Chatham High School (N.J.) Boy’s soccer team’s defense kept it in the game against Delbarton, only permitting a late goal in the first half. But the Green Wave (1-1) applied even more offensive pressure in the second half, tacking on two more tallies enroute to a 3-0 victory today at Cougar Filed.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!With 17 seniors gone to graduation, head coach Mark Maka said that his squad lost to a tough team. Plus, the Cougars are still a work in progress, just two games into the year.
However, Maka said there were a few positives that he took from the match. And he is confident that Chatham will improve going forward.
“They’re a good team, and we are still building what we want to do,” Maka explained. “There are some things that we can definitely build on from today. We had some structure, and guys understood what their roles (are). We need to get better on the ball. But it’s so early in the season, and it’s a brand-new team. We’ll sort some things out, and we’ll get better.”
With .31 seconds remaining in the first half, Delbarton junior defender Cortland Martin blasted a shot off the left crossbar that junior goalkeeper Ilan Dutton, who made 10 saves, dove and flew through the air in attempt to stop. But the ball violently ricocheted off the post, hit him in the back, and bounced behind the line for a Green Wave 1-0 lead.
Junior Brooks Loftin, one of the better players on Chatham, found a silver linen in the losing effort, saying that it played more jointly that its first tilt, a 0-0 tie to Mountville.
Moreover, the Cougars put together a solid first half, but Delbarton was able shut down their offense. Then, as a result, it put away the game in the second.
“We were together as a unit,” Loftin said of the way the team performed. “First game, we were a little spread out; lot of gaps. But this one, truly, they couldn’t play through us. Their only goal (in the first half) was off the post from 25 yards out. I was happy with the first half. It’s difficult with a team like this. Honestly, all of them have been playing soccer their whole lives, and they can find who’s good on our team, and stop it.”
While the Cougars (0-1-1) feverishly fought to stay in the match, clearing several close calls, junior midfielder Henry Ferro found the back of the net, with Martin netted the assist, to extend Delbarton’s advantage to 2-0 with 28:24 to go in the second half.
Green Wave sophomore forward/midfielder Matt Brusco capped the contest’s scoring at 3-0 with 8:09 left in the game. Junior Ryan Alessi assisted on the goal.
The Cougars will face Livingston Friday at 4:00 p.m. at home.
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