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10/27/2016 12:00 AMEntering its last six games on the 2016 schedule, the Branford boys’ soccer team needed to earn at least a win and a tie to qualify for states. The Hornets got their win by beating Law 4-1, but they also dropped four contests, and so the squad’s season was on the line when it hosted Cheshire on Oct. 24. Despite falling behind 1-0, Branford came back to tie the game when Ethan Boileau scored from John Tratnyek and then held off the Rams the rest of the way to preserve a 1-1 draw that gave the Hornets they pivotal point they needed to get in the Class L State Tournament.
Branford, which is 6-9-1, had taken a 4-1 defeat to Cheshire in the teams’ first meeting this year. The Hornets have made states in seven of their eight seasons with Head Coach Paul Hunter.
“I think they were elated and certainly very excited and there was also a sense of relief that we were able to end up tying the game and qualifying for states,” said Hunter, whose Hornets were the Class L co-champions two years ago. “They’ve put in a lot of hard work and there was surely a sense of exhaustion, as well, but they were able to take care of the business they needed to care of and we move on. We’re excited about it because, as we know, anything can happen in states.”
Cheshire scored the game’s first goal just seven minutes in and maintained its 1-0 edge at halftime. Eight minutes into the latter stanza, Branford had a free kick from 45 yards out and Tratnyek played the ball into the penalty area, where it got knocked down, after which Boileau knocked it into the back of the net to knot the game at 1. Coach Hunter said the Rams had a few decent chances to score the game-winner after that, but added that Branford “probably had five or six more chances,” and felt that play was definitely in the Hornets’ favor throughout the game.
“We actually started out playing in a more defensive posture and I told the boys that if we went down a goal, we’d go back to our regular formation,” Hunter said. “Apparently, they didn’t care for the defensive posture because we gave up a goal in the 7th minute, went back to our regular play, and, for most of the game, we were taking it to Cheshire. So all credit to the boys for bouncing back and the showing character and desire to get the tie.”
The equalizer came off the boot of Boileau, who’s been anchoring the center midfielder position alongside fellow junior Ian Cabahug. Hunter said the tandem brings a nice mix to the pitch as Boileau is a prolific attacker, while Cabahug does a lot of the dirty work by anchoring the defensive side. Branford’s two starting outside midfielders are junior Hazem Salem and sophomore Ben DeMaio.
“Ethan and Ian have been playing for me since they were 12 years old at the club level and they have a good understanding with respect to what needs to be done and who will do it. It’s a really good partnership that will pay out next year, when both will be seniors,” Coach Hunter said. “Ben and Hazem have been terrific midfielders who do a lot of work up and down the field, offensively and defensively. Although they haven’t been on the score sheet as often as others, they’ve been instrumental with setting things up for [the team’s top scorers] to have success and I’ve been pleased with both of their contributions to the team’s success.”
Boileau is one of the Hornets’ top scorers with his six goals and five assists and the other two are senior captain Trey Duval, plus fellow striker Marzio Mastroianni, a sophomore. Duval has 10 goals with four assists, while Mastroianni netted seven goals and dished out six assists.
“Getting production out of the forward line, as opposed to what we ended up getting last year, has been a big improvement,” Hunter said. “The understanding between [Trey and Marzio] is excellent. Trey demands a lot of out Marzio and pushes him to be the best he can and Ethan, being more of an attacking center midfielder, is very dangerous from the standpoint of coming in later on runs near the top of the box and even inside the box.”
On the other side of the field, senior captain Tratnyek is a three-year starter who’s leading the Hornets’ defense as their stopper. Senior Nick Cordero is in his second season as the team’s full-time starting goalie and also played net when Branford took the Class L state crown two years ago.
“John did a terrific job as our sweeper back last year, but we wanted to get him more involved with the attacking side of the game, and so we pushed him forward as our stopper, which allows him to be on the ball more in support of our midfield crew. His touches and decision making are good and he’s solidified things in the back for us and has the experience to settle everybody else down when their nerves get rattled,” Coach Hunter said. “Nick had been solid and he’s made big saves at big times. Nick was called on to make a few big saves in the Cheshire game. They have a few forwards who got loose a couple of times, but he shut the door on them, and those types of saves are really game changers. If those go in, the team can get deflated, but he came up with big saves as he has all the way through his career with us.”
Additionally for the Hornets’ defense, senior sweeper Aedan Spaar has missed the last few games with an injury, although Hunter is hoping that he can return for states. Sophomores Kadir Sahin and Kosta Gionteris have also made key contributions on that unit.
As the Hornets now get ready to compete in the postseason, Coach Hunter credited his athletes for refusing to relent throughout their postseason pursuit, even when the outcomes weren’t going their way.
“I think the resolve of the team has been excellent,” he said. “We’ve lost a few games in the second half of the season where the kids stood tall and took it to the other team and, unfortunately, we weren’t able to put one in the back of the net, but there’s never been any head hanging or sulking. They continued to plug away and that is really a tribute to them as individuals and as a team—the fact that they are always out there trying to get things accomplished and grind out victories with that never-say-die attitude.”
From the Sidelines
In the previous week’s action, Branford took a 2-1 loss to Shelton, beat Law 4-1, and lost to Hand 1-0. Boileau scored from Tratnyek to tie the Shelton game at 1 before the Gaels scored the winning goal with 10 minutes left. Against Law, Duval scored from Boileau, who later netted a breakaway goal to give Branford the lead for good in the 51st minute. Mastroianni then scored from Duval, who added an unassisted goal to seal the victory. The Hand loss put Branford’s record at 3-5 in the Housatonic Division this year.
Branford’s wins have come against East Haven (6-0, 5-0), Sheehan (3-0), Law (2-1 and 4-1), and Lyman Hall (5-2).
Hornets’ Head Coach Paul Hunter is assisted by JV coach Mark Harris and first-year varsity assistant Andres Wullaert.