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11/17/2014 11:00 PMFor the rest of their lives, the members of the Branford boys’ soccer squad will be able to say that they claimed the first state championship in program history in the fall of 2014. That’s because even though the Hornets didn’t win their Class L title contest against Avon, they still captured the state crown by earning a 1-1 tie in a nail-biting contest on a teeth-chattering afternoon at Middletown High School.
Branford and Avon were declared co-champions of Class L after playing to a stalemate through 80 minutes of regulation and two 15-minute overtimes in the State Tournament final on Nov. 15. There are no penalty kicks to break ties after overtime in soccer state finals, unlike the other rounds of the tournament.
Avon was in prime position to the win the title outright after netting the game’s first goal with 28:44 to play in regulation, yet Aaron Radulski foiled those hopes by blasting home a high shot on Jack Pottenger’s assist to tie the game seven minutes later. From that point on, the Falcons controlled most of the flow as they had all game, although Hornets’ sophomore keeper and the game’s Most Outstanding Player Nick Cordero made a few key saves to keep it even and the ultimate result was a state championship for both squads.
Neither team celebrated in the frantic fashion that usually accompanies winning a state title, but both clubs took their turns posing for pictures with the plaque and Branford’s athletes were certainly all smiles when the day was done.
“It feels great. It’s not exactly how we thought it would end, but it’s a great ending. I’ve been playing with these kids for years and it’s a great ending,” said senior captain forward Max Condon. “There was no doubt that someone was going to get that equalizer for us and Aaron took a fantastic shot, top shelf.”
Senior captain defender Mike Caminear expressed equal emotions of elation with the fact that his Hornets claimed their first state title in their initial state final appearance, saying that he felt “ecstatic” and that a celebration was in order.
Just like his athletes, Branford Coach Paul Hunter felt quite satisfied with the atypical ending to the season. Hunter had nothing but praise for his athletes for the character they displayed through a state tourney run that saw the Hornets win three road games against higher seeds before besting Barlow 1-0 on Condon’s goal in the semis en route to the championship showdown. Branford, which was seeded 17
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and also won the SCC Oronoque Division title for the fourth straight season, finished the campaign with an overall record of 13-6-3.
“I feel absolutely fabulous. The kids worked hard all year, picked it up in the second half, and made a great run in states. We came here for a state title and there are no negatives. It’s still a state title, one way or the other,” said Hunter. “I told the kids at halftime that I thought we had played about a ‘C’ game; we didn’t look too comfortable. We showed more composure in the second half and, although I thought we still had more to offer, the fact that we kept our heads up and got the equalizer made a big statement about the heart and character of these kids.”
Branford needed every ounce of its character to withstand an early flurry from the 11
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-seeded Avon (16-1-4), which was playing in its 15
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state final and took home title No. 8. In fact, the Falcons’ Matthew Fuge put a shot on goal just 1:05 in the contest, but Cordero turned it aside for the first of his 13 saves on the day. All totaled, Avon took 30 shots on goal to the Hornets’ nine and Cordero stopped another Avon attempt by thwarting Jack Keenan with 25:30 left in the first frame. Thirty seconds later, Avon had a goal waived off following one of its 13 corner kicks due to a foul for pushing from behind. Condon then had a shot ring off the crossbar while inbounding from the sidelines with 12:05 to go. The Falcons had one of their best scoring opportunities with 9:30 left in the opening half when Brendan Brown floated a cross that Branford senior defender Gobari Idamkue headed out, after which Cordero made a quick stop. The rest of the half featured Avon junior goalie Daniel Magrini (4 saves) saving a Condon shot and Cordero halting an offering by the Falcons’ Kevin Brown.
Cordero made a few more saves early in the second, but Avon kept charging and eventually recorded the game’s first score with 28:44 to play when junior Riley Strassner slid one low into the corner to the keeper’s left for a 1-0 lead.
However, the Falcons’ celebration was short-lived as with 21:44 remaining senior forward Radulski found himself open inside the 20-yard line and sailed a shot just over the fingertips of Magrini to tie the game 1-1.
“I took my touch, saw that their goalie was off line, and hit the ball in the right place at the right time. It felt amazing. There’s been no other feeling in my competitive career and, possibly, my life, like that,” said Radulski. “I couldn’t have picked a better group of guys to do this with. You can tell that we’re a tight-knit team. I love them.”
Senior captain midfielder Pottenger, who assisted on the goal, said the team was “soaring” following Radulski’s game-tying tally and additionally credited Cordero for how he “stepped up and played incredible” in goal.
Cordero continued to have his hands full down the stretch, stifling a shot by Max Gorack with five minutes left in regulation. Forty seconds after that, the Hornets took the second of their two corner kicks in the contest and the ball was loose with a mess in front, although Avon cleared the ball from harm’s way. It wasn’t long before the game was headed to a pair of 15-minute, non-sudden victory overtime periods.
Cordero made a save early in the first OT and Avon had a corner kick late, but to no avail.
After Avon had two solid scoring chances deflected away about four minutes into the second overtime, Cordero saved a shot by Fuge with 3:35 to play. In the game’s waning stages, Hornets’ senior midfielder Zach DiNoto booted one from 30 yards out and Magrini reeled it in for Avon with five seconds left. Consequently, the game ended with both teams owning a goal apiece, both teams sharing the Class L title, and the Hornets feeling just fine about how everything unfolded.
“It is a weird feeling,” said senior captain forward Joe Roca. “But I think down the road everyone will realize that we worked hard and that, even though we tied, we still won the championship.”
Along with everyone else already mentioned, the other athletes on the Hornets’ state championship roster were seniors Billy Bustos (goalkeeper), Paul Howard-Flanders (midfielder), Bijaya Jaisi (midfielder), Dean Conte (defender), and Nicolas Thomas (midfielder); along with juniors Steven Hacker (goalkeeper), Nick Roca (midfielder), George McColl (defender), Dylan DeMaio (defender), Owen Madelung (midfielder), Owen Boyle (forward), and Carson McCarns (defender); as well as sophomores Trey Duval (forward), John Tratnyek (midfielder), and Aeden Spaar (defender); plus freshmen Charles Hall (midfielder), Ian Cabahug (midfielder), and Ethan Boileau (forward). The team’s assistant coaches are Bob Faulkner and JV coach Marc Harris.