By Allison Goldsmith
I&M Sports Editor
Despite being decimated by injuries, the boys soccer team continued its winning ways last Wednesday with a 7-0 trouncing of Lighthouse Conference opponent Sturgis. Sunday’s scheduled home game against Norwood was postponed. A possible make-up date has yet to be determined.
“These kids are really stepping up and filling the holes of Bryan (Tarcitano) and Philipe (Bazilio) and Devon (Kohler) and Jose (Ramirez) and Alvaro (Castro). It has been awesome to see. I have never had a team go through so much individual injury that has really affected the first 11 we put on the field and have other kids step up and fill those shoes. And we haven’t even missed a beat,” head coach Rich Brannigan said.
Roneik Gordon, Luke Daniels and Emil Bender have been among the junior varsity call-up players sliding comfortably into their varsity roles.
“We are still obviously not back to where we were day one of the season, but we are getting kids the experience they need to hopefully be more comfortable when we need them to be comfortable,” Brannigan said.
With the victory over Sturgis, Nantucket improved to 5-2-4 overall and 3-0 through the first half of the conference schedule. The Whalers are scheduled be back in action this afternoon at home against Cape Cod Academy.
In their first meeting of the season, Nantucket defeated the Seahawks 1-0. A victory over the conference rivals would put the Whalers in decent position to win their fourth straight title and an automatic trip to the postseason.
“I think the guys feel good because we beat Cape Cod Academy on their field earlier in the season. That first win is the most important win because now they have more pressure to get the result,” Brannigan said.
Also on tap for the Whalers this week will be a trip to Cohasset on Saturday and to the Vineyard on Tuesday night.
Against Sturgis last Wednesday, the Whalers focused on execution on the attacking third of the field, Brannigan said. But it wasn’t until 12 minutes into the first half that Nantucket was able to notch their first goal against a pressing Sturgis squad.
“That Sturgis team was probably the best Sturgis team we have ever played against, nothing like any Sturgis team we are used to playing,” Brannigan said.
Russell Bartlett was tested in the Whalers’ goal and made two early saves to keep the Storm off the board.
“Russell has been tremendous for us. He has been playing his best soccer ever, making enormous saves and he had to make a couple big saves in the Sturgis game early on and one or two others in the first half when it was still a close game,” Brannigan said.
Bender put the Whalers on the board first in the 12th minute off an assist from Carl Stevens. Stevens tallied a goal of his own off an assist from Francisco Mancia and Gordon scored off a feed from Sebastian McFarlane as Nantucket streaked to the 3-0 lead at the break.
In the second half, Emerson Gouzman scored first off an assist from Jasper Young. Stevens and Gordon each added their second goal of the game, off assists from Mancia and Henry Farrell, respectively. Caio Gomes scored his first varsity goal off an assist from Gordon.
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