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11/17/2022 12:49 PMThe Old Saybrook boys’ soccer team advanced to the championship game of the Class S State Tournament for the fourth-straight time after claiming a victory over Oxford in a semifinal game that came down to penalty kicks last week. On Nov. 15, the 5th-seeded Rams took on top-seeded Oxford in a state semifinal matchup at Veterans Stadium in New Britain and claimed a 2-1 victory versus the undefeated Wolverines after winning the decisive PK session by a 7-5 score. Old Saybrook is sporting an overall record of 17-2-2 as the team gets ready to face East Hampton in the Class S final.
Oxford grabbed a 1-0 lead over Old Saybrook by scoring the first goal of the game in the 9th minute of last week’s Class S semifinal game. The Rams knotted it up when senior Brayden Cody netted a goal in the 32nd minute of the contest, putting the score at 1-1 heading into halftime.
Old Saybrook and Oxford remained in a 1-1 deadlock for remainder of regulation and then through overtime. The game then went to penalty kicks, where senior Peter Wisialowski scored the deciding goal to give the Rams a 7-5 edge in the PK session and a 2-1 victory in the game to send the Rams back to the state championship. Junior goalie London Sweeney earned the win in net for Old Saybrook.
The Rams are facing No. 3 seed East Hampton in the Class S State Tournament final at Trinity Health Stadium in Hartford on Sunday, Nov. 20 at 11 a.m. Old Saybrook is the three-time defending state champions after having claimed the Class S crown in 2018, 2019, and 2021. The State Tournament was not held in 2020. The Rams have won seven state titles in program history, and this marks their ninth appearance in a state championship game.
Old Saybrook posted a record of 13-1-2 during the regular season this year. The Rams then entered the Shoreline Conference Tournament as the No. 2 seed and had a bye through the first round. Old Saybrook took a 3-2 loss to Morgan in a semifinal game that was decided on penalty kicks after the Huskies won the PK session by a 4-3 margin.
Following SCCs, the Rams opened play in the Class S State Tournament and earned a 3-0 win versus No. 28 seed Westbrook in a first-round game. Old Saybrook went on to notch a 2-0 win against No. 12 seed Bolton in the second round, followed by a 2-0 triumph over No. 4 seed Litchfield in the quarterfinals. The Rams’ victory marked career win No. 600 for Head Coach Steve Waters, who has the most victories of any head coach in the history of high school boys’ soccer in Connecticut, now with 601 following Old Saybrook’s semifinal triumph versus Oxford.