Date: Fri 15-Sep-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: TOMW

Illustration: I

Quick Words:

Soccer-Boys-Lose-95-Opener

Full Text:

Boys' Soccer Loses In OT (Sept. 13)

B Y T.W YATT

Having been outplayed for the better part of the afternoon, the Newtown High

School soccer team might have considered a tie a victory as it began the

second five-minute overtime with Masuk in its season opener and South West

Confernce debut on Wednesday, September 14, with the game knotted at 1-1.

But like a bolt of lightning, Masuk struck twice in the space of less than a

minute, and left the Indians shocked and defeated, 3-1.

" What a shame, " Newtown coach Larry Ashmore muttered as the game's final

seconds were counted off. " What an absolute shame. "

In a game that was anything but an impressive display of soccer, Masuk

captured the lead eleven minutes in when its star sweeper Kenyon Hill placed a

direct kick perfectly inside the right post past sophomore goalie Todd Burns

for the game's first tally.

Despite Newtown's improved play at midfield for the remainder of the half,

Kenyon Hill's play at sweeper thwarted any serious attacks that the NHS

offense mounted.

Newtown's only shots on goal in the first half, by Jamal Stockton and Anders

Bakken, didn't have to be saved as they both sailed high over the crossbar.

" He's the best defender in the league, " coach Ashmore would say of Hill

after the game. " He may be the best the player overall. "

Ashmore read his team the riot act at the halftime intermission, urging them

to play with the same intensity that they had in preseason scrimmages with

Danbury, Greewich, and Nonnewaug, and in the second half it picked up.

Midway through the second half, on a direct kick from 15 yards out, Stockton

tapped a pass to his left where David Miller banged a perfect shot along the

ground for the score, tying the game at one.

And 1-1 was where it ended at regulation, just as Newtown's Brian Wassman was

taken down inches outside the penalty area. Time expired before Newtown could

take a direct kick. Had the foul been called inside the penalty area, Wassman

would have been allowed a penalty kick.

Neither team scored in the first five-minute overtime period, thanks in part

to a sensational over-the-shoulder save by Newtown keeper Todd Burns, who had

made a fine save towards the end of regulation as well.

But after switching sides of the field, the second overtime period spelled

Newtown's doom.

Only four minutes away from an opening-day stalemate, Masuk broke the ice at

1:19 of the five-minute OT stanza when Jeff Doerner converted a corner kick

for the go-ahead goal.

Then, only 37 seconds later, Masuk's Chris Masso penetrated the NHS defense

for another strike.

" I'm very disappointed, " Ashmore said. " We didn't play soccer out there

today, at any point in time, as well as we had in our scrimmages. Today it

looks like I just grabbed a bunch of guys for a pickup game and put them on

the field. There was no cohesion whatsoever. None. We picked up the intensity

level in the second half, but the quality of soccer didn't improve that much.

We weren't able to make the runs and do the job at the end when we had to. "

The loss to Colonial Division opponent Masuk was especially damaging with the

format of the new South West Conference. In it, Newtown will play each team

only once and will now lose a division tie-breaker with Masuk should one

occur. " The one thing I don't want these guys to do is lose confidence

because they're young and they haven't played together that long, " said the

coach. " But its a short season and the games go by very quickly. The

experience has got to be acquired very quickly. We're already one behind. "