Ryan O’Leary (center) and Matt Olejarz (right) fight a Sutton player for control of the ball. (Photos by Lisa Aciukewicz)
Eric McAlpine (right) goes airbound for a header
The chilling wind in Worcester at Commerce Bank Stadium didn’t affect the number of fans who came to cheer for their respective teams at the Central Division 3 finals on Nov. 9. Sutton and Bromfield were the two best teams in boys varsity soccer, but Bromfield had run away with the number one seed in their district and therefore claimed home field advantage, wearing their white jerseys with blue shorts, prepped for an epic game.
Early attacks misfire
Bromfield attacked quickly, but missed an early scoring opportunity when Andrew Cullinan sent a shot over the net. Eli Wood came up short as he rocketed the ball from close range skyward over the net. A couple of fouls by Sutton seemed to set the stage for Bromfield, but Sutton pressed its own attack, forcing Bromfield goalie Ryan Kennedy to kick the ball away and out of play to prevent a potential goal. Alas, Kennedy was touched earlier than expected as Eric Bater got a pass to Ryan Elster, who kicked the ball past the diving goalie and into the net, giving Sutton a 1-0 lead.
Afterwards, the offense slowed down for Bromfield as the momentum had suddenly shifted. A foul by Matt Olejarz set the stage for a free kick, which would have given Sutton a comfortable lead. However, Kennedy caught the shot and kicked it away to prevent further damage. Multiple fouls on both sides set the stage for potential shots on goal, but none seemed to work. R. Stelle missed a shot beside the net. Kennedy had to be quick on his toes, though, when Roman Vellante headed a ball his way. Kennedy caught it, and the game continued. After a couple of failed free kicks, Bromfield called for a timeout. But when play resumed, nothing seemed to get past the Sutton defense, which kicked in as they took the early lead and held it through the rest of the first half.
As the second half began, the energy of the fans intensified, with each faction hoping to see its team take home the District championship. Sutton quickly gained the upper hand, however, with an early goal from Stelle, with an assist from Elster, giving Sutton a 2-0 lead. Then, after Eli Wood was called for a foul, he was shoved by Cole Accoceli, which sparked a negative reaction from the Bromfield fans when the referee ignored it. Things weren’t going Bromfield’s way. A shot by Ezra Kraus was saved by G. Smythe, the Sutton goalie. The free kicks and corner kicks awarded Bromfield didn’t work either, as Sutton’s defense proved impenetrable. Coach Tom Hill called a timeout for the second time, attempting to rally his team as the clock was winding down. But that seemed unlikely, especially since Bromfield passes had been off the mark for most of the game, and players didn’t get the ball to the right guy in time.
Trojans rally
Eric McAlpine had a great shot on the net as the timer ticked down, but it skimmed the crossbar, and the score remained 2-0 Sutton. A third and final timeout was called by Bromfield, hoping for a last ditch effort to come back in this game. A foul on Stelle of Sutton set the stage for Magnus Hermans, who passed the ball to Andrew Cullinan, who scored and made it 2-1 Sutton. But Sutton’s lead would stand as the game ended after an amazing effort to get back into the game by the Bromfield players.
A season to be proud of
The only regular season loss suffered by Bromfield this year was against Sutton, in a 1-0 contest on Oct. 4. Although its season did not end on a high note, the team can boast a 17-1-0 regular season record, and a 19-2-0 final record. It was also a team that shut out both Quaboag and Keefe Tech to win its spot in the District finals.
For Bromfield seniors Ezra Kraus, Ben L’Ecuyer, Ryan Kennedy, Eli Wood, Ben Veno, Mitch Sklar, Ross Brown-Cullinane, Andrew Cullinan, Eric McAlpine, Ryan O’Leary, and Thomas Hill, this was their last high school soccer game. The 2013 Bromfield varsity boys soccer team put in great effort and had an impressive season.
Michael Jarosz is a junior at the Bromfield School.
Andrew Cullinan taps in the only Bromfield goal of the game after Sutton’s goalkeeper finds himself out of the goal.
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| Left: Ezra Kraus (left) gives it all he’s got as he takes the ball toward the goal. |
Ben L’Ecuyer (left) runs downfield as Ross Brown-Cullinane travels with the ball. |
