Sachems tackle toughest test

“That was a real good win for our football team. I’m really proud of the way the guys played. We played 60 minutes, which you have to do against [a team like that]. They’re tough. They make you work for everything. But I thought our guys stepped up, made some big plays ... when we needed to. All the credit has to go to the players. They worked hard for this one, had a good week of practice, and played hard today. It’s good to win. We have a long way to go.”

Sachems FC coach Jason Miller could have borrowed the postgame comments of New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick on Sunday. Each team survived a challenging opponent, earned victory and kept its undefeated record intact.

Both teams made crucial first-half mistakes: the Patriots allowing a long touchdown by the Colts at the end of the period to trail at halftime, the Sachems committing a dangerous foul just outside the penalty area that led to a North Shore goal. Such errors were rare for both teams – the Patriots always mentally locked in and dominating, the Sachems keeping clean sheets across seven games until Sunday's letdown.

But like true champions, the Patriots and the Sachems seized victory through their composure and quality. One shut down its opponent's high-powered offense and scored two touchdowns in the final 10 minutes; the other received a classy goals from Patrick Foley and John Driscoll before shutting out its opponent's high-powered offense for the final 40 minutes of the match.

To further entwine the teams and embroil the locals, referees in both matches mired themselves in controversy with questionable calls and a lopsided whistle margin. For the Sachems, video replay clears shows that North Shore's goal was not a goal, but a brilliant double-save from goalkeeper Griffin Burkey. On 20 minutes, the visitors struck a ball high over the wall, dipping just below the crossbar. Burkey timed his jump perfectly, knocking the ball down. He darted to his right, pulling the ball back into play before the whole ball had clearly crossed the whole line. But the assistant referee, who was not on the goal line, signaled a goal -- to the protest of Burkey and the Sachem backs.

The disputed goal leveled the match at one, Sachems scoring in the third minute as Burkey's towering punt dropped across the halfway line for Michael Haley, who took the ball in stride and led Foley into the penalty area. Foley dashed toward the left post, avoided the defender and fired the ball past the keeper neatly inside the far post.

Driscoll regained the lead for the home side off a combination from Charlie Booth, Charlie Cacciola and a final assist from Ben Beyer settled for Driscoll near the right corner of the goal area. As the North Shore keeper challenged him, Driscoll gently swerved the ball over the keeper's right arm for the score.

Sachems created several scoring opportunities in the second half but failed to convert. But the one-goal lead was enough, Burkey and the impenetrable back line of Eric Rolfs, Philip Woolston and Colin Hickey holding firm along with Cacciola, Haley and Elliott Rippe holding the center of the park.

It wasn't the domination they were used to, but like the Patriots, the Sachems fought hard for the victory. In the words of the famous coach, “It’s good to win.”

Second-half Sachem pile driver punishes Aztecs

Sachems and Aztec were relatively level for the first half of Sunday's match at Manchester Field ... a lone 20th-minute goal separating the sides at halftime. But every time Hulk Hogan seemed to struggle against a wrestling minnow, every time he seemed battered and beaten, every time the challenger might become champion, a funny thing happened. Realists knew it was predetermined, believers believed. Terry Bollea gathered his strength, convulsed to raucous applause, a smirk on his face ... as if he had just realized he was Hulk Hogan, and the other guy was not.

During the first 13 minutes of the second half, the Sachems channeled their inner Hulkster, bodyslamming the visiting Aztec side with four goals to make it 5-0. The entire half was one big atomic leg drop, led by the always dangerous tag team of Patrick Foley (3 goals) and Yoav Barkai (1 goal, 2 assists).

As much as the first half wasn't pretty – missed sitters, poor tackling, lack of communication – the second half was conversely attractive. Assistant coach Peter Miller observed that the boys all have complete confidence in their teammates – there is no weak link and everyone is involved in the team's success.

Foley's first-half chip in from the left touchline gave the home side a 1-0 lead in the 20th minute. But it was a tenuous lead and one that would grow coming out of halftime. Foley and Barkai partnered with Ethan Sweeting at striker, with Michael Haley dropping from striker to holding midfielder, giving the home side a solid quartet of firepower to go with Charlie Booth and Spencer Anton on the wings. With the impenetrable back line of Colin Hickey, Philip Woolston and Eric Rolfs in front of keeper Griffin Burkey, it was indeed time for a royal rumble.

