Berwick Blanks Bancroft

The Berwick Academy Boys Varsity Soccer Team beat Bancroft School 4-0 on a drizzly Friday evening in South Berwick.   Looking to sustain the momentum of a spirited opening victory earlier in the week, the Maine Bulldogs looked to get on the board early against the Worcester Bulldogs after their long bus ride north.  Junior striker Tucker Smith opened the scoring in the 6^th minute when he launched a 25 yard drive that went bar down to put the Maine Bulldogs up early.  Berwick never took their foot of the gas from there as they sustained steady pressure all evening.  In the 9^th minute, sophomore midfielder Ryan Trotzky fed big brother Zach who headed one on net, but this time Bancroft goalie Daniel Freedman was up to the task with a solid save.  Berwick kept the runs coming as junior midfielder Jake Pike fed Smith who had his right-footed drive blocked by Bancroft co-captin Ryan Polhemus.  Moments, later, co-captain Pierce Wood hit a long set piece to striker Henry Palmer who put it on net, but Freedman was again in the right position.  Wood then sent midfielder Max Freund down the flank for a 25 yard chance, sending Freedman sprawling to his left to keep the deficit at only one.  With two minutes remaining in the half, midfielder Jack Benjamin sent Palmer a long through ball down the flank which the sophomore striker tracked down and sent a shot barely over the crossbar as time expired on the opening session.  The halftime huddle saw a frustrated Berwick squad and an energized Bancroft side, happy to still have a shot at victory after playing defense for most of the half.

 

Eager to put the game away, the Maine Bulldogs emerged from the intermission focused.  Just two minutes in, defender Sam Faasen sent the elder Trotzky a neat through ball.  Trotzky used a quick first step to beat the last defender, and hit a left-footed drive past a diving Freedman to double Berwick’s lead.  In the 48^th minute, senior defender Neale Walsh slotted a nice ball to Smith, who hit a long drive headed for the upper right corner, but Freedman just got a hand on to push it away.  Four minutes later, Tribastone sent Ryan Trotzky in close, and his near-post attempt just missed wide.  Three minutes later, Tribastone took matters into his own hands and lasered a 25 yard set piece, with Freedman picking up his best save of the game diving to his right and keeping the Mass Bulldogs close.  Moments later, Tribastone got revenge when he gained the box and pushed a perfect pass back to a rushing Palmer, who netted his first Varsity goal by driving the ball to the back of the net.   Sophomore midfielder John Luchsinger got in on the action in the 71^st minute when he hit a low drive that Freedman again had to leave his feet to save.  In the 73^rd minute, Palmer showed grit by tracking the ball all the way back to midfield, making a solid tackle.  He then pushed a good pass on to freshman striker Paddy Condon, who buried it for his first Varsity goal.  In perhaps the best run off the bench, midfielder Alex Fitzgerald came in and made a difference all evening, with strong runs off the flank and steady tackling and defense.  With three minutes left in the contest, Fitzy sent Palmer a beautiful pass which Palmer pushed on net, only to have Freedman make a beautiful play of his own to keep the score at 4-0 when the final whistle blew.

 

Berwick is 2-0 on the season and takes on Governor’s Academy 18 hours later on Satruday afternoon.