Soccer season

 

This post is hardly a reflection of all the time on the soccer field.  

The season started this soccer with summer games at FSA on Thursday nights - That is where we first started to see Shane and Nick on the field together.  Nick voted a captain and leader with Logan Coursey and Ryan Bae.  

Shane playing on both JV and Varsity.  

Chris Weller first year coaching the boys with Keith August at JV 

Biggest name - CHRISTOPHER LEADBETTER as the freshman coach.  Love that he knew they were down a coach and offered his time to the sport.  Pretty sure there were afternoons that he had more fun than the kids, dusting off his cleats and getting on the field too.

The highlights from the season - 

Tied Granby at Granby  - what an athletic game.  Senior night was a loss to East Hampton, but the next night was a VERY tough game against East Granby that ended in a tie as well - but also contained Nick's (FAMOUS TO ME) flip throw in.

We loved orchestrating the post home game meals and was thankful for all the family participation.   Here are a few videos and photos that I managed to capture.

Shane and Nick on the field together.

https://youtu.be/82lw_f0oFqU

Nick's flip throw in

https://youtu.be/9iLnKpSjcgM

The famous run after the game - for some reason I really love when they do this.

https://youtu.be/OTO7-WwoBn0

Amy Brown had this photo taken and displayed in advance of senior night.  As I type this in March, I can report we STILL have this banner hanging up.  It may stay draped over Nick seat when he leaves for college.  I love everything about the determination in his face.  This demonstrates everything he played with this year.

Sadly the team suffered from lots of injuries, Jackson Bowne was out, Quin,  Ryan and Coursey had injuries during the season.  It was tough.  Their first playoff game was against WCA.  A team they had never played.  Beautiful stadium in Waterbury.  They team was doing awesome, they were up 3-0.  It was VERY heartbreaking to loose 4-3.  The score really speaks to what happened.  They changed things up, it didn't work, they lost....  it was heartbreaking.

The silver lining (for me) was the other teams goalie was probably the best sportsman I have ever seen.  Truly cheered for the game and he played his but off too.  Often leading a hand to pick up one of our team mates.  I was thankful they didn't loose to Old Saybrooke in a grudge match.

It was sad seeing these seniors walking off the field for the last time.

This was their last game, the last time together.  It all happened just too fast.  We got to hear the boys speak to the team and convey how must the team means to them and how hard it can be to say goodbye to it all.  

We served them up their final sandwiches for the final ride home.  

This was it Nick - you really were a joy to watch play, from the early days on the blue dragons where the ball was a hot potato and you barely wanted to make contact, to senior year, leading the team with your drive and determination.

Thankful Chris was able to be on the field for the final game and final season.  I know that is a treasure to the both of them.

THU 8/22	4:00 PM	Varsity	Scrimmage	Normal	Home	Manchester				Canton High School - Canton H.S. Turf
SAT 8/31	1:00 PM	Varsity	Scrimmage	Normal	Home	Northwest Catholic				Canton High School - Canton H.S. Turf
SAT 9/7	12:00 PM	Varsity	Non-League	Normal	Away	Old Saybrook	Loss	2-3		Old Saybrook High School - Old Saybrook HS Turf
THU 9/12	4:00 PM	Varsity	League	Normal	Away	Somers	Loss	0-6		Somers High School - Somers High School Turf Field
SAT 9/14	4:00 PM	Varsity	League	Normal	Home	Suffield	Win	2-1		Canton High School - Canton H.S. Turf
WED 9/18	4:00 PM	Varsity	League	Normal	Home	Rockville	Win	3-2		Canton High School - Canton H.S. Turf
FRI 9/20	6:15 PM	Varsity	League	Normal	Away	Granby Memorial	Tied	0-0		Granby Memorial High School - Stadium Field
TUE 9/24	4:00 PM	Varsity	League	Normal	Home	East Windsor	Win	5-0		Canton High School - Canton H.S. Turf
FRI 9/27	4:30 PM	Varsity	League	Normal	Home	Coventry	Tied	1-1		Canton High School - Canton H.S. Turf
TUE 10/1	3:45 PM	Varsity	League	Normal	Away	Windsor Locks	Win	4-2		Windsor Locks High School - Soccer Field 1 Upper
FRI 10/4	4:30 PM	Varsity	League	Normal	Home	Stafford	Win	7-0		Canton High School - Canton H.S. Turf
THU 10/10	4:00 PM	Varsity	League	Normal	Away	SMSA/Capital Prep	Win	6-1		Colt Park - Soccer Field
FRI 10/11	3:30 PM	Varsity	Non-League	Normal	Home	South Windsor	Loss	1-2		Canton High School - Canton H.S. Turf
WED 10/16	4:15 PM	Varsity	Non-League	Normal	Away	Haddam Killingworth	Loss	0-4		Haddam Killingworth High School (HK) - HKHS Track Field
FRI 10/18	4:30 PM	Varsity	League	Normal	Away	Ellington	Loss	2-3		Ellington High School - Soccer Field
MON 10/21	6:00 PM	Varsity	Non-League	Normal	Home	East Hampton	Loss	0-5		Canton High School - Canton H.S. Turf
TUE 10/22	3:45 PM	Varsity	League	Normal	Home	East Granby	Tied	2-2		Canton High School - Canton H.S. Turf
FRI 10/25	3:45 PM	Varsity	League	Normal	Away	Bolton	Win	4-1		Bolton High School - BHS Varsity Soccer Field
FRI 11/1	7:00 PM	Varsity	Tournament	Normal	Away	WCA	Loss	3-4