In the 34th minute Barkai released Foley, whose clinical finish rippled the side netting. A lovely corner kick combination from Booth and Haley bounced to Foley on the six, his third goal of the day a tight chip over the keeper into the top of the goal in the 36th minute.

Booth earned his second assist three minutes later, his shot deflecting to Barkai, who poked it past the stretched arms of the near-deflated netminder. The penultimate straw was piled on in the 43rd minute, John Driscoll's deep throw-in finding Barkai in the penalty area, the crafty one dancing round his mark to the goal line, sliding the ball to Bennett Parsons in front of the goal for the authoritative finish and a 5-0 lead.

Haley's hard work paid off in the 54th minute, the new man firing a low strike from 20 yards out across the goal, past the keeper and into the left side netting. It was his first goal in the run of play and surely a good sign for the Saints of Sachem.

The back line, along with hardworking holders Charlie Cacciola, Elliott Rippe and Ian Steckel, arm-barred all Aztec attacking ideas; solid defending contribution also coming from wings Anton, Booth, Driscoll and Cole Turissini.

Despite a struggle, a few super suplex moments left no doubt about the status of Sach-e-mania.

Numbers add up as Sachems school NESS

The videographer arrived late; the pitch wasn't lined until moments before kickoff and the coach was stung by a bee. Otherwise, it was business as usual for the Sachems, who dominated the visiting New England Soccer School, 10-0 at Mullen Field Sunday.

It was easy math for all in attendance: dominant team on a roll plus weak team without a plan. Go figure!

Five of the six Sachems strikers scored: Yoav Barkai (4), Patrick Foley (2) and Ben Beyer, Michael Haley and Ethan Sweeting added one apiece. Emerging left midfielder Charlie Booth contributed the additional goal.

More paint-by-numbers: 6-0 (record), 345 (minutes without being scored upon), 30 (goals scored), 1 (goal allowed) ...

Barkai got it started (as usual), 26 seconds into the match after lovely combination passing from Foley and Booth. Foley and Barkai combined again in the 2nd minute with the latter playing the former through the gaping defense. In the 5th, Barkai did all the work himself, stealing the ball from the NESS goalkeeper and nicking it between the posts for a 3-0 lead the Sachems would never relinquish.

After Foley (from Haley and Eric Rolfs) made it 4-0, Cole Turissini advanced along the left touchling and served an early cross to Sweeting in the center, who passed to his right in stride for Beyer in the 15th minute. Beyer returned the favor in the 20th minute, with Sweeting collecting the goal. The Beyer and Sweeting goals were both scored with the home side playing just 10 men, lumbering in to halftime with a 6-0 advantage.

Excellent defensive pressure by the strikers created another goal for Barkai in the 41st minute, and the goal of the day came minutes later, Haley deliciously placing a direct free kick from 20 yards neatly into the upper right corner. In the 48th minute, Booth finished at the left post after Haley played across from Beyer's nice pass. The scoring was closed as it was opened, Barkai finishing after Beyer nicked on from Haley off Ian Steckel's throw-in.

Despite uncharacteristically providing their opponent with a couple scoring opportunities, goalkeeper Griffin Burkey (six shutouts) and the regal Sachems rearguard kept another clean sheet – Rolfs, Philip Woolston, Colin Hickey, John Driscoll and Elliot Rippe manning the turrets.

In the end, despite a weak opponent, the Sachems demonstrated classy attacking football and a sporting nature in a challenging situation. Now if they could just do something about those bees!

Exquisite Ditto

Same old, same old. Yoav Barkai scores early, his team attacks at will, the other team gets nary a sniff of goal and the Sachems roll.

The Sachem school bus flattened Lincoln Soccer Club on Sunday, 3-0. And it wasn't even that close. A litany of superlatives can be used to describe the dominance the Sachems have shown through their first five games of the young season, but the great grey men of Miller and Burkey prefer just one: beautiful.

Beautiful was Ethan Sweeting serving a perfectly weighted, perfectly accurate through ball from the center of the park to left midfielder Cole Turissini in behind the Lincoln defense; and Turissini passing to the fabulous feet of Yoav Barkai, who inevitably beat the last defender and tucked the ball neatly into bed for a 12^th minute score. Not often regarded as the biggest man on the team, Barkai is indeed the big man on stat sheet – with a team-leading five goals and three assists on the young season.

