Soccer team wraps up regular season, heading to playoffs
This year’s team seniors and parents, from L to R: (0) Anthony Bargardi & Parents, (7) Max Edwards & Parents, (9) Grant Tar & Parents. Not pictured, senior Ashton Dalton. Photo by Lisa Somerville.
Submitted by Scott Somerville
The Manchester High School Boys Varsity Soccer team finished their final three regular season games and started district playoffs during the weeks of October 4 and October 11, 2021.
On Tuesday, Oct. 5, the Dutchman faced the visiting Jonesville Comets. In a match that only featured 10 players for the visitors, the Manchester team agreed to also play with 10 in a sign of good sportsmanship. The Dutchman jumped to an early lead off a goal from freshman Jeffrey Sangster with the assist by sophomore Luis Baron. From there, it was all Manchester, with three more goals scored in the first half, a second by [Jeffrey] Sangster assisted by Baron, and two by his brother, freshman Jesse Sangster, with assists by Baron and [Jeffrey] Sangster. At halftime, Manchester enjoyed a 4-0 lead.
In the second half, the coaching staff played newer and younger players to gain valuable game time experience. As well, starting goal keeper Anthony Bargardi was asked to play on the field while senior Max Edwards assume the goalkeeping responsibilities. The fifth goal for Manchester was scored by sophomore Mason Meyer, from an assist by junior Reese Schoeneman. The sixth and final goal for Manchester was scored by Bargardi, giving him his first, and much-deserved, goal of the season. At the final whistle, Manchester prevailed with the 6-0 victory.
On Thursday, Oct. 7, Manchester hosted the Royals of Jackson Christian High School. On “senior night,” the Dutchmen jumped out to a one goal lead from an unassisted goal by Jeffrey Sangster eight minutes into the match. Eight minutes later, Jesse Sangster scored, assisted by Jeffrey Sangster. Senior captain Grant Tar then scored the next three goals, giving Tar the hat trick and Manchester a comfortable 5-0 lead at halftime.
During the intermission, Manchester recognized the extraordinary contributions of this year’s senior class; each a four-year veteran of the High School soccer team and each a captain for the 2021 season. Seniors Anthony Bargardi (Goalkeeper), Ashton Dalton (midfielder, defender), Max Edwards (midfielder, striker), and Grant Tar (midfielder, striker).
In the second half, the Manchester team continued to dominate, and Edwards registered three goals for his hat trick, two unassisted and one assisted by junior Luke Somerville. At the eighth goal, the game was ended based on the “mercy” rule in High School soccer.
In their final regular season match on Tuesday, Oct. 12, the Dutchmen faced the Warriors of Grass Lake for the second game between the two teams this season. The first meeting on September 1 had handed Manchester their first loss of the season, 2-4.
On a night where the Manchester team donned pink jerseys in recognition of Breast Cancer awareness month, the Warriors jumped out to a quick two-goal lead and held the Dutchman scoreless in the first half. After adjustments at halftime, the Dutchmen were able to work their way back into the game with an unassisted goal scored by Baron with 17:30 left in the match. Two minutes later, the second goal was scored by Edwards, assisted by Jesse Sangster, to knot the game at two apiece. When play resumed, the Dutchmen continued to press the Warriors as Edwards sent a through ball up the middle to Somerville. Recognizing that the Grass Lake goal keeper was out of position, Somerville kicked a 35-yard volley over the keeper and into the net for the third goal giving, Manchester a one-goal lead with 14:00 remaining.
The fourth goal for Manchester came from Jeffrey Sangster from a Somerville assist with 4:00 minutes left in the match. For the remaining time in the match, the Dutchmen protected their lead as the Warriors aggressively tried to score. Ultimately, Manchester prevailed and secured the 4-2 victory.
On Thursday, Oct. 13, the Dutchmen faced the Gators of Ypsilanti Arbor Prep. for the first district playoff game for both teams. Starting the game in the rain, the Gators had an early chance to take a one-goal lead off a penalty kick. Senior goal keeper Anthony Bargardi made an outstanding save by diving to the right to block the penalty kick and denying the Gators the early advantage. Minutes later, the Gators had a second chance to score with an excellent shot toward the upper left corner of the goal, but again Bargardi read the shot perfectly and made his second acrobatic save of the night.
With eight minutes left in the first half, the first goal of the match was scored by Edwards, who skillfully re-directed a centering pass from Somerville past the Gators keeper. Entering halftime, Manchester held a slim 1-0 lead.
The second half saw the energized Dutchmen score 53 seconds from the kickoff by a Jeffrey Sangster goal from a Baron corner kick. With 18 minutes left in the match, Sangster intercepted a Gators pass and started a combination passing attack between Somerville, Edwards, Tar, and back to Somerville for the third goal of the match. Edwards scored the fourth goal, from an assist by junior Tyler Lutton, and the fifth and final goal came from a converted corner kick taken by Baron, and headed into the goal by Somerville.
The Gators continued to press in attempts to get on the board, but the defense of Juniors Cody Smith, Jacob Morin, Charlie Johnson and senior captain Ashton Dalton were on-point and secured the shutout for Manchester. This was the seventh shutout for Manchester’s defense this season.
“Our defense and goalkeeping was excellent tonight,” stated Head Coach Dan Tar. “The Gators are a goal-scoring team and have only been shut out one other time this season. For us to shut-out this team speaks volumes about how well our defense and goalkeeping performed tonight.”
The next playoff game for Manchester will be Tuesday, Oct. 19 at Home against Plymouth Christian High School. The match will be played “under the lights” with a 7 pm kickoff.
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