Bobcats Begin State Title Defense with a Win

New year, new head coach, new team leaders, same result for the Brookfield High School (BHS) boys soccer team.  The Bobcats began a new era last night at BHS Stadium with a solid 4-1 victory over a young Weston squad that hung tough for a half, but couldn't contain Brookfield in the second.

The Bobcats came out to start the game strongly and capitalized on two of their scoring opportunities to take a 2-0 lead near the midpoint of the half.  Weston then calmed down and caught their breath, controlling the ball for the remainder of the half and ultimately scoring at the 6:50 mark to cut the lead to one.

"It took us 15 minutes to get out of the box," Trojans head coach Kevin Fitzsimmons said of his young team that was faced with the tall task of opening the season on the road against the defending state champs.  "It was a tough test for our young players.  Once we got down 2-0 we played better soccer.  We deserved the goal and made the game exciting"

The lone goal scored by Weston was the only blemish on the night for sophomore goaltender Austin Dacunha, who kept the Trojans from getting any closer by being solid in net.

Senior Austin Foulds got Brookfield's first goal of the season at 27:14, then fellow senior Collin Burke scored on a rebound put back shortly after missing a goal by hitting the side of the net. Once they got the lead, the Bobcats let down and allowed Weston back into the game.

"We started well," Bobcats' new head coach Alex Harrison said. "Then we showed a lack of composure. I spoke with them at halftime and we checked that."

In the second half, Brookfield regained control of the game, controlling possession while limiting Weston's opportunities.  At 23:55 senior Nick Demo fed Foulds off a throw in, who just missed. A minute and a half later it was Foulds who fed Burke, who capitalized on the breakaway opportunity for his second goal of the game and commanding 3-1 lead.

"I am very pleased, we had a good reaction," Harrison said of the team's response to the halftime talk.  "I have a great bunch of gentlemen here, they wanted to impress me."

Demo finished off the scoring at 5:05 by converting a penalty kick after being taken down in the box.

"I was a bit disappointed at 4-1, the score was a bit harsh," Fitzsimmons said, adding that if his team played like that against other teams they will be able to win many of their games.

Coming into the season as the new head coach for Brookfield, Harrison felt very good about the transition the team was making from losing former coach Jared Sheikh and learning a new system.

"We had a very successful pre-season, we were very composed in our three wins," Harrison said.  "We are going to be organized, we are going to be fit and we are going to be ready to play. I have found guys who want to work."

The team is also dealing with losing All-American A.J. Stueck, who scored 40 goals as a senior in helping the team to its second state title in three years. Along with Stueck, the team also lost Brian Grisell, Luke Niarhos, Matt Bonn, Jackson Isaacs and Eric McKean, all of whom helped turn a program from being average to being champions.

The new core of key players along with the new coach is ready to do their part to continue the tradition of success those seniors left behind.

"We are going to keep working hard and we are going to be successful," Harrison said.

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