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11/14/2021 11:00 PMAfter recently earning a share of the Shoreline Conference title, the Old Saybrook boys’ soccer team has won its first two games in the Class S State Tournament to advance into the semifinal round. Head Coach Steve Waters said that the leadership of the Rams’ upperclassmen and overall synergy on the squad are propelling his club on its postseason run.
As the No. 2 seed, Old Saybrook had a bye through the first round of the Class S State Tournament. The Rams earned a 1-0 win over Portland and then notched a 4-3 overtime victory versus Valley Regional to move on to a semifinal matchup against Somers on Thursday, Nov. 18. The Rams now have an overall record of 17-0-3 on the year.
Coach Waters told his players to approach the state tourney with a one-game-at-a-time mindset. Old Saybrook started off the Class S draw by hosting No. 11 seed Portland for a second-round contest on Nov. 11.
With a little less two minutes remaining in the game, junior captain Cameron DeAngelo scored the only goal of the day to give the Rams a 1-0 lead. Coach Waters said the team was full of emotion, and with a young squad, that the goal showed the Rams how to work together and move forward. Old Saybrook kept Portland off the board the rest of the way and walked off the field with the 1-0 victory.
“We played very well. We didn’t give Portland many shots inside the 24-yard line. We kept them away from our goal,” Coach Waters said. “They’re a very stingy team and work really hard. They have a fine goalkeeper. We were happy to get the game-winner against them late.”
Old Saybrook went on to host No. 10 seed Valley Regional in the Class S quarterfinals on Nov. 13. The game was tied at 3-3 in the middle of the first overtime before thunderstorms postponed the contest until the following day. When the two sides returned to the field on Nov. 14, Coach Waters knew that his team had to be willing to adjust and compete for a win until the final whistle.
“Good teams react, great teams adjust. We want to be a great team, so you have to be willing to adjust,” said Waters. “You re-energize yourself and find yourself mentally. We’re going to compete for these next 18 minutes and try to get this win.”
The Rams were able to do just that as sophomore Kevin DeCapua scored the game-winning goal in overtime to give Old Saybrook the victory. DeCapua had scored a goal earlier in the contest, while DeAngelo and sophomore Brayden Cody also scored goals for the Rams. After defeating Valley Regional twice during the regular season, this win marked Old Saybrook’s third victory over the Warriors this year.
“We played Valley three times this year. Between the three games, the teams have scored 22 goals. It’s the Shoreline shootout when we get together,” Waters said. “To come out on top against a real quality team like Valley three times this year, you don’t really see that in high school.”
Coach Waters feels that his team’s ability to battle has been a key to its success in states. Waters said that the Rams always work together, and he believes this is giving them a huge boost in the tournament.
“They have a willingness to fight. They have a togetherness and a synergy,” Waters said. “That’s what you need in a tournament. You need that synergy.”
Coach Waters credited the efforts of Old Saybrook’s captains for building that synergy. Nicholas Scalzo and Nick Rothman are the team’s senior captains, while DeAngelo and Bradley Kulmann serve as junior captains for the Rams. Waters said that each captain brings something different to the field and that every member of the quartet is respected by his teammates.
“All four of them have their different leadership roles that they take on. They’re very well-respected by the players,” said Waters. “It’s fun to watch them grow as leaders. The key is that the other players are willing to follow. That’s huge.”
Old Saybrook is playing No. 6 seed Somers in the Class S State Tournament semifinals at New Britain High School on Thursday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. If the Rams win that game, they will face the winner of No. 4 Griswold and No. 8 Canton in the championship game at Dillon Stadium in Hartford on either Saturday, Nov. 20 or Sunday, Nov. 21.
Coach Waters believes that the Rams are battled-tested and ready to continue their state tourney run.
“We’ve been through a lot. We have played different games at different times—early in the morning, late in the afternoon. We’ve done some traveling,” Waters said. “Hopefully, we’re just in tune to take this as just another game. We’re just happy to keep the season going.”
The Old Saybrook boys’ soccer team’s roster features senior captains Nicholas Scalzo and Nick Rothman; senior Ryan Slisz; junior captains Bradley Kulmann and Cameron DeAngelo; juniors Michael Kapij, Ryan Stratton, Peter Wisialowski, Noah Skiles, Jack Forrestt, Juan Quevedo, and Aidan Gilson; sophomores Drew Kulmann, Kevin DeCapua, Brayden Cody, Jacob DeAngelo, and Lucas Webb; and freshmen Brendan Cassella, Liam Roberts, Felipe Dutra, Michael Yuri, and Jack Morin.