Beautiful was Griffin Burkey, holding his goal to make two fantastic saves, the only two his team needed on the day, even while suffering a knock to his leg earlier in the week. The only thing more infinitesimal than his goals against average is the amount of time he spends at the barber shop.

Beautiful was John Driscoll, flying up and down the right flank, doing his defensive duty and attacking with pace and composure, serving crosses in like a mini Steve Ralston.

Beautiful was man of the match Eric Rolfs, playing all 60 minutes and serving the key roles in the Sachem defense – starting at right back, marshaling the back line for most of the first half and deputizing in the center of the park for the second half, demonstrating his strong passing, tracking and tactical abilities throughout.

Beautiful was Fightin' Foley (Patrick, to his parents), whose toughness and stay-with-it-ness made possible the second Sachems goal. A well-timed pass from Driscoll met Foley moving down the right flank. Foley beat his marker into the penalty area and was hauled down as he prepared to strike the ball. The foul not whistled, Foley popped up, gathered the ball and fired past the helpless keeper.

Beautiful was the Sachems' third goal. The versatile Ian Steckel wide left, looking up to find Bennett Parsons inside the penalty area, the comedic one forgoing a foray on goal and tipping the ball starboard to Foley for the forceful finish.

Beautiful was the 30-yard, zigzagging run of Charlie Cacciola-me-if-you can, who seemed to beat half the town of Lincoln before bending a blistering blast off the left post.

Beautiful was the wing play and service of Charlie Booth, whose repeated Cruyffs paid would have made the Dutch great proud; the solid back line performances of the always solid Philip Woolston and Elliott Rippe, two of the most composed players this side of the Charles River; the smooth sailing of striker Ben Beyer, whose absence on the stats sheet is balanced by his continually improving all-around game; the quiet effort of steady Spencer Anton, felled by a foot injury early on; and the consistent two-way contribution of the team's newly anointed beast, Michael Haley.

Beautiful is a 5-0 record, four clean sheets, a goal differential of 18 and not giving a goal in 285 minutes.

Beautiful is Sachems soccer.

Bring it on!

Explosive Sachems demolish Blast

Quick, what is more impressive: scoring a goal 19 seconds into a soccer game; or keeping a clean sheet for more than 225 minutes?

Yes, they're both pretty impressive! These feats went into the books for the Sachems FC under-11 boys team on Sunday: Yoav Barkai's individual brilliance and continued team defensive dominance the hallmark of a well-oiled footballing machine.

By the 15^th minute the visiting Sachems led the Boston Blast, 5-0 and the rout was on – and for all intents and purposes, the game was over. By day's end the “B” team (that being Barkai, Beyer, Booth and Bennett) had combined for six first-half goals and nine first-half assists .. scoring so often so early that they missed the late-arriving video man.

Barkai's first goal came as the slashing striker beat several defender after a nice pass from Bennett Parsons. His second came in the second minute and required less work but greater accuracy, Ian Steckel's perfectly taken corner kick dropping for Barkai in front of the goal and sitting for a last post finish. Through four matches, Barkai leads the Sachems with four goals and three assists.

In the eighth minute, Parsons took a right-sided cross from Barkai and nicked it past the keeper for his second goal of the season and a 3-0 lead for the men in grey. The next three Sachems goals resulted from Charlie Booth's mighty boot – the first, in the 10^th minute settling for Ben Beyer to tap in and the latter two beating the keeper entirely in the 14^th and 26^th minutes.

It was great satisfaction for Big Play Boothy, who was distraught a week earlier after missing a sitter on the goal line against Crusaders. Turns out he was just too close to the goal and needed to move a good 30 yards away! For his resiliency and effort, Booth shared Man of the Match honors with Barkai.

Amidst multiple restrictions in the second half, Cole Turissini regained a loose ball inside the Blast goal area and poked it into the side netting for the final – and sporting – 7-0 margin. Turissini had a strong game on the flanks, as did the ever-consistent Spencer Anton.

