Both West Hartford high school teams progress to the second round of the Class LL boys soccer tournament following home victories Monday night.

By Ronni Newton

The Conard boys soccer team celebrates after defeating Fairfield Prep in penalty kicks in the first round of the Class LL boys soccer tournament. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

For the third year in a row, Conard earned a first round home game in the Class LL boys soccer state tournament. And for the third year in a row, the Chieftains won on their home turf.

Conard, the no. 13 seed, hosted no. 20 seed Fairfield Prep in Monday’s first round. After more than 30 scoreless minutes, Fairfield Prep senior Christopher Montani knocked one in and the Jesuits led 1-0 at the half.

Conard came out of the break focused and energized, and senior co-captain Sebi Rengifo scored with 31:07 left in the half. Conard’s intensity continued, with the Chieftains firing multiple shots at the Fairfield Prep goal that either missed or were saved by the goalie.

The game remained a 1-1 tie after regulation and two 10-minute overtimes, with only the agonizing tiebreaker of penalty kicks remaining to determine the winner.

Conard senior co-captain Sebi Regnifo prepares to take his penalty kick. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Conard senior co-captain Erik Ribeiro shot first, and drilled it in. Fairfield Prep’s first attempt was deflected by Conard goalie Patrick Corcoran. One-by-one, Conard and Fairfield Prep players shot at the goal. Conard’s Declan O’Brien, Stephen Espinal, and Siggy Arnason made their shots. Fairfield Prep didn’t miss its next three shots either. The rest of the Conard team and hundreds of fans collectively held their breath as Regnifo stepped up to the line – and booted the ball into the goal.

“You can’t do anything to prepare for that,” Conard head coach Adam Linker said after the game. Even though the Chieftains had practiced penalty kicks all week, nothing could simulate the pressure of a game situation where one miss could mean the end of the season.

“Part of what I talked about is this. It’s all about memories here, your last day on the [home] field. I’m unbelievably proud of them … Every adjective that’s positive is what I can say about these guys,” Linker said.

Conard senior goalie Bryan Baker, visibly limping after the first overtime period, was replaced by Corcoran in the goal when the game went to penalty kicks. Linker said Baker would have remained in goal if he had not been hurt, but when he had to be replaced, he knew that Corcoran, who has been an ace at saving PKs in practice, was the one for the job.

Corcoran has played JV all season and was just called up for the tournament, but said, “the pressure [of PKs] makes me feel better.” Linker also knew that Corcoran had prepared for this moment, had spent hours studying a YouTube video of Fairfield Prep’s penalty kick win last week over Daniel Hand in the SCC tournament and had even handed the coach a written report on Fairfield Prep’s penalty kick strategy.

The last time Conard and Fairfield Prep met was in the quarterfinals of Class LL in 2012, and that time Fairfield Prep won 2-1 in overtime.

Conard (12-4-1) will face a familiar CCC West foe, the Farmington Indians (13-2-1), at 5 p.m. Wednesday in Farmington in the second round of the Class LL tournament. Conard lost to Farmington 2-0 and 1-0 during the regular season. Farmington, a no. 4 seed, had a bye in the first round.

Across town, the no. 8 seeded Hall Warriors also had home field advantage for first round action. Hall hosted no. 25 seed Xavier, and the Falcons led 1-0 until senior co-captain Jake Bauman’s goal with six minutes left in regulation sent that game into overtime tied 1-1.

Senior co-captain Jack Monnes was definitely not ready to end his Hall soccer career, scoring twice in overtime to lead the Warriors to a 3-1 victory.

Hall (13-3-1) hosts no. 9 Danbury (12-2-3) on Wednesday at 2 p.m.