GOOD Morning Wilton is catching up on all the great youth sports news we missed during election season. Today we’re focused on youth soccer.
Results and scores are submitted by Wilton Youth sports teams and published (typically) every Tuesday. Please submit all stories and updates, along with a photo via the “Submit a Story” link on the website by noon on Monday of each week (we cannot accept submissions via email). Stories received after the deadline may not be included. Results write-ups will be grouped by sport and published in the order they are received.
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U9 Crew
Oct. 22-23: U9 Wilton Soccer Team Crew defeat Stamford 7-1
Team Crew came out strong Sunday, Oct. 23 playing well as a team against Stamford. The team was missing Grayden Gemelli who joined them cheering from the sideline due to an injury. Starting the offensive pressure Connor Cooney broke down the field towards the goal with a perfectly placed cross to Hudson Lynn who one-touched it into the goal. Tommy Pemble showed great speed during the game and cut off a goal kick to get the ball in front of the goal for Parker Flory to knock it in for Wilton’s second goal. Flory added another goal before half dribbling up the field and getting it past all of Stamford’s defense. Emmett Sheeran followed suit next, dribbling it up the field and getting Wilton’s fourth goal of the game. Wilton was very strong both defensively and in mid-field with Gavin Valletta, Greyson Harrington, John O’Grady, Luke Grippando, Will Grosso and Cooney stopping Stamford’s opportunities and beating them to the ball continually feeding it to the Crew team. Flory kept his scoring streak going by tipping in his third goal during the second half. Grippando showed his powerful kick taking multiple corner kicks for the Crew team. Continuing with the pressure, Nashton Kellish broke through Stamford’s defense bringing Wilton to a 6-1 lead. Finishing up the game, Flory dribbled up the field and ripped one into the net for his fourth goal of the game and a final score of 7-1.
Oct. 29-30: Wilton BU9 Crew 2, Weston BU9 Blue 1 — Close encounter of the soccer kind
Wilton Crew continued its impressive season with a home win against a plucky Weston side.
A tight, evenly-matched first half saw the teams tied goalless, with both sides having good chances to break the deadlock.
Wilton started the second half in a determined manner, however, with an opening goal from Cooney, followed by a splendid strike from Lynn.
Wilton had chances to extend its lead further but were unable to find that final touch to make the game safe.
With Weston pulling a goal back halfway through the second half, the ending was tense, but Wilton managed to hang on to take its season statistics to 6-1.
Wilton U10 Boys
Oct. 29-30: Wilton’s U10 Boys Team Real vs. Fairfield United, 3-3
Wilton’s U10 Boys Team Real closed out October with a hard-fought 3-3 draw against Fairfield United at Hurlbutt Field. In the opening minutes of the match, Thane Lepore gave Wilton a quick lead with an impressive unassisted goal. Jack Torpe struck next, racing up the left side of the field, assisted by a great outlet from first-half goalkeeper Alex Meken. Stout defense led by Marco Bezanson, Everett Nieman, and Raleigh Hanscom resulted in a 2-0 Team Real lead at the half. Fairfield’s offense battled back in the second half, but resilient midfield play by Will Pemble, Sean Ahearn, Brody Kear and Lochlan McBurney kept the game close. An unassisted goal by Meken secured the 3-3 tie. After the game, Coach Ollie commended the boys for their excellent team play against a tough opponent.
Nov. 5-6: Wilton U10 Boys Team Real Defeats Ridgefield 2-1
Wilton’s U10 Boys Team Real opened November with an exciting 2-1 victory over the Soccer Club of Ridgefield, marking the third win this fall against rival Ridgefield and completing the season sweep. Meken opened the scoring midway through the first half with a laser-like strike from the top of the box. Strong two-way play in the midfield from Hamza Ahmed, Bezanson and Pemble kept the score 1-0 going into the half. A determined Ridgefield squad knotted the game at 1-1 early in the second, but striker Torpe scored moments later, regaining the lead for Wilton. Team Real’s offense kept pressing, with several good chances by Kear and Lepore. From there, Wilton’s hard-working defense led by Griffin Erickson, Hanscom and Nieman shut down the Ridgefield attack, resulting in the 2-1 victory. The boys look to carry their momentum into the season finale against Greenwich next weekend.
2013 Wilton Girls Pride
Oct. 29-30: Wilton Girls 2013 Pride Fall to Old Greenwich
The Wilton Girls 2013 Pride lost a hard-fought game on Sunday, Oct. 30 against Old Greenwich. The game was tied 1-1 going into the second half with a strong offensive and defensive performance all around. A few late second-half goals put the game out of reach but the girls fought hard until the end.
TOPSoccer
TOPSoccer Celebrates Another Great Season — Halloween Finale Brings Smiles for All
Wilton Soccer Association’s TOPSoccer program wrapped up a fantastic season this past weekend.
Each Sunday afternoon this fall season, a team of Wilton High School student-athletes in cooperation with the Wilton Soccer Association coordinated a fun, soccer-based program called TOPSoccer that encourages movement and joy for all its players. The season finale this past Sunday, Oct. 30 was highlighted by end-of-season awards, fun games and prizes and of course, ice cream treats.
US Youth Soccer-endorsed “TOPSoccer” (The Outreach Program for Soccer) is a community-based recreational sports program created for athletes of all ages with intellectual, emotional, or physical disabilities offered through local US Youth Soccer-affiliated soccer clubs such as the Wilton Soccer Association. TOPSoccer provides participants with diverse abilities an opportunity to play soccer in a structured environment that is safe, fun, supportive, and inclusive.