Though the opponent posed little threat offensively, the back line of Eric Rolfs, Colin Hickey and John Driscoll and the Sachems midfielders shut down the occasional long ball or explorative foray. Goalkeepers Griffin Burkey and Charlie Cacciola combined for the shutout.

A million thrills in one-nil kill

Many Americans find one-nil soccer matches boring. Those people missed a great game at Mullen Field in Winchester on Sunday where the dominant Sachems FC under-11 boys team survived a fierce challenge from the visiting Crusaders Soccer Club.

The opening minutes of the match were frightful, but Sachem goalkeeper Griffin Burkey was delightful. The flaxen-haired handballer made his most difficult save in the fifth minute – a full-extension dive to his left to keep the Crusaders off the scoreboard amidst a rare barrage of corner kicks.

BMOP (big man on pitch) Eric Rolfs deputized for centerback Philip Woolston, whose thigh injury early on left the Sachems grateful for their new quality and depth in the back – John Driscoll and Colin Hickey manning their outside back battle stations with pace, composure and class. The Sachems backs, along with great effort from the midfield, kept the visiting team to just a handful of opportunities throughout the rest of the match.

With much anticipation, the home side surged forward to end the first half, building to a crescendo that never fully reached a climax, sure goals from Michael Haley, Ethan Sweeting and Ben Beyer all saved well by the keeper.

Sachems continued their bubbling attack with new wide men Charlie Booth and Elliott Rippe shredding the Crusaders into the corners and slicing well-timed crossed in for strikers Beyer, Haley, Sweeting, Yoav Barkai and Patrick Foley.

The Sachems maintained possession for nearly all of the second half, in sum creating more than 30 attacking opportunities and more than 20 shots for the match. But the home side was growingly frustrated by brilliant Crusader keepers and by its own mistaken shots.

But five minutes from time, left midfielder Bennett Parsons – playing with aching, injured feet – dissected the Crusader rearguard, firing the winner in from nine yards to enormous elation from players, parents and coaches all.

Rippe and Booth immediately sitting in with the backs and all Sachem hands on deck, the lead was preserved and the home side earned a very hard-fought 1-0 victory. The Sachems are now 3-0 and have not allowed a goal in 165 minutes (the lone goal coming 15 minutes into their first match).

Sachems not shy, Vipers bitten thrice

Most players with fractured feet take time off to heal. Patrick Foley scores goals. Playing for the second straight Sunday with an injured right foot, the diminutive Sachems striker deftly beat two Vipers FC defenders down the left touchline in the 15th minute, curling in a left-footed lob to give his team an early lift in Sunday's 3-0 victory in New Bedford.

Moments later the local side redirected two crosses toward the Viper goal but saw them cleared off the line. A momentum shift late in the first half saw the home team nearly equalize but fire wide. The first two minutes of the second half were all Vipers, but the Sachems back line was organized, courageous and sharp all game and the early barrage went for naught.

In the 33^rd minute, Spencer Anton served a perfectly weighted chip over the home restraining line to the quicker-than-you-think Yoav Barkai, who nicked the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper.

Two minutes later, outside midfielder Cole Turissini led striker Ethan Sweeting into the left corner. The Somerville native dropped the ball back, Turissini one-timing a low cross to striker Ian Steckel on the six-yard line. Steckel quickly nicked the ball by the looming defender to Barkai, who drove low and inside the far post to make it 3-0.

Sachems threatened again through Anton, Barkai and centermidfielder Michael Haley, but the offense had been settled. Man of the Match honors were split among backs Colin Hickey, Eric Rolfs and Philip Woolston, who – along with goalkeeper Griffin Burkey – kept the clean sheet against a potent Viper side.

John Driscoll made his debut in the midfield and demonstrated excellent tactics and effort, hustling down the lone breakaway of the afternoon and serving several nice balls into space along the touchline.

Sting stung by super Sachems

Level at one despite dominating the visiting Nor'Easter Sting for the first 20 minutes of the first half Sunday, the Sachems under-11 boys were fittingly frustrated. Enter the energetic Yoav Barkai and team talisman Patrick Foley. Within minutes, the newly inserted strikers combined for two nearly identical goals to lift the Sachems to a 3-1 advantage and an eventual 6-1 victory at Mullen Field.

Centerback maestro Philip Woolston wasted little time opening a scoring account for the 2007-08 season, bending a direct free kick over the wall and around the goalkeeper into the top corner of the goal from 20 yards just 35 seconds into Sunday's match.

