Soccer Teams Ready to Play

Last year, the boys soccer team went 16-2-2 and won the Class S state championship. This year, the Spartans are hoping to repeat that success.

They graduated three lettermen, two of whom were starters.

Senior midfielder Jake Alvaro returns for Somers. He is starting for his fourth year and has won two state championships and a North Central Connecticut Conference title.

“He could be the best athlete I have ever coached,” said coach John Pantuosco.

Senior forward Don Whittle also returns for the Spartans. He had 18 goals and was All-State last season and is a very dangerous forward.

Joe Pantuosco is a junior forward who has the most points of any player the past two seasons. He has a great work ethic, great speed, and great ball control.

Senior goalkeeper Alex Geas has totaled 29 shutouts the past two seasons. He gave up one goal in the final minute of the entire playoffs.

Connor O’Grady is a senior defender who Pantuosco calls “a winner.”

“Since breaking the starting lineup his sophomore year, Somers has given up .5 goals a game,” the coach said.

Fellow senior defender Joe Pellegrini is very fast and powerful and it’s his job to cover the best forward on the opposing team.

Lorenzo Rolocut is a senior midfielder and forward who has scored some big goals for Somers the past two years. Pantuosco calls him a “very fast and crafty player.”

Pantuosco says that the team needs to stay focused and work hard everyday, but that the outlook for the season is very good.

He adds that the team’s strength is that it is very used to winning, but says that the weakness is that it is too used to winning.

“Each year we design a t-shirt with a quote on the back,” Pantuosco said. “This year’s is,

‘It’s hard work getting to the top.  It’s harder work staying there.’”

For Somers, the teams to beat in the league are Avon, Suffield, Ellington, Granby, and Coventry.

The Spartans open the season on the road in East Granby on Tuesday at 3:45 p.m.

The team graduated nine lettermen – seven starters – from its 12-5-3 team last season.

Coach Roy Gurnon says that the team is pretty quick and at this point, the group seems to enjoy being together.

The weakness of the team is inexperience to a certain degree with so many new players.

There could be good things to come from this group, however.

“We are looking to win more than we lose, and depending on the progress of the younger players, maybe making life interesting for the contenders (being a spoiler) in the NCCC race,” Gurnon said.

Ellington returns senior goalkeeper Jeff Patrick, senior defender Kyle Plickys, senior forward Cameron King, and senior midfielder Brian Tiedt.

Also returning are senior midfielder Ryan Whiting, senior midfielder and defender Zach Topor, senior forward Stone Oliver, junior midfielder Drew Cohen, and junior goalie Kevin Stein.

Gurnon says that the teams to beat are Avon, Suffield, and Somers.

Ellington opens the season on Tuesday at 3:45 p.m. in Canton.

Girls Soccer

The Somers High School team is still young, but is looking for success and to improve upon last year’s 9-8-2 record.

“We are still a very young team,” coach Mark Lacafta said. “All returning varsity players, except for one, only have one year experience at the varsity level. Our success will be dependant upon our ability to improve our game and our skills as a team more so than as individuals.”

The Spartans graduated five lettermen, four of whom were starters.

Victoria LaVallee, a senior midfielder, is a captain this year. She was a key overall player last year and Lacafta says she will be a strong leader this year.

Junior defender Kylen O’Hearn is also a captain this year. Lacafta says O’Hearn was instrumental to the defense last year and will be leading the charge on defense.

Helena Rheault is the sophomore goalkeeper. She had a solid fresman year in goal and continued to improve as the season went on.

Lacafta said that Rheault worked hard in the offseason and should have a good year in goal and keep the Spartans in games.

The team strength is the desire to learn and compete while the weakness is the youth. He is looking forward to the season.

“I feel that we have the right players on our team, and they have the desire and drive to succeed, which should allow us to have a solid season and compete in the State Tournament,” he said.

Lacafta said that the teams to beat in the league are Suffield, Avon, and Granby.

Somers hosts East Granby at 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday to open the season.

The team had a less than stellar season last year but never gave up, and those young players are now experienced.

The Knights return seniors Emily Cohen, Kelly Conley, Kelly Mulka, and Hannah Naumec.

Junior goalkeeper Kiara Stone is also returning from an ACL injury. Gigi Rubino, who was All-Conference, Lisa DeConti, and Renee Gayton round out the junior returners.

At points last year, the Knights were playing six or seven freshmen at a time so these players now know the speed of the league and what it takes to play with the top competition.

Rachel Ziter, who has top speed on the outside midfield, Olivia Kosilla, who was All-Conference, and Karlee Alves and Samantha Anthony, both of whom have a lot expected of them in the back, are all returning and will start.

Sophomore Devonny Waters will see a lot of playing time, and goalkeeper Erin Schirra, who was forced into action as a freshman last year, is playing well.

Courtney Binkowski has been brought up to the varsity team and Julia Gillis and Rachel Wardrop may see some time.

Freshman Emily Costanzo will be starting for Ellington.

“She’s a really exciting freshman,” coach Richard Dyjak said. “She’s going to be outstanding. She’s one of the better freshmen we’ve had in a while.”

Freshman Emma Carr will come of the bench and see a lot of time and Shannon Jones will see time.

The Knights have 22 players and will swing six. Dyjak says gameday decisions as to who will play where will be made based on practice, needs, and injuries.

Dyjak says that when everybody is healthy, the team is pretty good. Ellington scrimmaged Fermi in the rain last week and won.

“When we have all of our people and we’re healthy, I think we’re going to be okay,” he said. “We’re going to be pretty good. I think we have the goods to maybe be a contender if everything is right, but it’s all got to fall right. We can’t have any injuries, we can’t have any slow days, stuff like that. We have enough talent but maybe not enough experience as far as competing.”

Dyjak predicts that Avon, Suffield, and Granby will be tough opponents this season.

Ellington hosts Canton on Tuesday at 3:45 p.m. to open the season.