This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.

Valley Boys’ Soccer Turns in Another Successful Season

The Valley Regional boys’ soccer team held its ground and produced another strong season in 2018. After playing to three-way tie for second place in the Shoreline Conference standings last year, the Warriors took second place outright on their way to posting an overall record of 10-4-4 this fall. Valley earned the No. 2 seed in the Shoreline Conference Tournament, where the Warriors lost to Haddam-Killingworth in the semifinal round. The Warriors also earned another berth to the Class M State Tournament.

As usual, the Shoreline Conference proved a competitive league this season. Valley Regional Head Coach Mick Fearon felt that the Warriors turned in a good effort by placing second in the conference. Valley matched last year’s win total with its 10 victories, but the big difference was that the Warriors notched more ties and took less losses. That gave Valley a leg up in the tightly packed Shoreline standings.

“There wasn’t much difference between the top six teams in the conference. The teams were close,” Coach Fearon said. “We finished second in the Shorelines, because we gained some points in the standings, since we tied more games instead of losing.”

Senior captain midfielder Sean Cole and senior vice captain goalie Charlie Haughton led the way for the Warriors during the 2018 campaign. Both captains earned All-Shoreline Conference First Team honors, while Cole was also named All-State and selected to play in the Connecticut Soccer Coaches’ Association Senior Bowl. Cole and Haughton used their effective communication to help Valley stay focused on the field.

“Sean is an unselfish player. His stats don’t show how much he affects a game. His overall vision on the field and being that link between the defense and the forwards was good to see,” said Fearon. “Charlie carried pretty much carried the whole load in the goal. Those two were on the field nearly the whole time most games. They did a great job communicating what needed to be done.”

Offense was a primary strength for Valley Regional this year. The Warriors received plenty of offensive production from senior forwards Michael Dilger and Chris Morales. Dilger led Valley with 20 goals on his way to earning the team’s Leading Point Scorer Award, while Morales netted 13 goals for the Warriors. Dilger and Morales each made the All-Shoreline Conference First Team, and Coach Fearon knows that they will be missed on the attack next season.

“Michael and Chris will be difficult to lose. They were two very dangerous players up front,” Fearon said. “They had 33 goals and 9 assists between them. To replace them will be difficult. Next year, we hope players like Ryan Shasha, Jaden Veiga, Sam Ocken, and Andrew Sherman will step up into those roles.”

Valley’s defense was also impressive with senior Chris Cook and junior Cameron Frazier holding strong in the backfield. Both athletes were playing out of their natural positions as Cook normally slotted in the midfield and Frazier started at forward. Regardless, Cook garnered All-Shoreline Conference First Team distinction, while Frazier was named to All-Shoreline Second Team this year.

“Cameron is a bit of an unsung hero, because he really is a forward and, the last two years, he had to play in the back. Cameron is a physical player, and he’s aggressive. Next year, maybe he’ll be able to move back to his position,” Fearon said. “Chris Cook was a natural midfielder, and he plays the sweeper. He reads the game very well, and he’s a very good technical player.”

Freshman Jake Burdick made a statement by earning All-Shoreline Conference Honorable Mention after leading Valley Regional with seven assists. Burdick was also presented with the Warriors’ Coach’s Award. Junior Dylan Sparaco was named Valley’s Most Improved Player, and fellow junior Evan Benson won the Sportsmanship Award.

Coach Fearon was pleased with the Warriors’ performance against some of the tougher opponents on their schedule. Valley scored a 2-0 win over Class L school North Haven that provided a big boost early in the year. Additionally, Fearon’s squad earned ties versus formidable local foes like Morgan and Old Saybrook, which went on to win the Shoreline Conference and Class S state titles, respectively, this season.

“We had a good road win early against North Haven when we played them on turf,” said Coach Fearon. “In the Shorelines, we had some early victories in the beginning. We also played Morgan and Saybrook, and both games ended up as ties. Those two teams were in the Class S finals.”

Looking to the future, Coach Fearon is expecting some of Valley’s underclassmen to take the next step in 2019. With a strong class of incoming freshman, the Warriors should be in good shape to continue competing in the Shoreline Conference.

“I know there’s a good group coming in from the middle school. There will also be a lot of sophomores putting themselves in the mix,” Fearon said. “It comes down to what the boys are willing to do in the offseason. I always tell them to make the head coach’s job difficult in figuring out who to put on varsity.”

From the Sidelines

The Valley Regional boys’ soccer team’s 2018 varsity roster included senior captain Sean Cole and senior vice captain Charlie Haughton; fellow seniors Logan Bellos, Liam Breckenfield, Chris Cook, Michael Dilger, Dan Hearn, and Chris Morales; juniors Evan Benson, Devon Connelly, Nathan Davis, Cameron Frazier, Sam Ocken, Ryan Shasha, Dylan Sparaco, and Jaden Viega; sophomores Jackson Bisson, Michael Brooks, Sam Helsel, Keenan Pindar, Cameron Ruel, and Andrew Sherman; and freshmen Jake Burdick and Tucker Burr.

Mick Fearon finished his 17th year as head coach of the Warriors. He was assisted by coaches Bryant Ziobron and Dan DeNegre. Fearon thanked Kris Cole, Jim Castelli, Karen Cole, Wendy Haughton, the Valley Booster Club, Athletic Director Jeff Swan, and administrative assistant Sheila Robida for their support throughout the season.

Valley’s regular-season victories came against East Hampton (3-2 and 3-0), Westbrook (6-1), Cromwell (3-0), North Branford (7-0), Portland (3-1), Old Lyme (4-0), North Haven (2-0), Hale-Ray (3-1), and Amistad (6-1).

The Warriors dropped contests against Coginchaug (2-1) and Morgan (4-2). Valley also earned ties versus Haddam-Killingworth (1-1), Old Saybrook (2-2), Morgan (1-1), and North Haven (1-1).

In the Shoreline Conference Tournament, the 2nd-seeded Warriors earned a bye through the quarterfinals, before losing a 3-2 contest against No. 3 seed Haddam-Killingworth that was decided by a 5-4 margin in penalty kicks in the semis.

For the Class M State Tournament, No. 12 seed Valley and faced 21st-seeded Bacon Academy in a first-round matchup and dropped a 4-3 decision in overtime.