It was a beautiful fall day for a soccer game. Players came down to the field to get ready and warm up. Claire came to wish us all good luck, well maybe not all of us.
Game Captains Nick Blunier and Tom Gibney went out to represent the team for the coin toss.
The Saints started out with their tough defense of Matt Roginski as Stopper, Nick Blunier and Tom Gibney as Fullbacks and Mark Miller as Sweeper. Midfielders Taylor "T-Mac" MacDonald, Ryan Price, Keith Hallock and Linas Kenter. Peter Bergeron and Peter Shwaegerle as strikers. Colin McBride was between the pipes for St. Thomas
The Saints took the kick and came out on the attack quick. Price seemed to be everywhere in the midfield winning balls and sending them up into the attack. He even managed a shot on net (and not over) in the first few minutes,
It was a busy day at St. Thomas with Varsity and JV Soccer and Field Hockey all going on at once. Players were a bit confused with all the whistles from the field hockey game.
Bergeron and Shwaegerle were making a number of runs on the keeper in the opening minutes.
Around 8 minutes into the game the Merrimack Valley midfielder got tired of losing every confrontation with Price so he checked him into the field hockey scorer's table. We were glad none of the girls were hurt as they broke Ryan's fall.
Bergeron and Shwaegerle prepare for a Merrimack Valley goal kick.
At the 10 minute mark Midfielders Bryan Hennigan, Justin Guilbert, Andy Stone and Jerry Phontharaksa went in along with Tom Carroll and Owen " Taco" Cook as strikers.
Jerry Phontharaksa was all over the field too. Seems he'd gotten into some sugar cubes in class and ate more than he should of.
Roginski stops a Merrimack Valley attacker.
At 15:09 Gibney sent a pass over to Cook who beat the Merrimack Valley keeper to score, St. Thomas was now up 1-0.
Miller prepares to head away a Merrimack Valley through ball.
Hennigan takes a throw-in.
At the 20 minutes mark Sean Waters, Jamie Phontharaksa and Brent Snyder entered the pitch.
At 21:38 Merrimack Valley had the ball in the Saints corner when a player took a toe ball shot that had the right spin to hook into the net and tie the score 1-1.
At 27:14 Waters made a run to the ball as it went to the goal line shielded by a Merrimack Valley player hoping for a goal kick. When Waters tied to stop he slipped on the wet field and it didn't even look like the other player fell at all, but the referee cautioned Waters with a yellow card for tripping.
The game was tied 1-1 at the half.
St. Thomas had out shot Merrimack Valley 10-3.
The Saints started the second half with McBride, Miller, Blunier, Gibney and Roginski on defense and Water, Snyder, Stone, MacDonald and the Phontharaksa Brothers on the attack.
Snyder had painted his hair for spirit week half blue and half white. Then he tried to wash it off under the water jug. Still flaking off him, it was not a pretty sight and you'll notice players didn't mark him up too close. They were probably wondering if it was contagious.
Merrimack Valley takes a throw-in deep in their end.
The Saints were pounding the Merrimack Valley keeper. The Defense was up well over midfield working to break the tie score.
At the 50 Minute mark Bergeron and Shwaegerle went in at Strikers and Hallock and Guilbert went in as outside midfielders.
At 59:06 Gibney chipped a ball to Hallock who headed it into the net to break the tie. St. Thomas now had the lead 2-1.
After the goal Lenis, Price, Snyder, Cook and Carroll substituted in for the kick-off.
The Saints continued to pepper the Merrimack Valley keeper with shots
At the 70 minute mark Waters, Snyder, MacDonald, Hallock, Guilbert, and Jerry Phontharaksa went back in.
St. Thomas prepares to defend a Merrimack Valley corner kick.
The game ended with St. Thomas up 2-1. The Saints out shot Merrimack 31-5 which was an indication of how good the Merrimack Valley keeper was.
At the end of the game, after players had shaken hands, Coach asked the players to do something important for him. They were asked to go as a team to his car and get a dozen white roses and take them over to the Varsity field spectators and find his Mother and give them to her. She was up to watch her grandson Jason play. It was a pretty impressive sight seeing the entire team running around all the spectators trying to find someone by yelling "Mrs. Suleski". They finally found her at the bottom of the hill on the touch line and its a good thing she doesn't have a weak heart as they all charged down the hill at her.
The reason Coach asked them to do this is because it was his birthday. Coach had read in a book in high school about a famous sports athlete who gave his mother white roses on his birthday to thank her for bringing him into the world and for doing everything for him. It really sounded like a great idea. High School was a while ago so Coach doesn't remember the Athletes name, but except for a few lean years when white carnations were substituted for the Roses, Coach has managed to do this with a little twist. Some years they are delivered to her work so everyone sees, sometimes they were given by grandchildren, but having them presented by a whole soccer team will be a memorable one.
Thanks to all of you for making it a special day.
St. Thomas travels to Kennett on Tuesday.