BY ASHTON TOWNSEND
GENESEO, N.Y.—Making their first regional appearance in program history, the Brockport Blue Devils Boys’ Soccer team took a 4-2 decision over Section VI champion Grand Island Vikings on the campus of Geneseo High School. Will Hawken led the way for the Blue Devils recording a hat trick.
“We were resilient,” Brockport head coach Jeff Phillips said. “Defensively the kids were awesome and that Grand Island team is a great team but I think in the second half tonight it was a full-team package and we defended as a team,”
The Blue Devils with four goals tonight now have 90 goals total on the season. Three of the four came from senior Will Hawken who brought his own goal tally up to 33 this year.
“We all-around played awesome and we were really fierce out there today,” Hawken said. “We got momentum early and I finished a couple of goals and we just played a great game,”
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The Blue Devils scored the first goal on an unassisted effort from Benjamin Bristol 54 seconds into the game. The goal gave Brockport the momentum it needed.
“We’re always great at scoring which is so amazing for a goalie,” junior keeper Ty Sherman said. “It’s almost like insurance for you and it takes pressure off me.”
More insurance was added after 16 minutes had ticked off the clock. Hawken scored his first goal of the game, after a battle in the box the ball found Hawken’s feet and he tucked it away.
The Vikings, who scored 92 goals on the year entering the game had no sign of going away and 10 minutes later Jack Pachla scored to make it 2-1.
Just a few minutes later the Blue Devils were taken down in the box and drew a penalty kick. Cash Rosado stepped up to take it but after Jacob Csicseri dove left and saved it, Hawken was right there to bury it and extend the lead to 3-1.
After a battle for the majority of the second half Grand Island broke through with five minutes left in the game to make it 3-2.
But, no more than 20 seconds later the Blue Devils were taken down once again in the box. This time Hawken stepped up to take the kick and he buried it corner to seal the game at 4-2.
“Will Hawken, the Monroe County Player of the Year, a senior, he had 30 goals on the season and he really stepped up tonight,” Phillips said.
Ty Sherman ended the night with 13 saves in net for the Blue Devils. This is Sherman’s first year playing soccer.
“I feel like it’s all about confidence,” Sherman said. “I worked a little bit in the summer but the coaching has been so amazing and the players are so enthusiastic and so helpful.”
The Blue Devils are rolling with confidence as they sit with a 19-1-0 record on the season now. The Blue Devils will travel to Middletown High School on November 16 to take on Section II’s Schalmont at 6 p.m.
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