Boys' soccer forges ahead
BY LINDAWILLIAMS
In back to back action last Wednesday against Cape Cod Academy and Thursday against South Shore Christian High School, Nantucket managed to come away with two hard fought wins against tough opponents and a few bruises to show for it.

Nantucket knew after the last matchup against CCA, in which Nantucket took the win 3-1, that this meeting would be more difficult and CCA would have something to prove on their home turf. At stake was the Lighthouse Conference title. Things did not look promising at the end of the first half with Nantucket uncharacteristically down, 1-0. Coach Rich Brannigan felt that "we were not getting the ball into the net even though all the stats were running in our favor, we just could not score because maybe we were not creative enough and were a little flat-footed at first." This allowed CCA to take advantage of Nantucket's sluggishness to sail a shot in from near midfield, catching the defense and keeper Russell Bartlett off guard.

"It was an unusual spot for us to be in" Brannigan said. "We have only been down at the half two other times and we lost both of those games at the beginning of the season." Nantucket broke the drought when Caleb Mitchell sent a high corner kick in for Toby Glidden who used his height to head the ball into the net to even the match at 1-1. Nantucket scored two more unanswered goals in quick succession. Martin Manov received the ball off a textbook play by Caio Correa, and set up by Philipe Bazilio and Yuve Montenegro. Correa fired the ball at the keeper, who deflected it right to Manov who buried it into the corner of the net to go up 2-1. Correa, who had been switched back out of center to midfield for this game, added to his state leading points total on an impossibly angled shot assisted by Manov to end the scoring run at 3-1.

Brannigan attributes Correa's scoring prowess in part not just to innate ability but also to a "quick trigger.". He does not have a long stride like most players and does not pull the leg back to give away the kick. He is able to fire away off the run with no "tell" to the defense or the keeper. "By the time the keeper realizes where the ball is going it is already past him." Brannigan added that "it was nice to see the team turn this around against a really good team."

The team traveled to South Shore Christian High School on Thursday for what would be a very difficult game against an opponent with a 10-1-1 record. The team took top honors last year with a 12-0-0 record so Nantucket knew it would have its hands full.

The game started an hour after the team got off the bus as SSC had neglected to secure the referee. Brannigan was also concerned about the unusually small, poorly surfaced field, making it difficult for Nantucket to open up the field as it usually does. "The kids were over-ready and chomping at the bit. We usually have about five minutes to warm up and then we hit the field ready to go. It was really hard to keep them focused so we came out slow, but it was great we came away with the win."

Nantucket finally got on the board at the 28th minute of the first 40-minute half when Correa took a pass from Glidden and threaded it through two defenders. Brannigan made some changes on the field and moved Henry Farrell up from defense to cover SSC's best player, and moved Manov back on defense to protect the goal area. There were few shots on goal by Nantucket to that point, and Nantucket held a slim, 1-0, lead going into the break. Just after the break, Nantucket scored again for the insurance goal when Correa sent a blazing shot into the net on an assist from Mitchell.

Nantucket's goal production has fallen off in the past few weeks due to many players nursing injuries and the strength of the schedule at the end of the season. "We are no longer getting four-to-five goals a game but we are psyched to have won, given how beat up the team is right now and how physically big that team was. We got knocked around a little bit today." The game was going to end earlier so the team could make the boat back to the island but Brannigan was glad they decided to stick it out. "It was not a cakewalk and it was nice to come away with a legitimate win because we had to tough it out and work on some things."

Brannigan was pleased that the game against Sturgis was cancelled on Friday. "We needed the rest." It was rescheduled for today away. It will help keep the team focused and game ready for this Saturday's home game against Scituate at 1 p.m., and get the team ready for the season ender Monday night against the Vineyard, who Nantucket lost to at the beginning of the season 3-1. "It is a tough way to end the season but good preparation for the post season tournament." Brannigan urges everyone to come out to the game under the lights on October 30 at 6 p.m. at the football field to support the team. "It is really critical for the team to have a lot of support in the stands and it will be our one real showcase on the island for the season."

I