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On this week’s “Warrior Sports Week on GMW,” Alex K. features the Wilton High School boys soccer team, girls swim and dive team, and a decisive field hockey team win on senior night.
Further down below, read about the boys varsity soccer team’s wins over rivals Ridgefield and New Canaan, WHS boys golf coach Jack Majesky‘s updates on his team, and news about some Wilton rowers who brought home the hardware.
Boys Soccer Team Brings Home Victories Over Rivals
The Wilton High School boys varsity soccer team earned two important victories and a tie (seven points in the standings) last week setting up an exciting potential run toward the postseason (five regular season games remain).
Warriors Battle State’s Top Teams
After enduring a gauntlet of road games against four of the state’s and FCIAC’s top teams by winning percentage (Greenwich, Trumbull, Fairfield Warde and Staples — teams with a combined 25-3-5 record so far this season), the Warriors were ready to return to the more friendly confines of Lilly Field for home games against Danbury and New Canaan and a third match nearby in Ridgefield.
“That was one of the toughest runs of soccer any team in the state will see this year. Our team showed pockets of brilliance and a never-quit attitude. We learned a lot about ourselves and tested our depth during this stretch. I am proud of the way the team competed and even more proud of our results in our more recent performances as we earned important points in the conference race,” Warrior Coach Edwin Carvajal said, adding, “We have a lot of work still to do to reach our goals, but we are gaining confidence and moving in the right direction.”
The Greenwich match was a “Warrior-bounce” away from being a very tight and nervy second-half battle for Greenwich. After a slow start, the Warriors faced an 0-2 deficit midway through the second half. The Warriors were pressing hard and nearly made it a one-goal game but were denied by the Cardinals’ crossbar. The Warriors outplayed Greenwich for much of that second half, but the game ended with only a moral victory as the Warriors’ second-half performance proved they could hang with one of the State’s best.
Trumbull and Fairfield Warde had a similar feel. Both were very physical, even matches and a play or two one way or another that could have changed the trajectory and outcome of each. The Trumbull game ended 1-3 (Toby Plowright scoring for the Warriors early in the second half on a heads-up play to intercept a failed goalie clearance) to make it 1-2, but the Eagles sealed it with a third goal in the waning seconds as the Warriors were stretching far forward and therefore exposed in the back as they sought the equalizer.
Against Fairfield Warde, the Warriors outshot the Mustangs over the course of the game but a Declan Zadourian goal just wasn’t enough and Wilton succumbed, dropping the match by a tight score of 1-2.
Wilton Ties Danbury 0-0
Against Danbury on a rainy Saturday morning, the Warriors faced a team that imposed a similar possession-oriented game. The match saw both teams play even for the full 80 minutes and use a full slate of players to hold the line. Neither could push across the game-winner as the goalkeeping and defensive play were superb. The game ended in a 0-0 stalemate.
Warriors Defeat Rams 4-2
The New Canaan match saw the Warriors take to the field determined to out-possess and outwork the Rams.
From the opening whistle, senior captains David Unruh and Zadourian put New Canaan under pressure and implored teammates to push forward. Midfielders James Cameron, Toby Plowright, Jack Crossen, Sid Suneja, Andrew Ryan and Andrew Partenza followed suit, raising the intensity on the field.
Senior Kieran McGann led from the center-back position while Matt DeMasi, Finn Burke and Evan Arghirescu controlled play with strong tackling and smart distribution. Alex Pravia, Cole van den Heuvel and Luka Andjelkovic applied offensive pressure. Despite what felt like a dominating performance to that point, New Canaan managed to take the first lead of the game with a goal against the run of play late in the first stanza.
Wilton was quick to respond on a positive sequence that built from the back. James Cameron played a beautiful piercing long ball across the pitch that connected in the far right corner with Partenza, who dropped it back to DeMasi who served it to Amit Solomon at the top of the box who first timed a perfect looping shot over the outstretched arms of the New Canaan keeper, tying the match at one goal apiece just before the end of the first half.
In the second half, Wilton’s pressure paid dividends as a sustained Wilton attack driven by Pravia and van den Heuvel led to a searching ball that slid across the face of the goal mouth to be deposited by a driving Zadourian, giving the Warriors a 2-1 lead.
