West Hartford’s Conard High School faced Trumbull Saturday in the third annual CT High School Soccer Challenge.

Sports reporting is sponsored by Keating Agency Insurance

By Paul Palmer

When Greg Smedberg took over as the head coach of the Conard boys soccer team this season, he said one of his goals was to make the team one that was talked about with the big schools in the sport. On Saturday, the Red Wolves took the first step in getting there by handing defending FCIAC Champion Trumbull its first loss of the season with a hard-fought 1-0 win.

“I think we deserved this win,” said Smedberg. “It shows we can hang with the big boys.”

Conard played to its strength most of the game by relying on its defense to stop the Eagles and then transition the Red Wolves onto offense. Several of the team’s captains man that line and Saturday, Jules Capone, Patrick Guildner, George Musto, and goalie Joe O’Connell were key parts of a backline that turned back thrust and thrust from Trumbull, especially over the last 15 minutes of the game as they nursed the one-goal lead. After the game Smedberg said of the group, “There is a reason why the captains are on that backline and wear the armbands.”

Trumbull had the better of the first half with O’Connell having to make a good low save at the post from a shot on goal. While the Eagles offense had more attacks, they were turned away from the backline and midfield of Conard. When the Red Wolves went on the attack in the first it was Ryan Whitner and Michael Guildner on the left and center and Lucas Hartland and Max Simmons doing the work.

Conard had a great chance off a corner that was headed on net, but it was hauled in by Trumbull goalie Connor Hughes. At the other end Trumbull had one of its best chances of the game when Tom DiCorpo got loose behind the defense but O’Connell came off his line to win the ball. A few minutes later David Onianwa sent teammate Christian Moura clear with a great feed, but Capone caught up and shutdown Moura, allowing O’Connell to easily pick up the loose ball.

It was a physical first half with a lot of hard tackles and shoulder charges, and the officials for the most part let them play in the scoreless half.

After the intermission, it was Conard that built the better chances at scoring, again working it from the back through midfield and building through possession. The ball came from the back and was sent into the middle of the box where Hughes came off his line as Arinze Oteka had a clear shot for Conard. He mis-hit the ball, but it rolled past Hughes and Michael Guildner raced to the ball as it bounded toward the net, beating a defender and depositing the ball into the back of the net for the 1-0 lead.

Conard kept up the pressure and nearly made it a two-goal game minutes later, but Hughes made a big save going low to his left to knock the ball wide.

There was a scary moment in the second half when Patrick Guildner and Onianwa were racing along the sideline for a loose ball. Guildner contacted Onianwa and he went flying into the Conard bench area, striking his head on the knee of a player. Play was stopped for several minutes while Onianwa was tended to by the athletic trainer. He would return to the game later in the half.

It was an example of the heavy play by both teams that drew a few whistles but no cards. The only yellow card went to a Trumbull player after he kicked the ball far out of bounds after the whistle and was called for delay.

Trumbull grew more desperate in their attack and was called for offsides with Conard executing a nearly flawless trap at midfield. The Eagles had a great scoring chance when Mateus Almeida raced down the right side after a ball that was played long past the Conard defense. In fact, there was no Conard defender on that side of the field with a shot at stopping him. Musto sprinted from near midfield and drew a perfect angle on Almeida and the ball as the striker tried to reel in the ball and cut toward the net. As Almeida let his shot go, Musto caught up to him and forced what ended up being a harmless shot into O’Connell’s midsection.

Later in the half it was Jack Clayton covering when Trumbull had a player beat the Conard defender, but Clayton blocked the shot before it got near the goal. To Conard’s credit, the backline and midfield repelled repeated offensive attacks by Trumbull as the Eagles pressed hard for the tying goal that did not come.

“We have an identity,” Smedberg said. “We know the style of play we want to play.”

Coming off two tough losses this week, the coach said Saturday was the result of where the team is right now. “The guys are starting to gel and trust each other. I’m just starting to know them and they are trusting me,” said the first-year head coach.

For Conard, playing in the CT High School Soccer Challenge along with 23 other top teams from six conferences across the state is a great way to build confidence and measure what kind of team you can be. “This is a really good practice for the state tournament,” said Smedberg. “It is beneficial to both conferences.”

The Red Wolves are now 3-2 on the season and play on the road at South Windsor and then defending Class M state champions Lewis Mills next week.

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