BYFIELD — The NRHS boys’ soccer team cruised in wins over Triton and Manchester-Essex last week, improving to 7-2-1 overall.
On Oct. 4 in Byfield, the Vikings tried to play a little more conservatively than they played in the first game, a 4-0 NR win. The Hornets figured out the Triton game plan early though and realized they were going to need to be patient and use their short passing game to pick through the Vikings or play back toward their own goal and invite Triton up the field and then play over the top of them.
The second option led to the first goal. The ball got played back to senior captain Nate Miller who, from his center back position, fired a long pass up to senior captain Josh Stanieich who sent fellow forward Max Gulino through on goal. The junior made no mistake as he calmly slotted the ball past the Triton keeper.
The primary option of short passes and controlling the ball led to the other two goals. The first of which occurred in the 36th minute. Good combination play up the right wing between sophomore back Jackson Wesley and senior wing Jason Emerson led to Emerson finding sophomore midfielder Kieran Miller who hit a tremendous cross. The ball was headed at the near post by Gulino to a wide open Stanieich at the far post who tapped it home.
That closed out the scoring in the first half and the conditions were only getting colder, windier and wetter.
Six minutes after the interval, the Hornets struck again this time on a beautiful passing combination. Stanieich played the ball to senior midfielder Brady Miller who held the ball up and then played a cheeky, little heel flick back to Stanieich. The leading goal scorer in NRHS history made no mistake and skipped home a left footed shot from 20 yards out.
Travis Long came up with two great saves at the end of the match and the whole bench saw some playing time in this one as the Hornets stretched their record to 6-2-1.
ETHAN SOROKO, selected player of the game in NR’s win over Triton on Oct. 4, makes a pass to a teammate. (Holly Stanieich Photo)
A 7-1 road win over Manchester-Essex on Oct. 6 started off quickly for the visitors. It only took 58 seconds for NR to get on the board.
Freshman wing Gavin Wesley made a tremendous pass to Stanieich who was in alone on the keeper and made no mistake tucking the ball inside the right post. Twelve minutes later, it was Stanieich again this time on a great through ball from Brady Miller. Stanieich was again 1v1 on the goalkeeper and this time he snuck it inside the left post.
Manchester-Essex called a timeout after that goal, but the NR Hornets were already rolling. Ten seconds after the ball was put back in play, the Hornets scored again.
Senior forward Rob Corvino stole the ball off the kickoff and went in alone on the M-E keeper. He patiently waited for the keeper to make his move and then he touched the ball around him to the right and calmly slid the ball into the open net.
The goal of the game came 10 minutes later when Gavin Wesley patiently gave up a half-chance for a shot on goal and made a pass back to the top of the M-E penalty area where Kieran Miller took a touch and then rifled a shot off the underside of the crossbar and in.
Max Gulino closed out the scoring on a huge half when he got a throw-in from Kevin Doble and beat a defender in the penalty area and then slotted the ball inside the near post to bring the lead to 5-0.
The second half saw a big push from M-E and a bit of sloppy play from NR. Manchester-Essex scored 6 minutes into the second half to make it 5-1.
The hometown Hornets regained their composure and their 5 goal lead when one of their top players from last year announced his return to play with an assist.
Liam Rodger, playing in just his 3rd game of the season, due to injury, showed what made him a CAL second-team all-star last season. He received a pass from Kieran Miller on the left wing in the 65th minute and swung in a beautiful cross that found Brady Miller all alone in front of the goal. Miller tapped in the open volley and the score was 6-1.
The scoring finished with beautiful goal by junior Noah Schifano who was sent in alone on goal by Corvino and Schifano curled a right footed shot inside the far post.
Once again, the whole bench saw significant playing time and the Hornets upped their record to 7-2-1.
That record of 7-2-1 is good for 19th in the Division 3 statewide power rankings.
“We aren’t concerning ourselves with the power rankings just yet. We are concerned with continuing to get better every game,” said head coach Mark Bisognano. “We are getting healthier as the season goes along, but we know we have some grueling weeks ahead of us and this team is looking forward to the challenges ahead of it.”
