Hun bounces back with big win
PRINCETON >> Brian Spencer is the type of unselfish player every team wants and needs to have.
The West Windsor native is one of four senior captains on the Hun School’s varsity boys soccer team. He is mainly found in the Raiders’ backfield, but can just as easily be seen anywhere on the field.
“Wherever coach puts me is where I’ll play,” Spencer said after his team picked up its first win of the season with a 6-1 conquest of Scotland Performance Institute at Hun’s Natale Family Athletic Field. “When guys get subbed out, I don’t mind going up in the attack. I know I’m doing what’s best for the team.”
What’s best for head coach Patrick Quirk’s squad this fall may be to simply have Spencer on the field.
The as-yet-unsigned talent showed his ability to contribute anywhere on the field as he flowed into the offense from time to time Saturday and came away with three assists and a near score of his own.
Playing SPI, which is actually a school from outside Chambersburg, Pa., one game after taking a tough 2-1 loss to the Pennington School was bad news for the visitors. Hun looked sharp from the get-go and found its offense from many different targets.
“We fought really hard against Pennington and couldn’t have been prouder of our performance,” Spencer said. “After that game, we realized that we can compete with anyone. So now we can go into any game knowing that we can win it.”
The change in confidence translated into goals.
Fellow senior captain Luke McManimon, who had the Raiders’ goal against Pennington, got the home team going again eight minutes in when he headed home a throw in from senior back Jake Marcin.
Then with 18 minutes left in the half, Spencer pressed forward and knocked the ball off of SPI goalkeeper Guillermo Basilis, who had ranged 25 yards out of net. Sophomore Osman Bayazitoglu knocked the ricochet into the net.
Five minutes later, Spencer found freshman Massimiliano Verduci ahead of the pack and led him for the third goal.
The game had an opportunity to swing when Scotland Performance Institute’s Gabriel Comini was fouled in the box with 22:34 left in the second half. A penalty kick was called. Hun junior goalkeeper Alex Donahue made a diving save on the kick by Eduardo Santoni, only to see Jorge Pena kick the rebound under him for the visitors’ first goal.
The Raiders did not get rattled, instead responding three minutes later when Alexander Torres set up Chris Antar for another tally.
Spencer came close to scoring with 16 minutes left when Torres found him breaking toward the net. This time, Basilis grabbed the ball as Spencer tried to shoot under him.
But Spencer did not stop surging as his cross with 14:36 to play was finished by junior Levin Sanchez Willems before Verduci made his first varsity game special with his second goal off a pass from senior captain Gibson Campbell three minutes later.
Scotland P.I. (0-2) 0 1 — 1
Hun (1-4) 3 3 — 6
Goals: Pena (SPI), McManimon, Bayazitoglu, Verduci 2, Antar, Sanchez Willems (H); Assists: Marcin, Spencer 3, Torres, Campbell (H). Shots: 7 (SPI), 11 (H); Saves: Basilis 5 (SPI), Donahue 6 (H).
CHOATE 2, LAWRENCEVILLE 0 WALLINGFORD, CONN. >> The Big Red sent one shot off the crossbar and one shot off the post, but could not match the Wild Boars, who made good on two shots. Lawrenceville(1-3-1) 0 0 — 0
Choate R.H. (1-1-2) 0 2 — 2
Goals: Antogiovanni, Agunloye (CRH). Shots: 10 (L), 6 (CRH); Saves: Flynn 3, Morais 1 (L), Foreman 8 (CRH).
BLAIR 3, PDS 2 BLAIRSTOWN >> The Panthers had a 1-0 lead on the Bucs, but could not hold on in suffering a road setback. PDS (2-5) 1 1 — 2
BlairAcad.(3-1) 1 2 — 3