Over the years, Wilton Soccer Association and its TOPSoccer team have worked closely with groups such as Wilton Athletics, Wilton SEPTA, Wilton Youth Council and Wilton Parks and Recreation to develop, enhance and offer this long-standing program while also building awareness for the opportunity it provides.
“We are so grateful for those that founded this program in town many years ago, as well as those that currently support it here in Wilton, it is a true team effort,” WSA President Jason Partenza said. “We are also so very appreciative and impressed by the hard work of our current TOPSoccer leader, Heather Plowright, and her whole team that brings it all together.”
Plowright, the WHS senior captain of the girls varsity soccer team, led the program for the last three seasons and has been involved for longer. She and her team plan the seasons, recruit and train a team of Wilton High School classmates and teammates to lead by example on the field and execute the weekly sessions.
“TOPSoccer is something so special to me, our team of WHS buddies and our community. It is such a fun way to give back and support others through a sport we love,” Plowright said.
WSA is excited to see the program continue its growth and positive contributions in the seasons to come.
U11 Blue
Nov. 5-6: U11 Wilton Blue Soccer Defeats Trumbull, 6-1
The Wilton Blue team finished its season strong with a 6-1 win over Trumbull on Sunday, Nov. 6. Trumbull jumped out ahead with the first goal, but Wilton responded when Grayson Levenherz scored on a brilliant direct kick. Levenherz’s shot sailed over the wall of defenders and the keeper’s reach into the back of the net to equalize the game. Levenherz then scored the go-ahead goal off a corner kick. Early in the second half, Georgie DiBuono-Krafrick extended Wilton’s lead to 3-1 with a rocket of a shot that blew right past the keeper. Next DiBuono-Krafick fed Levenherz a great ball for his third goal of the game. Alyster Libertiny kept Trumbull to one goal by stopping a few opportunities for Trumbull including a one-on-one breakaway. Wilton continued to keep up the pressure with Aidan Cooney dribbling down the right sideline and placing the ball in the far upper corner of the net for Wilton’s fifth goal. A few minutes later Jason Raftery had a great pass from backfield to Max Bezanson who fed Cooney for his second goal of the game. Great job to the team including Everett Johnson, Garrett Jeschke, Max Langeland, Quentin Tarr, Sam Thompson, Thatcher Saverine and Tucker Rekow for their outstanding performance.
Wilton Soccer GU9 Spirit
Nov. 5-6: Wilton Soccer GU9 Team Spirit Bring A-Game
On a beautiful, and very warm fall day, the Wilton girls U9 Team Spirit came to the Hurlbutt Fields at Ambler Farm ready to play. The Monroe Soccer Club Girls U9 White team never gave up and kept the pressure on; however, the Wilton girls were determined and ended the game with an 11-4 win.
The girls hit the ground running and goals were scored in the first minutes of play. Goals were scored by: Riane Libertiny (2), Elizabeth Mims (1), Alexandra Spetsaris (4), Alexis Chute (1), Chloe Partenza (2), and Ella Messina (1). Meanwhile, Team Spirit’s goalkeepers, Sadie Newton (1st half) and Scarlett Jaehnig (2nd half), did a fantastic job of protecting the goal.
In their second to last game of the season, the entire team demonstrated all they had learned this season. They truly played together as a team, with other members Vivian Marks-Parinello, Carolyn Queally, Annabelle Robinson, and Hailey Vagner making some truly notable defense moves and aggressively assisting their teammates with passing assists.
Thanks to Coach Andrea Benalcazar and Coach Ashley for their support and encouragement throughout the game.
Nov. 12-13: Wilton 2012 Girls Take 2nd Place in League Finals
It was an exciting playoff weekend for the number-two-ranked Wilton 2012 Girls Travel Soccer Team. On Saturday, Nov. 12, the 13-3 Warriors faced number-three Weston at home in the Southwest Division semifinals. Strong defensive play and an equalizing goal by Wilton’s Remy Young held the game tied at 1-1, until a late game-winning penalty kick by Athena Jiang led the Warriors to a 2-1 win, and a trip to the championship on Sunday, Nov. 13 at Trumbull.
The cold and wet weather was a major factor in Sunday morning’s final against the talented (and aptly named) number-one-ranked Trumbull Storm. Trumbull quickly jumped ahead to a 3-0 lead in the first half, and looked to be cruising to victory, as the wind and rain pounded the slippery turf field. The undaunted Warriors came out with a vengeance in the second half and scored two dramatic goals — the first by Ava DiDonato and the second by Young — to cut Trumbull’s lead down to just 1. The match stayed competitive and physical throughout the rest of the second half, but ultimately Trumbull earned a hard-fought 2-5 victory over Wilton, despite several incredible stops by Wilton goalie Elsa Baronowski.
Even after the tough loss, the Warriors left the field all smiles and heads held high, knowing that they gave it their all. These girls had something special this season, and played every game with passion, focus, and grit — values that were instilled by Coach Arty Hilario. But they also played with sportsmanship and genuine friendship, which made watching the games an absolute joy for family and friends.
Congratulations on an exceptional season to Jiang, Chloe Hyland, Ella Bayonne, Baronowski, Emma Dugan, Grace Santosky, Kaitlyn Dragunat, Liv Spielman, Nickole Todd, Olivia Keczkemethy, Pippa Kulon, Rebecca Silins, Young, Sophie Passaro, and team captains Kate Brennan and DiDonato.