You could almost hear a collective sigh of relief go up from the Lumberjacks bench as the final horn went off.
Collin Archibald (assist) had a hat trick and Dylan Folger added two goals of his own as North Tonawanda blanked CSAT, 10-0 in Niagara Frontier League boys’ soccer action that was played at the CSAT Middle School in North Buffalo on Saturday.
Coming into the game 0-4 on the season, the Jacks said getting that first win has lifted a weight off of everyone’s shoulders.
“I think it’s important because we found our game today. We really started to click,” said Dylan Folger, who serves as one of the Jacks’ captains.
“Getting that many goals is important for our team’s confidence.”
Jacks’ second-year head coach Joe Wilkie explained how the first four games had been a study in frustration for his team, as they stormed to early leads against Niagara Falls and Lockport. Only to see their intensity wane as the game wore on and watch as a winnable game slipped away.
On this day, verses the undermanned Eagles who are new to the NFL, the Lumberjacks displayed the kind of consistent team work, communication and drive that had been missing in the previous four games.
Captain Griffin Carson said that on this day the team showed that all important want to win. That desire to never let up. Always believing that the guys had the ability to play hard, Carson said it’s a matter of everyone bringing that same effort every game.
“I know that this team is more than capable of playing at the same level as teams like Lockport and Lew-Port, but I think games like this are just as important. Like Dylan said to boost everyone’s confidence and make sure they know they’re more than capable of doing it,” Carson said. “It’s a matter of what’s inside of you and your attitude. What you put in is what you get out.”
Wilkie said the game wasn’t just won between the lines, but also by the way guys who were on the bench kept their heads in the game and put forth a steady stream of cheering and support for the guys playing.
The Jacks will continue to look to Carson, Folger (mid/forward) and their other senior captain, Jaxin Romanow (three assists, goal) to lead the way and keep everyone buying into the kind of work ethic it will take to help improve day to day.
Sophomore William Guagliardo, who has been the heart of the Jacks defense this season, has played every minute the team’s first four games. He didn’t receive his first sub-out until the CSAT game.
Sophomore Casey Trombley has been creating great scoring chances, but has been a snakebit when it comes to finishing. Wilkie believes it’s just a matter of time before Trombley breaks through and gets rewarded for his hard work.
Senior Alex Quinn, who got the shutout against CSAT, and senior Zach Archibald share the goal keeping duties for NT. Jose Mateus also went bar-down for his first goal of the season-which caused the Jacks bench to erupt in cheers for their teammate.
Though it would be nice, the Jacks know that they aren’t going to hang 10 on every opponent this season. So beyond the number of goals, the best thing the Jacks could take out of this game was the realization that they can play like a well oiled machine.
“Yeah definitely,” Folger said. “You saw it in the second half. You saw us play better.”
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