The Saints played their second away game this season against the Cougars of Kearsarge Regional High School. After one hour and twenty minutes on the yellow St. Thomas bus, the team relaxed for about 30 minutes before beginning their now regular-irregular warm-ups. They may not look too impressive before the game, but they come out ready to play.
Game Captains Jamie Phontharaksa and Colin McBride went out and won the toss and chose field position. Again it was a omen for the day.
The Saints started out with their successful defense of Matt Roginski as Stopper, Nick Blunier and Tom Gibney as Fullbacks and Mark Miller as Sweeper. Midfielders Taylor "T-Mac" MacDonald, Justin Guilbert, Jamie and Jerry Phontharaksa. Tom Carroll and Owen " Taco" Cook as strikers. Colin McBride was guarding the net for St. Thomas
The Saints came out on the attack quick intercepting the Cougar kick-off and controlling it back through the midfield to Miller who reversed fields and started the first of many attacks. St Thomas was making runs and beating the Kearsarge defense only to have their keeper out scooping up the ball before the shot. The Cougars managed to mount a few attacks across midfield which were shut down by the Saints defense. St. Thomas was quick on the counter attack.
8 minutes into the game the strikers were switched as Peter Bergeron and Peter Shwaegerle went in. A few minutes later Bryan Hennigan, and Keith Hallock went in as outside midfielders.
Fifteen minutes into the game Sean Waters and Ryan Price went in as strikers and Linas Kenter and Brent Snyder went in as center midfielders. The Saints were making such swift and repetitive attacks that coach was subbing more often.
At the 22 minute mark Waters took a high arcing kick from about 40 yards out. It may have been a shot or a change of field pass, but the wind and luck got hold of the ball and it came down just under the cross bar at such an angle that the Cougar keeper couldn't make a play on it and the Saints had the lead. Waters picked up his first goal of the season.
Subs were sent in after the goal and fresh legs made another quick attack scoring in less than a minute when MacDonald sent a cross pass to Cook who banged it home.
37 minutes into the half Hennigan made some great moves bringing the ball up field and passing it in to Hallock who touched it over to Bergeron for another goal. Bergeron nets his first High School goal as a freshman.
St. Thomas was up 3-0 at the half. They had out shot the Cougars 10-3.
It was a very confident and relaxed team that took the field for the second half. The half time conversation didn't have much to do about soccer, but the mood was light.
The Saints took the kick off in and worked a shot off in the first minute. The Midfield was working well to control the play, but it was getting caught up too far allowing for Kearsarge to make some quick counter attacks of their own. Miller, Roginski, Blunier and Gibney were working hard but still squashing any Cougar attack.
4 minutes into the second half Jamie Pontharaksa worked the ball up field sending a pass to Cook who redirected it over to Carroll for the score.
At the 53-minute mark Carroll made a run on a break and just as the Kearsarge keeper came out he sent the pass over to Cook who buried it in for the score. Carroll was upended hard by the keeper just after the pass.
The Saints were up 5-0, but the Cougars did not give up and continued to play hard. 68 minutes into the game Kearsarge made a break through the St. Thomas defense and the player went down in the box drawing a foul and a penalty kick. The Cougar shooter was able to get one by McBride taking away his shut-out, but not able to dampen the Saints spirits.
Rallying back nine minutes later Mark Miller cleared out a Kearsarge through ball that sailed up over the Cougars defense. Hallock ran onto the ball and after a touch got off a shot that made the onion bag jump again. The transfer Sophomore picked up his first assist and first goal for the Saints in one game.
The final three minutes saw the Saints pressing the attack and Kearsarge just kicking long balls out to clear their zone. They just seemed to be trying to keep St. Thomas from scoring again. Both Kenter and Snyder did very well playing different positions in their first JV game. Carroll and Cook appear to be learning to play off each other. Guilbert, Phontharaksa and Roginski are proving to be a solid presence in the middle of the field. Blunier, Miller and Gibney have proved to be a solid wall in front of McBride.
The game ended with St. Thomas up 6-1. The Saints out shot the Wildcats 24-6.
St. Thomas has their home opener against Kennett on Tuesday.