Andrew Ryan, James Morello, Graham Kowel, Brivic Sato, Jakabs Silins, Charlie Clune, Ethan Lipper, Liam Christ and Tyler Copolla have all offered additional support across the field.
The Warriors seized on their advantage a few minutes later with a brilliant strike from distance by Burke. He received the ball just inside midfield on a swinging left-to-right switch of play, looked up and saw the New Canaan keeper off his line. Burke proceeded to drive a 40-plus-yard laser that found the top left corner of the goal beyond the reach of the Rams’ keeper.
Wilton would cap the scoring for the night late in the game when Unruh beat multiple Rams up the right flank and then served the ball perfectly over the heads of three defenders to senior teammate van den Heuvel who connected with a beautifully driven header that ripped the net to seal the victory for the home Warriors.
For his efforts (and three assists) in the New Canaan game, senior Unruh earned a Ruden Report Player of the Week nomination.
Wilton Beats Rival Ridgefield 4-1
The Warriors descended on “Tiger Hollow” in Ridgefield for a midweek rivalry game recognizing an important opportunity. A win over Ridgefield would provide the Warriors their third head-to-head victory in the FCIAC East division with three more divisional matches and three cross-division games to play before concluding the regular season.
The Warriors came ready to play but were stunned quickly as the Tigers snuck a goal in the sixth minute to take a 1-0 lead, which held up for the remainder of the first half. Wilton came out determined in the second half and quickly tied the match on a goal by Pravia off an Arghirescu assist.
Shortly after the equalizer, Unruh drew a penalty kick on a strong individual effort and Zadourian calmly converted (see video) giving the Warriors a 2-1 lead. The Warriors kept their foot on the gas, with Unruh scoring a third goal for the Warriors off an Amit Solomon assist. The final goal of the game was tallied by senior, Luka Andjelkovic, off an assist by Pravia.
The Warriors closed out an impressive and important 4-1 victory on the road taking three much-needed points home with them.
Jamie Whitaker completed a strong run of performances in goal, as the Warriors conceded only three goals in the three matches against Danbury, New Canaan and Ridgefield.
Next up, the Warriors face another East Division opponent, St Joseph’s, on Tuesday, Oct. 10 for Senior Night (6 p.m. ceremony for seniors followed by 6:30 p.m. kickoff), both under the lights at Wilton’s Lilly Field.
players on the WHS bosys soccer team Credit: contributed 
senior Sid Suneja Credit: contributed 
senior Luka Andjelkovic Credit: contributed 
senior Kieran McGann Credit: contributed 
senior Declan Zadourian Credit: contributed 
senior David Unruh Credit: contributed 
senior Cole van den Heuvel Credit: contributed 
senior Alex Pravia Credit: contributed
Boys Golf: Warriors Tie Trumbull at Rolling Hills
It was a beautiful fall day — mid-70s and full sun — on the pristine Rolling Hills Country Club’s scoring test, when two FCIAC varsity boys golf teams met and played near flawless golf. The visiting Eagles of Trumbull High School challenged the first nine, course rated 36.0, with excellent shot-making and produced a tie 153-153 stand-off. Both teams however took away non-win pride defined by their excellent play and very respectable returns — 153 at The Hills is a good number.
The Warriors’ home course defense was accomplished by junior co-captain Hudson Hagmann’s one over par 37 and duplicate 38s constructed by seniors Drew Lane and Tucker Farrell. Co-Captain Thomas Rogozynski completed the team’s solid scorecard attested at 40.
With just three conference matches remaining, the Wilton Boys’ record currently stands at 7 wins, 2 losses, and 2 ties
Wilton Rowers Bring Home Gold & Silver Medals from RiverFront Regatta
Congratulations to medal winners and all of the Norwalk River Rowing athletes who delivered great teamwork in some strong currents at The 2023 Head of The RiverFront regatta earlier this month in Hartford. Several Wilton rowers were among the club’s winners from the regatta:
WHS sophomore Maia Andjelkovic — Silver in the Woman’s Junior 2x
WHS junior Kelly Beneventano — Gold in the Women’s Junior Novice 4x
Middlebrook eighth grader Simi Bhutani — Gold in the Women’s Junior Novice 4x
WHS sophomore Dean Metropoulos — Gold in the Men’s Junior Novice 4x
Rowing is a fantastic sport, maybe not one we’ll ever see officially done at the schools here but it’s great to see a lot of kids doing it + GMW covering it.