But the Sachem dominance early did not show on the scoreboard, with left midfielder Bennett Parsons twice firing wide and high-priced strikers Ben Beyer and Ethan Sweeting failing to find the net. The Sting capitalized on two defensive mistakes to equalize at one in the 15^th minute. It looked like Sachems would suffer another heartbreaking half.

But in the 25^th minute, Barkai worked himself to the right touchline and rifled two perfectly weighted crosses into the path of the charging Foley, who nicked both goals to the lower right of the Sting goalkeeper from six yards.

The ball remaining in Sting-ville for almost all of the second half, the Sachems improving their possession and communication. Ian Steckel, tagged to primarily be part of the fullback rotation before kickoff, started the half as the team's withdrawn striker and chipped in two lovely goals – in the 35^th minute from Spencer Anton and in the 46^th minute from Cole Turissini.

In the 58^th minute, Woolston released Beyer on a penetrating ball through the middle and the crafty forward rounded out the scoreline at 6-1.

Backs Woolston, John Driscoll, Colin Hickey, Elliott Rippe and Eric Rolfs and center midfielders Charlie Booth, Charlie Cacciola and Michael Haley held the visitors to just one attacking opportunity in the second half and only two shots for the match.

Revenge 'Sweet'ing as Windham swept away

Ethan Sweeting wasn't a Sachem last fall, when upstart Windham SA blew past the Sachems, 4-1 on a windy day in Nashua. But as the Windhammers will certainly attest, he was surely a Sachem on Sunday, scoring three goals and assisting on three others in a dominating 6-1 Sachem romp in New Hampshire.

It didn't take long for the Sachem train to leave the station, Sweeting scoring from the right side on a nifty skip pass from Patrick Foley in the 2nd minute.

Windham fired back in the 5th minute, beating the Sachem back line to level at 1. Eric Rolfs -- in for absent centerback Philip Woolston -- was injured on the play, crashing his knee into the goalpost. With Rolfs carried off the pitch by assistant coach Peter Miller and manager Joe Beyer and on ice if not the emergency room, the Sachems turned to Foley to hold the back along with outsiders Elliott Rippe and Griffin Burkey. It could have been derailment, but this Sachems train was indeed firing on all cylinders.

Central conductors Yoav Barkai and Charlie Cacciola threw more coal in their oven, their composure on the ball creating space along the wings and opportunities for Sweeting along the defensive restraining line. Winchester also attacked relentlessly down the right touchline through wide man Spencer Anton, whose pace and service was outstanding. The other wide men -- Ben Beyer, Jamie Keegan, Bennett Parsons and Cole Turissini -- also did well, showing patience and quality on the wings, playing into space multiple times and freeing Sweeting and each other in the attacking third.

But the Sachems didn't stay off the board for long, Sweeting punishing the Windham side's lack of defensive shape, sneaking behind the last man and walloping his second of the day inside the near post on a smooth low cross from Anton from the right flank in the 8th minute. Rolfs recovered via the treatment of team physio Carl Turissini and nearly scored the team's third goal while working his way back in at striker. But the scrapper's Shearer-like stature did not equal Shearer-like scoring and the shot sailed slightly sideways.

At halftime, the Sachems recharged and recommitted to their objectives of creating space, having patience and playing together, and for the second 30 minutes of the match, together they were. Although Sweeting and Barkai were the key men on the scorecard, all 13 Sachems contributed to the solid possession and passing. After withstanding an early Windham barrage, Rippe cleared to Sweeting at midfield, who released Barkai through for the overlapping breakaway in the 33rd minute.

In the 37th minute, Charlie Booth was viciously fouled just inside the Sachem half, near to the touchline. "Bend it Like" Bennett Parsons swerved a long ball over and through the Windham Eleven to the streaking Sweeting, whose blast was no match for the home keeper. Barkai dribbled loose after a sharp pass from Sweeting in the 43rd, and two minutes from time, Beyer poked in his usual smash-bang on the goal-line off a smart right-sided cross from Sweeting via Anton.

Goalkeepers Booth and Rolfs combined for seven saves, with Foley the outstanding defensive player and Sweeting earning Man of the Match honors for his six-point performance as the Sachem train barreled on through.

