The Taft Thirds soccer team traveled to Simsbury to play an always tough Westminster side on an overcast early-fall day. The field was large and in good shape and the lads in black and gold did not disappoint in terms of the effort they invested. Taft moved the ball around nicely early in the first half and earned the first goal of the match as a lovely build-up led to Jack Dodd assisting Andrew Jimenez who had come forward from center back to tally his second goal of the season in the 10th minute. Unfortunately, Westie scored the next goal of the match in the 15th minute as a tall lad got in behind the Taft defense and scored on a breakaway. The first half ended with the match knotted at one. After a stirring half-time speech by Coach Rosario and myself, our lads again came out playing well. Westie was also playing well and earned the next goal in the 57th minute to go ahead two one. Our boys created many good scoring chances that resulted in the shot being struck into the mid-section of the Westie ‘keeper. We suffer from what I like to call American disease in that we often shoot the ball right toward the middle of the goal. Guess who is waiting there? Yes, a chap who can use his hands, alas. However in the 57th minute James Hunt sent forward a lovely ball to Oliver Eastman who then placed a delicate left-footer over the Westie keeper to draw Taft even at two. Well done, lads! Then in the 72nd minute, Miller Masterson sent a through-ball to Jack Dodd who beat the last defender and simply passed the ball past the Westie ‘keeper to put Taft ahead three two. The last eight minutes were played fast and furiously by both teams but no further goals were scored by either team. Therefore Taft earned a well-deserved three two win this afternoon. Hurray! Also, I don’t think that we committed one foul this afternoon. We were offsides more than once (cough - Miller - cough) but we did not trip, push or grab anyone out there. That is simply terrific. The entire defense played very well today. Viktor Maag and Beau Woody were especially effective on the outside while Andrew Jimenez and Oliver Pritchard were their usual tough selves in the middle. Trevor McNamara and Sky Comfort also played well on defense. Jefferson Kao played very well in the middle and came back from numerous fouls inflicted upon him by much bigger opponents. Our next match is this Saturday up at Salisbury (yes, another away match) at 2:30PM. See you there!