By Peter Jantzen — Sports Contributor
The Concord-Carlisle High School boys’ soccer season has been marked by hard-fought, low-scoring battles where opponents “park the bus” in their own defensive zone and CC is forced to keep shooting in heavy traffic.
Last week, the Patriots scored three late goals in as many games to notch two ties and a victory.
In the October 15 match against Wayland, CC managed over a dozen shots on net, but the game-winner came in the second half when Cooper Balfour put up a great cross to Jamo Velez, who buried a left-footed rocket for the 1-0 win.
Next up was Acton-Boxborough on October 17, and once again, the CC boys played strong the entire game. They allowed an early goal to AB on a top corner shot, but the Patriots weren’t ready to take a loss. In the second half, CC tallied over a dozen shots on net. Their perseverance paid off with less than 20 minutes left when Eli Siefer passed to Mike Jantzen, who rocketed a shot past the goalkeeper and several defenders to salvage a 1-1 tie.
On Saturday, October 19, the team traveled to the Manning Bowl in Lynn to take on St. Mary’s. St. Mary’s clogged its defensive third of the field, but CC spread the field and drew out the drawing defenders. CC had 17 shots on net, but an unlucky own goal put CC down 0-1 with only a few minutes to go. CC rose to the occasion, and Ky Pavlik launched a header into the net for the 1-1 final score.
CC was scheduled to finish its season with matches against Weston (Senior Night), Bedford, and Oliver Ames.
