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10/24/2014 12:00 AMThanks to playing some of its best soccer toward the end of the regular season, the Morgan boys’ soccer team gets to extend its campaign into the postseason for the first occasion in three seasons.
Morgan earned two ties against Haddam-Killingworth (1-1) on Oct. 20 and Immaculate (2-2) on Oct. 22 before a 4-1 Senior Night victory over North Branford the next night. The Huskies completed a rally at the end of their season, finishing their final eight games with a 4-1-3 record to push themselves into the state tournament for the first time since 2011 and earned the states bid following the Immaculate draw.
Against HK, Chase LeMay scored for Morgan. The Huskies put a goal away within the first five minutes off of a break by LeMay. A couple of late hits left Juan Avila out after halftime, leaving one half of Morgan's control up top gone. The game turned into a barrage upon the Huskies’ goal; however, the efforts of netminder Anes Gadun helped them. It wasn't until the last five minutes that the Cougars finally broke through to tie the game. Morgan had one last effort with a break away by LeMay that ended wide.
“Anes carried that game, he looked like a seasoned vet with some of the saves he was making,” said Head Coach Ross Demay. “This was his best performance of the season.”
Hosting Immaculate, Avila and Anthony Choronzy notched tallies for the Huskies. In less than stellar conditions, it was a back and forth game with the wind and rain playing a major factor. The first goal came from Immaculate on a free kick which deflected into the net. Morgan evened the game after a handball in the box by Immaculate left a penalty kick to Avila, who buried it into the back of the net. The first half finished when a knuckling shot from Immaculate out of the corner of the box put the visitors ahead 2-1. Following intermission, Choronzy scored with three minutes remaining via a corner kick to earn the draw.
“It was a sloppy game due to the weather. Immaculate is a good school in a hard conference so we knew they would be good coming out,” said Demay. “They were a well disciplined and, for the most part, respectful team. I wouldn't be surprised if they make states and surprise some people. We had a bit of luck at the end when Choronzy's corner slipped right through the goalie’s hands, but we came up with what we needed and it put us in states.”
Facing the Thunderbirds, LeMay (assisted by Jake Bzowski), Bzowski, Keven Pujols, and Troy Ribeiro were the goal producers on the winning side with the Huskies outshooting North Branford 30-10.
LeMay finished early with a goal in the fourth minute from Bzowski. The Huskies’ second score in the first half came from a Bzowski free kick from 30 yards out in which he left the North Branford keeper no chance as it hit upper 90 degree corner. The next tally came from Pujols in the 68th minute. Pujols hit a laser from outside the 18-yard line that knuckled down into the top left corner and across the goal mouth. After North Branford got on the board, the final score came from Ribeiro off a penalty earned from LeMay following North Branford’s keeper receiving the team's second yellow card.
“I believe this was a pretty successful Senior Night and great end to the season finishing the last eight games at 4-1-3 and making states for the first time since the seniors were freshmen,” said Demay. “Unfortunately we couldn't get the shutout, but that was my fault moving our two center backs in Troy Ribeiro and Erik Kareliusseon up front to try and get them a goal in their final home game. Now we have to rest up, get healthy, and hopefully keep our run going into states in a couple weeks.”