Fenwick boys soccer falls to Weston in D3 North action

PEABODY – In MIAA Division 3 North action on Monday, No. 6 seed Fenwick lost to No. 11 Weston, 2-1.Click here for a photo gallery.”My guys held their own,” said Fenwick coach Andrew Bub, whose team finished 10-6-2. “They played great (Monday). They played brilliantly. Unfortunately, some of the bounces did not go our way.”The game was played at Fenwick, in a driving rainstorm, with the temperature in the low forties and over 200 bundled-up fans in the stands.The teams played to a scoreless tie in the first half, although Fenwick player Doug Garabedian had a disallowed goal that was ruled offsides.”You can’t change what went against us,” Bub said.In addition to the absence of scoring, there was also an absence of fouls; no one drew a whistle from the two referees. Halftime brought more rain and some bitter cold winds off the ocean. The second half was only five minutes old when Fenwick allowed an own goal that made the score 1-0, Weston.Fenwick intensified its attack, but the four deep defenders blunted every attack for the defending state champion Wildcats, who turned it into a counterattack. This finally paid off when, in the 72nd minute, a Weston shot from the left wing rebounded to senior striker Jason Dagres, who was in the top right corner of the area. He one-timed the ball back at the goal and it found the top far corner of the net.Weston now held a two-goal lead with eight minutes to go. Yet Fenwick never stopped hustling and moving the ball to the Weston net.”They fired themselves up,” Bub said. “The seniors didn’t want to be one-and-done.”This paid off in the 77th minute. Ian White carried the ball deep into the right corner of the area almost to the end line. This move drew almost all of the Weston defenders to him. He slipped a pass to unmarked Angelo Maida, standing on the 6-yard line, and he one-timed it past keeper Mark Fishman. This made the score 2-1, Weston.”We switched formations,” Bub said. “We overloaded on offense. (White) made a beautiful pass to an open person who was in the right spot at the right time.”In the last three minutes, the Crusaders were all over Weston as Fenwick went down fighting. In the last few seconds, Fenwick had a direct kick on the sideline about 25 yards from the Weston net. Fenwick put ten players in front of the goal but the kick was off line and the keeper scooped it up. As he was clearing the ball up the field, the final whistle blew to conclude the game.Freshman goalie Greg Enos finished with nine saves for the Crusaders.”As a freshman, he played like a big-time keeper,” Bub said. “He showed poise ? He’s a great kid. He comes to work every day.”The Fenwick coaching staff had high praise for the skill of the Weston players. Weston coach Renato Capobianco said, “The Fenwick team never stopped hustling for the ball.”Weston will play later this week against the winner of the Marian-Austin Prep game.Although his team was not able to advance this year, Bub had high praise for his entire roster.”We gave it everything we could,” he said. “My hat’s off to them. Every single one.”