Manware, Cheshire stop Glastonbury

CHESHIRE — They’re not the kind of numbers you expect in a matchup of two solid programs, but Cheshire’s defense made it happen on Saturday.

The Rams allowed Glastonbury 11 shots on target. Cheshire’s offense scored 16 goals, with help from some key clears and forced turnovers at the other end.

Led by senior defender/ long-stick midfielder Max Manware, the Rams have allowed nine goals in four games against state competition.

“We’re actually a really close group, all of us,” Manware said after Saturday’s 16-4 win. “Lucas (Chymbor), Luke (Wiedemann), even Jack Watson, he had a shoulder injury in the winter and he came back, and he’s an absolute beast at LSM.

“We just come together really well. Our short-stick D-mids, especially Connor Moran and Jack Suomala, they’ve played really well. It’s a solid, versatile group.”

Cheshire, ranked ninth in the GameTimeCT Top 10 Poll, opened its season with a 9-7 loss to La Salle Academy in Rhode Island, but in four games since, the Rams haven’t failed to score 15 goals and haven’t given up more than four.

Connor Atwater only had to make seven saves Saturday.

“We have such a solid, deep group,” Manware said. “All four of our poles are such studs, and in net, No. 1 (Atwater), playing in front of him is great. You give up a little, and he’s going to save that. Four goals against a good Glastonbury team, it felt really nice to get that.”

Manware, who’s headed to Jacksonville University next year, was a secondteam all-state pick at longstick midfield in Class L in 2021; the Rams are in Class M this year.

“He’s like an Energizer Bunny,” Cheshire coach Mike Devine said. “He brings that confidence to our defense, brings a swagger to our defense.

“He’s a great leader. He and Andrew (Benjamin, the Rams’ other co-captain) have been doing a tremendous job leading us through the offseason and the first two weeks of the season.”

With just six seniors on the roster, that’s not unimportant.

“He’s just like a spark plug. When he not there, it’s noticeable,” Devine said. “He’s a great player and an even better person, and a great student as well. That’s what we want in our guys.”

Manware sees the young group growing in confidence, though, focusing on getting, he said, “2% better every day,” and he’s seeing youngsters like freshman attackman Sean Grevelding improving.

Both Manware and Watson picked up assists in transition in the second quarter Saturday, Watson’s after he’d tied up attackman Kayden Hinchey of Glastonbury (1-3) in front of Cheshire’s net as Hinchey tried to get a shot off.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

Cheshire junior attackman Charles Kurtz scored seven goals and added an assist.

HIGH FLYING

Cheshire led 4-0 early, 9-2 at halftime, 13-2 early in the fourth quarter. The Rams didn’t miss the net often, either.

“I thought we weren’t ready to play at their level. They played fast and tough and got all the little plays. I don’t think we did,” Glastonbury coach Scott Hinchey said.

“We definitely had some chances to put the ball in the net. We weren’t connecting on our shots, they were, and we kind of weren’t ready for their tempo of the game.”

TEAM/FAMILY BUILDING

With the week off from school, Cheshire played paintball together on Tuesday and had a team dinner together at Devine’s parents’ on Wednesday.

“We talk about family a lot,” the coach said, “but we also want to live it.”

QUOTABLE

“We have a great group of kids working hard, but we’re making young mistakes that especially appear on gameday. We’ve got to get the ball cleared, win some ground balls — I think it was 4-0 before, I think, we got a ground ball today. Getting ourselves tougher will get us better. We’ve got a long season to go.”

— Glastonbury coach Scott Hinchey

CHESHIRE 16, GLASTONBURY 4

GLASTONBURY ............................... 1 1 0 2— 4 CHESHIRE ....................................... 5 4 3 4—16 Records: Glastonbury 1-3; Cheshire 4-1. Scoring: G—Kayden Hinchey 2 goals 1 assist, Warren Channing 2g, Brady Stone 1a; C—Charles Kurtz 7g 1a, Sean Grevelding 3g 1a, Matt Jeffrey 2g 2a, Brady Potyrala 2g, Andrew Benjamin 1g 1a, Jason Raba 1g 1a, Max Manware 1a, Jack Watson 1a. Goalies: G—Ryan Bell (5 saves), Drew Hazard (5); C—Connor Atwater (7). Shots: G—24; C—34.