies in the state to graduation (Ken Turner) and six seniors, three starting in the back," Glenney said. "I thought we would score goals this year but thought we'd have trouble stopping teams from scoring. Turned out we were really good defensively this season."

And the Colonels will have three other tournament wins to ponder long into the offseason.

"We get Bullard-Havens in the first game," Glenney said. "I saw them in their league finals. I drove home that night and called (Fitch coach) Jay Wolfradt and said 'dude we're in trouble. They're good.' Then it's 5-0 at the half and clearly, I don't know what I'm talking about.

"Then Windham, who we beat 6-0 (during the regular season). We start the game and it's 17 degrees playing on concrete, just a test of wills. And then Woodland, I really didn't know what to expect. A great win. I'm happy for this senior class."

m.dimauro@theday.com