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10/30/2016 12:00 AMBoys’ Soccer
The Morgan boys’ soccer team opened the week with a big 1-0 win over Cromwell and then finished the regular season at 11-4-1 after a 2-1 victory over Haddam-Killingworth on Oct. 26. The Huskies later defeated Valley Regional 2-1 in the quarterfinals of the Shoreline Conference Tournament on Oct. 29.
In the Cromwell contest, the Panthers dominated the first half by outshooting the Huskies 10-2, but Morgan’s defense held them off the board, led by Anes Gadun in net.
“At half, we discussed what they were doing and why they were so successful against us in the first half. We made some changes in the second and it worked,” said Head Coach Ross Demay. “Juan Avila showed glimpses of why he was named to the All-New England team the year prior. Although he didn’t score, he took on and regularly beat the defense by himself before getting a shot on frame.”
The game’s lone goal came from junior James Saturno in the 76th minute. Avila took a ball down and played it across to the other front man Jhonnyer Paida, who found Saturno for the score.
“It was good to get one of the games back which we had lost. To be honest, although we didn’t play well in the first half and the game was rough as a whole, there was a lot of good to be taken out from this win,” said Demay. “We are still injured as a team, but Juan Avila showed that he was back from his injuries that plagued him all season. James Saturno also really stepped up this game--not just because of he scored the game winner, but in his confidence and as a leader on the field. If we can ride this going forward, I will be proud no matter what happens in the end of the season.”
In the game against HK, the Cougars struck first in the first nine minutes off a goal by Ben McGlaughlin.
“He wanted it more. We kind of stopped when he got position and he froze our keeper because he hit it just outside the box when Anes thought he was going to have more pressure by the defense,” said Demay.
After the first goal, it was a back-and-forth game and both teams had chances, quite a few of which went awry because of the bumpy turf. Pat Markovics netted the equalizer in the 64th minute by capitalizing on a bouncing ball. The Cougars put on the pressure as the Huskies kept fighting back. Avila had several chances on net, but it wasn’t until there was 30 seconds left in the game that he put in the go-ahead goal off the pass from Saturno.
“We have been putting a lot of pressure on ourselves. It was good to get back two of the losses that we had during the season against HK and Cromwell. It was especially nice to do it without two of our big players in Jhan Carlos Bermeo and Marcio Valdez,” Demay said,” “It has definitely been an up-and-down year, [so] it is good to see Pat Markovics stepping up at the end fighting for his spot. He has really had a good past three games and [the] proof comes with his hard work today in the form of a goal.”
The Huskies will next face Old Lyme in a Shoreline Conference Tournament semifinal on Tuesday, Nov. 1. The winner goes to the final at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 4 against either Haddam-Killingworth or Old Saybrook.
Girls’ Soccer
The Huskies took a 1-0 loss to Cromwell on Oct. 24 and concluded the regular season at 8-6-2 following a 1-0 win over Haddam-Killingworth on Oct. 26. Morgan then took a 1-0 loss to Valley Regional in the quarterfinals of the Shoreline Conference Tournament on Oct. 29.
Against Cromwell, Kate Driscoll made eight saves for Morgan.
Facing the Cougars, MaryKate Staunton’s goal from Halle DiCrosta was the deciding score as Driscoll and Becca Cockley combined for the shutout in net.
Versus Valley, Driscoll made six saves.
Girls’ Cross Country
The Huskies finished 15th with 398 points at the Class SS State Championship at Wickham Park in East Hartford on Oct. 29.
Kate Daley led Morgan by finishing in 15th place with a time of 20:44. Elizabeth Granfield was 85th (25:25), Jenna Morello placed 86th (25:26), Julia Zirkelbaach finished 105th (26:53), and Phoebe Sullivan was 107th (27:04).
Boys’ Cross Country
Morgan came in 20th place with 470 points at the Class SS State Championship last week.
Thomas Southwood posted a 57th-place finish behind a mark of 19:16 to lead the Huskies. Brett Martin came in 86th (20:05), Justin Mucha was 98th (20:25), Will Roberts placed 104th (20:32), Caleb Adams-Hull was 125th (21:01), Chase Lofgren finished 143rd (21:34), and Hayden Saranich was 159th (22:22).
Football
Morgan took a 37-13 defeat at Ellington on Oct. 28. The Huskies are now 4-3 and will next face Canton (0-6) at home on Friday, Nov. 4 with a 6:30 p.m. kickoff.
Volleyball
The Huskies lost a 3-1 decision to Cromwell on Oct. 24 to finish the campaign one win shy of the postseason at 7-13 under first-year Head Coach Paige Trusty.
Field Hockey
Morgan finished its season 0-15-0-1 after taking an 8-1 loss to Old Saybrook on Oct. 24.