David Nzuzi (22) of Brunswick makes a move to get past the defense of Hampden Academy’s Sean McQuilken during Tuesday’s soccer game in Brunswick. (Bob Conn / The Times Record)
BRUNSWICK — Just 11 days ago, the Brunswick High School boys soccer team faced Hampden Academy on the road.
A slow start was turned into a 3-2 Dragons victory, so coming into Tuesday’s rematch, host Brunswick knew the Broncos were going to be a challenge.
The score certainly doesn’t reflect the game, with Brunswick taking a 6-0 victory to improve to 6-0 on the season. Hampden Academy, despite an 0-5-1 record, pushed the Dragons at times and finished with a 12-11 shot advantage and a 6-4 edge in corner kicks.
Two things led to the win. First, the Dragons scored when the opportunities were there, using a Broncos own goal with 16:04 remaining in the first half to get geared up. Goals by Josh Musica and
Sebastian Matheus-Miguel staked Brunswick to a 3-0 lead by intermission, and three more second-half goals allowed the Dragons to pull away.
“We kept working and the breaks finally came,” said Brunswick coach Mark Roma. “Once we got that first one in, it lifted us up.”
The opening goal came off a Brunswick corner kick. Lane Foushee sent the cross toward the Hampden Academy goal. The ball deflected off a Broncos defender and behind netminder Colby Small (two saves) for a 1-0 Dragons lead.
“We played as a team and attacked well. We were able to finish our chances. The first goal kept our mentality up,” said Foushee.
With 9:12 remaining until halftime, Matheus-Miguel set up Musica for a goal, and Matheus-Miguel completed a corner kick setup from
Brunswick midfielder Lane Foushee (10) gets tangled up with Hampden Academy’s Gavin Partridge while battling for possession of the ball in Tuesday’s KVAC boys soccer game at Brunswick High School. Foushee had two goals and an assist in the Dragons’ 6-0 victory. (Bob Conn / The Times Record)
Luke Cheseldine with 56 seconds on the clock for a 3-0 halftime edge.
Brunswick senior goaltender Jack McDiarmid was big early, turning away five Hampden Academy chances in the opening half.
“It is nice to look back and have a veteran back there, where the kids respect him and the defense trusts him so we can take chances without the fear of covering,” said Roma of McDiarmid.
“Our team needs a goalie and he is awesome back there. No goals today,” added Foushee.
Brunswick’s MIlan VanLeer, left, gets his toe on the ball in front of Hampden Academy’s Rylan Sokoloski (23) during a KVAC boys soccer game in Brunswick on Tuesday. The host Dragons improved to 6-0 with a 6-0 victory. (Bob Conn / The Times Record)
McDiarmid, who turned away all 12 shots he faced before being relieved by Brady LaForge late in the second half, gave most of the credit to his defensemen, led by Milan VanLeer, Alec Hess, Cheseldine and Coenradt Taylor.
“I tried to keep my head locked in and the boys did a lot of good work up front,” said McDiarmid. “We have really stepped up this year and we are united.”
After the visitors came out strong to open the second half — with shots coming from Kenny Penney, Marc Fachiol, Rylan Sokoloski and Tate Clough — Foushee iced the game when he scored on a rebound of a Musica shot on backup Hampden Academy goaltender Eli Wilson (one save) to up the Dragon lead to 4-0.
Down the stretch, goals by Ben Guindon (assisted by Matty LaForge) and Alfonso Miguel (unassisted) completed the 6-0 win.
Next for Brunswick is two-time defending champion Lewiston Friday night on the road at 7 p.m. According to Roma, he plans on running his team through a normal stretch of practices, not wanting to put too much pressure on his team before facing the Blue Devils.
“We will do what we have always been doing, recover from today’s game, then Thursday work on the game formation and maybe add a wrinkle or two,” said Roma. “Our season won’t be defined no matter what happens Friday night. Yes, it would be nice to win, but there are still way too many games to be played. We will treat it as just another game.”
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