TSA Has Solid Team Returning

TSA Has Solid Team Returning By Laurie-Jean B. Gauthier

When the Richford Eagles ended The Sharon Academy boys’ stellar season (13-3) last year in what can only be called a "shock and awe" quarterfinal, Coach Rob Stainton was profoundly disappointed to say the least. Stainton was probably already planning this year’s season comeback with a keen sense of what had to be done to make it all the way to the finals this year.

Returning for his fourth season at the helm, Stainton has only to "tweak" here and there so that he can "get there from here" as any Vermonter will tell you. Lucky for him that he has a solid core of returnees (14) after the departure of only two players that gives the team an awesome strength in depth and experience. The team should be a force to be reckoned with this season. Luke Battey and Blaine Connor are the two players lost to graduation.

Returning for their final season are seniors Bobby Farrell, Evan Frank, Otto Pierce, Colin Pope, Danny Moore, Duncan Nelson, Will Seymour, and Cody Spiegel. Returning juniors are Brad Farrell, Michael Young-Ward, Hannes Fischer-Byrne, Eddie Massimino, and Andrew Parent. Also returning is sophomore Michael Landry.

New this season are junior Alex Rogers, sophomore Hudson Cox and freshman Eric Littlehales. Stainton feels that the players are committed to improving not only as a team, but individually as well, and that they are focused on leaning from last year’s "mistakes." He also believes that their biggest weakness is "patience in the final third," so hopefully that will be where the team can bring it all together and make it all the way to the championship game.

The Sharon Academy boys’ team is back where they started last year as they opened the 2008 soccer season with a two goal shutout against the West Rutland Golden Horde last Thursday in Sharon.

A goal in the first 20 minutes of the first half and a second one at the midway point of the second half had Michael Young-Ward as the leading scorer thus far for TSA. Young-Ward scored the first goal off a pass from Bobby Farrell and deposited the ball solo for his second tally and the winning goal. Andrew Parent anchored the Phoenix defense that held West Rutland to a single shot on goal that earned Brad Farrell one save and a win as TSA stands at 1-0.

Sharon hosted the D-III South Royalton Royals yesterday, and travel to Concord to face the Wildcats tomorrow before returning to host the Whitcomb Hornets on Tuesday.

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