West Hartford’s Hall High School girls soccer team hosted lost to Wethersfield Wednesday night in West Hartford.

Sports reporting is sponsored by Keating Agency Insurance

By Hadley Smith

The Hall Girls Varsity Soccer team walked off the field Wednesday night with looks of disappointment, yet there was hope. Some players commented after the game that, though they had lost 2-1 to Wethersfield, they felt that the only thing they lost that night was the game itself. The next night, they would face Bloomfield in their first divisional game – a challenge, the girls recognized, that couldn’t reflect Wednesday night’s mood.

Defending themselves continuously against Wethersfield’s attack, there were moments in the game that Hall’s girls pushed through. Anya Leshem (#7) scored swiftly off a corner kick with an assist by Alex Ackerman (#11). Ackerman turned the scramble inside the box between the ball and the goalie into a goal, taking and scoring the ball over the goalie’s head. Toss-ups between players led the ball astray, Hall demonstrating their composure in keeping the ball on the ground in the slick mud instead of in the air.

They functioned as a team, but nevertheless were half a step behind Wethersfield’s offense as the Eagles earned two goals against Hall’s goalie.

Scott Ferguson, the girls’ head coach, spoke with an assured voice when looking back at the game’s twists and turns. “The conditions weren’t ideal for a game like this to go well; both teams had it in them, but we had to deal with more than just imprecise passing,” he said.

The rain, they agreed, was a setback that only made it harder for the team to keep pace with Wethersfield’s offensive attacks. “Had we had more time,” he countered, “we could’ve taken back the steps we lost in parts of this game.” Always maneuvering the ball, Hall lost energy as the rain plummeted their game and soaked their spirits.

Yet, any worrying about the team itself was scarce. Few teams would’ve had the resilience to play in the conditions themselves that night, let alone against a team they knew they were evenly matched with. Even with this loss, both Coach Ferguson and assistant Coach Corey affirmed that this varsity group is “one of the tightest they’ve ever had,” and that the adversity they faced in the game was that game’s problem alone. Though everyone left disappointed, the team’s mentality will “continue to rise as they support each other” in the upcoming season.

Indeed the Hall girls had a very different game Thursday night as they defeated Bloomfield 6-0. With a record of 5-2-1, they next travel to Bristol Eastern next Tuesday.

Raising Awareness for Morgan’s Message

Athletes deal with adversity in every practice, every game, and every season – it’s what comes with signing up for a sport. Frequently, the expectations that come along with the inherent competition and the adversity they face can lead to dislike for the sport, disappointment with performance, and, at times, crises in their mental health.

Wednesday night’s Hall girls soccer game was in support of Morgan’s Message, represented by a club at Hall. The organization focuses on “raising awareness about the challenges student-athletes face at your schools” and “eliminating the stigma surrounding mental health.” Ambassadors of Morgan’s Message have aided motivated students to become active leaders and advocates of mental health on their campus and in their communities. For schools like Hall, there has been an increase in interest as topics surrounding mental health in athletics have become more prevalent and more critical to athletes across the nation.

Though Hall lost this game, they succeeded in raising further awareness about this organization and its cause.

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