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11/15/2016 11:00 PMThe Valley Regional boys’ soccer team made a nice run in the Class S State Tournament by winning its first three games to reach the semifinals, but unfortunately for the Warriors, their season ended in that round with a 4-0 loss to Coventry. Valley, the No. 10 seed in the tournament, had defeated East Hampton, HMTCA, and Lyman Memorial to get to the Class S semis. The team finished its campaign with an overall record of 12-5-4.
The semifinal showdown between Valley and 3rd-seeded Coventry took place at Falcon Field in Meriden on Nov. 15. The Patriots scored two goals in each half, netting a penalty kick in each one, to improve to 17-3 and advance to a championship matchup against Old Saybrook. Coventry lost in the Class S final last year.
Valley Head Coach Mick Fearon said the Patriots came out quick and immediately put pressure on his club. Nine minutes and 50 seconds into the game, Coventry got on the board when Harry Dejulius scored from Zach Stoddard for a 1-0 lead. The Warriors started to settle down and got their first quality scoring opportunity midway through the opening half. Senior Zak Tisdale chipped one through to Charlie Ferrucci, who beat his defender and took a shot, but it went just above the crossbar, and Coventry maintained its 1-0 edge. Ten minutes later, the Patriots’ Nick Erskine slipped past a couple of Warriors and got fouled in the penalty box, resulting in a penalty kick. Erskine converted the chance and Coventry had a 2-0 advantage that held up at halftime. Valley was outshot 12-2 in the first half.
The Warriors regrouped at intermission and promptly put a few shots on goal early in the second stanza. However, they were unable to cash in, and Coventry’s Sean Gannon followed with a shot that went off the hand of Valley’s sophomore keeper Charlie Haughton and into the net for a 3-0 lead 5:30 into the half. Coach Fearon said the Warriors kept fighting, but in the 62nd minute, Coventry’s Alec Erskine was fouled in the box and made the subsequent penalty kick to make it 4-0. The Warriors were outshot 7-3 in the second half and 19-5 for the game. Haughton made six saves for Valley before senior Buddy Haydu played the last 17 minutes.
Coach Fearon credited the Warriors for never relenting against Coventry, but felt the fact that the Patriots never gave his team any breathing room proved the biggest difference in the outcome.
“They just didn’t give us any time,” Coach Fearon said. “They were one of the three-best teams we played this year with Old Saybrook and Old Lyme and a lot of it is that they just don’t give you time on the ball. You make two or three touches and they’re on you so quickly and, when they won possession of the ball, they were very good in their transition game and put our defense under pressure. Charlie made a few good saves and we also blocked three or four shots that were goal bound and so the kids worked hard the whole time and didn’t give up, even when it got three or four goals.”