'Cutting Edge' Montville Makes Semifinals

Now the prize, the CIAC Class M boys' soccer state championship, is starting to become visible.

Rich Lusk took a pass from back Zach Foley and tucked a goal inside the right post from 15 yards out on the left of the box off of a Joel Barlow clear after a throw-in with four minutes left to give Montville High boys' soccer team a 3-2 victory over Joel Barlow-Redding. The win gave the Indians (17-4)  a berth into the tourney semifinals 6 p.m. Tuesday against Ellington at Middletown.

"I just came in, took a touch, swung my right foot around and kicked it in," Lusk said. "As simple as that. I was just waiting for it to go in. I was on Cloud Nine. There's no explanation to describe how you feel when that happens."

Montville, already entrenched as the best team in school history with a record 17 victories, first-ever ECC Medium co-championship and program-tying feat of reaching the semifinals (2005), is primed to advance.

"We had a goal from Aug. 29 to win the state championship," Montville coach Colin Delaney said. "One goal was to win the ALS Cup (against St. Bernard), one was to win an ECC championship which we haven't done in 11 years and the other was to win a state championship. This is another piece to the puzzle."

Montville will play for the first time in the states at a neutral field. By virtue of being the higher seed in each round, the No. 7 Indians have benefitted from playing home on their turf field surface. Joel Barlow (9-6-4) had only two games of experience on turf fields, but coach Paul Winstanley, who won a Class M co-championship with Barlow, did not attribute the long bus ride or field conditions to his undesirable outcome.

"My hats off to Montville," Winstanley said. "I recognize a championship caliber team. While we may look prettier between the boxes, they have that cutting edge when it counts. That's how championships are won."

Of course, senior All-American candidate Tyler Leeman, who now has 36 goals, including eight in the states, is main contributor to that cutting edge. After Barlow took a 1-0 lead on Zach Rizzo's goal 10:14 into the game, Leeman scored at the 29 minute mark, assisted by Jeff Tyron, and tallied an unassisted score at 40 minutes for a 2-1 lead. Sean Basuk-Smith tied the score at the 53:4o mark on a penalty  kick.

Lusk's dramatic goal ended any drama of overtime.

"Now overtime is not sudden death, which takes off some pressure," Delaney said. "Now you play 10 minutes and if there's no score, you play another 10. If a team scores, you play the whole 10 and if it's tied you play the second 10 minutes. It's a little more fair.  We don't want to go that far, and we're happy with the result today."

Delaney credited Montville's defense, spearheaded by goalie Zach Johnson.

"The defense is the unsung hero," Delaney said. "We've given up two goals in three games. To give up two goals to Barlow is an accomplishment.  From 18 to 18 (between the scoring boxes) they may bethe best in the state. Our defense realizes they won't get as much publicity as  the players who score the goal and total the assists. But everyone understands their role on this team and how to execute."