Tested plenty in the season’s early stages, the Christian Brothers Academy boys soccer team emerged with a big win last Wednesday at Alibrandi Stadium, rallying in the second half to a 2-1 victory over defending sectional Class B champion Westhill.
Even after Braden Krzykowski scored off a rebound of a David McPeak shot less than seven minutes into the game, the Warriors could not follow it up, watching CBA get most of the good scoring chances.
That paid off early in the second half, when Hunter Burton jumped on a rebound of Ayo Oguntola’s shot and tied it, 1-1 and CBA had most of the good chances afterward, too.
With 11:32 left in regulation, Ben Vlassis unleashed a long throw-in that dropped in front of the net and, before Liam Robb could control it, Jack Harrigan slid the shot past him.
Vlassis later left with a second yellow card, but the Brothers did not go a player down in the final minutes, and the Warriors were still stymied as the clock ran out.
While CBA rested, Bishop Grimes emerged with a weekend sweep after its quick start meant a no. 13 spot in the first state Class C rankings of the season.
The Cobras rolled past Cato-Meridian 5-1 on Friday, a showcase for Byam Mugushu as, over the course of the afternoon, he accumulated three goals for the hat trick and assisted on Grimes’ two other scoring plays.
Connor Alexander had one of those goals, also assisting on a Mugushu tally as David Cifonelli got the other goal. Ethan Fritz had six saves, only surrendering a first-half goal to the Blue Devils’ Chad Thompson.
Of greater satisfaction to Grimes was the fact that, less than 24 hours later, it went to Bishop Ludden and turned back the Gaelic Knights by a 4-2 margin.
Unlike with Cato, Mugushu got some help, though he still scored twice. Alexander and Mike DiBlasi earned goals and Deng Mawien picked up a pair of assists, with Fritz picking up seven saves. Liam Casey and Michael Gaughan had Ludden’s goals.
Manlius-Pebble Hill was overwhelmed last Wednesday by state Class D no. 2-ranked Fabius-Pompey in a 5-1 defeat, unable to recover after the Falcons bolted out to a 4-0 lead by halftime.
Naldo Chen did score in the second half, but even with that and Ezra Hamlin’s 13 saves, F-P proved too much, especially Jameson Andrews, whose three goals produced a hat trick as Kewan Trotman added a goal and three assists.
On Saturday, MPH faced LaFayette and got back in the win column, defeating the Lancers 3-1 as Chen got one goal and one assist, with Ahk El-Hindi and Jack Hogan also finding the net. Grant Lewis earned an assist.
