Red Raiders, Falcons play to a draw

TORRINGTON — Torrington’s and St. Paul’s boys soccer teams frustrated themselves into a 3-3 tie in which all but one of the goals found an empty net Monday night at Torrington’s Robert H. Frost Sports Complex.

All game, play was fast and sometimes overly furious between the two keepers’ boxes. Torrington used long passes and possession to pile up an overwhelming shot advantage (26-8), then missed golden opportunities.

“(Not finishing) has been the story of our year,” said Coach Mike Fritch, whose 6-6-3 team clinched the No. 7 or 8 spot in the eightteam-team NVL tournament beginning this Saturday.

“We had a good start, rough middle and now we’re starting to work for each other,” said Coach Joe Abele, whose 4-7-3 Falcons must beat Wolcott Wednesday for a spot in the state tournament beginning in two weeks.

Red Raider opportunities began four minutes into Monday’s game, when Edwards Cardenas beat St. Paul goalkeeper Matt Raymond to a Raider pass followed by a Falcon defensive clear.

Seconds later, Torrington’s Ben Sisic banged a hard shot off the St. Paul crossbar.

St. Paul was the first team to cash in on the empty-net syndrome in the 11th minute when freshman Danny Bond sent a long pass to the Torrington keeper’s box.

Red Raider goalkeeper Kevin Hidrovo came out for it. Falcon Adam Van Linter got there first, sending a 20-yard shot to the net.

For all but one secondhalf Torrington goal, that was the story of the game: opportunities that shouldn’t have been there turned into goals. Opportunities that should have been goals missed.

Torrington’s Jimmy Friscia evened the score midway through the half on a lob over Raymond’s head, bouncing in off the left goalpost.

Will Borja earned the Torrington lead seven minutes from the half, beating Raymond to the ball, then shooting around him, 2-1.

St. Paul’s Van Linter got his second goal the same way five minutes into the second half. Hidrovo came out; Van Linter got there

first and scored again.

“He works his tail off,” beamed Coach Abele.

Twenty-two minutes into the second half, Torrington’s hard work paid off as well.

Cardenas boomed a perfect cross to the Falcon goal mouth. Naseem Thompson headed it in, bang-bang, for a 3-2 Torrington lead.

In this game, great goals just weren’t going to stand.

Four minutes later, Falcon Ethan Rambish got past an advancing Hidrovo

for the tie.

With two minutes left, second-half Falcon goalkeeper Jack Noli saved the tie with a great reflex grab on one final Raider opportunity – a perfect pass from Thompson to Pestritto for the shot.

Nope, not in this one.

Peter Wallace / For Hearst Connecticut Media Torrington's Red Raiders created lots of opportunities but finally settled for a tie with St. Paul Catholic Monday night at the Robert H. Frost Sports Complex.