"Big Play" Booth leads Sachems to hard-earned win

Charlie Booth didn't touch the ball much during Sunday's 1-0 victory over the Inter Bandits at Lynch Field, but the few times he did were all big plays. The man known for making amazing goals on the futsal court served a flawless direct free kick in the 19th minute, which Ben Beyer banged in for the game winner.

As the second half goalkeeper, Booth quite literally saved the game, twice clearing balls off the goal line in the opening minute, including a parry and then low dive on the first opportunity.

The newly constituted Sachems three-man back line pitched a shutout in its first game with the new shape and system. Centerback Philip Woolston organized his mates and deftly shepherded opponents away from danger, while outside backs Booth, Griffin Burkey and Eric Rolfs locked down the athletic, powerful Inter attackers and were nearly flawless in their clearances and distribution. All four backs played bravely and united to earn the clean sheet, with Rolfs as the solid first half goalkeeper.

Yoav Barkai, Charlie Cacciola and Patrick Foley rotated through the two center positions, crafting the offense and helping defensively. Cacciola came off the bench to sort things after early shivers, allowing he, Foley and Barkai to settled in and distributed the ball nicely going forward.

Sachem wide men Spencer Anton, Jamie Keegan, Bennett Parsons, Elliott Rippe, Ethan Sweeting and Cole Turissini showed good spacing and developing poise on the touchlines for the home side. Forwards Beyer and Sweeting logged the minutes at forward and had late opportunities canceled from the Bandits goalkeeper. Overall it was an impressive true beginning to the spring season for the boys.

Sachems win second league futsal title

The Sachems FC Boys Under-10 team won the Massachusetts Futsal Boys Under-12 Division One championship with a 5-2 victory over the Brookline Dragons Saturday, boosted by the stalemate performance by goalkeeper Griffin Burkey and the two-goal, two-assist masterclass of the spectacular Yoav Barkai.

Sachems got on the board early, Patrick Foley smashing a toe shot past the Dragon keeper from a very acute angle, Barkai assisting. Dragons drew level shortly thereafter, but Charlie Cacciola regained the lead making an incredible run down the right touchline, blasting a Mikey Freeman serve past the keeper for a 2-1 Sachems halftime lead.

In the span of just a few minutes, the Sachems put the hammer down on Brookline, Barkai scoring twice, once from Bennett Parsons and once unassisted. The fifth tally came as Barkai floated the perfect chip diagonally over the top seed's defenders to Spencer Anton, waiting just off the last post. Anton smacked the ball between the pipes to put Sachems in full control, 5-1.

Defensively, Burkey held his net well, making several acrobatic catches and parries against the opposing onslaught. Colin Suvak and Philip Woolston held the back while Cacciola once again spent a championship match man-marking the opponents' best attacker, this time shutting down dangerous Dragon sniper, Luis Ortiz.

It was the U-10 Sachems' second division title this winter and the club's fourth -- the Sachems U-10 Girls defeated the Bedford Blizzard on Saturday to win the Girls Under-11 championship and U-15 Girls bested the New England Eagles on Thursday to capture the Girls High School Second Division title.

Dominant Sachems do double

The Sachems FC boys under-10 team earned the Massachusetts Futsal 2007-07 league and tournament championships in January with an undefeated 6-0 division record and a thrilling, 5-3 finals victory over the Lexington Crusaders.

The top seeded Winchester side jumped to a 2-0 lead behind goals from Philip Woolston and Ben Beyer, but conceded two after Ben Hagan nodded past nearly unbeatable Sachems goalkeeper Charlie Booth. Level again, the boys in black fought for to regain the lead. Woolston scored again off a nifty feed from Yoav Barkai to retake control. Barkai later shifted his way to the finish line for a 4-2 Sachems lead that held at halftime.

Lexington drew within one after the break, but the Arsenal boys locked in defensively, with the glue-like Charlie Cacciola man-marking Crusader star Jamie Wheaton for the final 20 minutes of the match. With the Lexington defense containing the always attacking Patrick Foley and the dangerous Spencer Anton, and the Sachems cautiously going forward, Barkai was a one-man Ronaldinho in the latter stages. The result was still in question in the the closing minutes until Woolston blasted in third of the championship to earn the Sachems the victory.