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!