The Saints traveled to Con Val in Peterborough, NH to play. Since this was a make-up game and there were no other sports scheduled, the teams got to take both white buses to make the ride more comfortable. Coach Suleski drove the JV team in their bus following the varsity.
We arrived at Con Val at 2:30 and were on the field before the home team. Jerry Phontharaksa informed the coach he forgot his cleats. I wonder if Mrs. Price would have brought them for $20.00?
Game Captains Bryan Hennigan and Matt Roginski went out and won the toss.
Peter Bergeron was still on the injured reserve list with his cast, so photos from today's game are courtesy of Peter.
The field was just a bit damp and spongy at one end from the week of rain, but was better than our home field. It was up on a plateau and there was a cold crosswind coming through the valley. It was looking like the wind would play a factor in the game.
The Saints took the field with Tom Carroll and Owen Cook as strikers. Midfielders Bryan Hennigan, Justin Guilbert, Jamie Phontharaksa and Andy Stone. The defense was Matt Roginski at Stopper, Nick Blunier and Tom Gibney at Fullbacks and Mark Miller at Sweeper. St. Thomas had Colin McBride between the pipes.
The game started off with the Saints beating the Cougars to the ball to control midfield and mounting some attacks. Shots were going wide with the wind though.
Con Val clears out a St. Thomas attack.
10 minutes into the game Lenis Kenter and Peter Shwaegerle went in as strikers and St. Thomas continued to press on offense.
Stone moves to get a pass from Roginski.
At 12:46 Shwaegerle sent a ball across to Kenter who trapped it and then touched it into the net to put the Saints up 1-0. This was also the first shot on goal for the game.
Players coming back to midfield congratulating each other after the goal.
The Cougars were not used to being behind on their home field and picked up the pace. They began to test the St. Thomas defense.
At the 14 minute mark Taylor McaDonald and Sean Waters went in as outside midfielders.
At the 22 minute mark Cook and Carroll went back in as strikers. Ryan Price, Keith Hallock and Jerry Phontharaksa went in at midfield. Stone dropped back to stopper to give Roginski some time to rest his sore knee. Jerry tired to play in sneakers but footing wasn't great.
31 minutes into the half Kenter and Shwaegerle went in as strikers, Hennigan and MacDonald went in at outside midfield.
At halftime the Saints were up 1-0 in a close hard fought game. Both teams had only taken 3 shots on net each.
To start the Second half St. Thomas sent out Carroll and Cook as strikers. Midfielders Hennigan, Guilbert, Jamie Phontharaksa and Waters. The defense was Stone, Blunier, Gibney, Miller and McBride.
At the 50 minute mark Kenter and Shwaegerle went in as strikers.
Jamie Phontharaksa moves the ball up field for St. Thomas.
The Saints had a lot more shots on goal i the second half, but the Con Val keeper kept his team in the game.
At 52:38 a Con Val player was making a break on goal surrounded by St. Thomas players when he went down in the box. The Cougars were awarded a Penalty Kick. this was their chance to tie it up. McBride was ready, but the Con Val player shot it wide and everyone on the Saints bench breathed a sigh of relief.
At about 68:20 Blunier ran up to intercept a Cougar pass, after beating a Con Val player he continues to bring the ball over midfield. Just as he was about to break through the defense a Cougar player swept his leg and sent Bluiner flipping up and over to land hard. There was no foul called but everyone just stopped as the ball went out of bounds.
Coach Suleski helped Nick limping from the field and adjusted his players’ positions. Stone dropped back to fullback, Guilbert to Stopper and MacDonald entered at center midfield.
After about 5 minutes on the sideline Bluiner was ready to go back in and play.
The Cougars kept the game exciting with runs on the Saints goal.
The game ended with the score 1-0. It was a hard fought win and a nail biter to watch from the sidelines.
On the ride home the bus the varsity came in had a short so none of the taillights worked. Coach had to drive close enough not to let any cars get in between the buses, but far enough back to be safe. We stopped at Wendy’s in Epping to refuel the players. T-Mac couldn’t find his bag and told Coach he left it at Con Val. He was wondering if they had school and could we call tomorrow to get it. Coach told him it would probably be cheaper to buy new cleats and shinguards than drive all the way to Peterborough and back. Of course he was also wonder how much it would cost T-Mac is Mrs. Price went. Later after a more through search of the bus the bag was found. Must have been an early case of male blindness. At least he’ll have his familiar cleats on for the rest of the season.
The Saints travel to Coe Brown tomorrow afternoon for a 3:30 game – the last of the regular season. The Players have no school Friday so hopefully they will be well rested for the game.