Class D boys soccer: Monson nets game-winner in double overtime to take down Granby in semifinals (PHOTOS)
Published: 10-29-2024 8:13 PM |
GRANBY — Riley Goodhind stepped to take a corner kick about two-thirds of the way through the second half of Tuesday afternoon’s Western Mass. Class D semifinal matchup between No. 2 Granby and visiting No. 3 Monson. With the game knotted at two apiece, the next goal would likely determine which team would be headed to the title game – where the Rams and Mustangs both met a year ago.
Gavin Moreno sent a beautiful ball into the box, and it bent toward the goal while sailing over the outstretched arms of Monson keeper Kyle Beaudry. But just before the ball crossed the goal line, the Mustangs’ Jake Beaupre leaped as high as he could and met it with his head – sending it out of harm’s way to eliminate Granby’s best scoring chance of the second half.
The game would eventually head to double overtime, where Monson took advantage of a fortunate bounce as Beaupre scored on an empty net to give the Mustangs a 3-2 victory after nearly 100 minutes of game action.
“There was a bounce that we weren’t able to play,” Granby head coach Todd Dorman said. “The ball initially came in, and instead of playing it before it bounced, it was able to bounce and it went over us in a spot that we couldn’t recover to. And their player was already running on, so he played it off that and got it in behind the keeper.”
Having seemingly outplayed Monson for most of the overtime period, the Rams were rightfully disappointed when Beaupre put in the winner.
Possession time leaned heavily in favor of Granby, and its strong play in the midfield – which has been the case all season long – led by Jake Gagnon and Goodhind allowed the Rams to create opportunities in the box for Moreno and Tristan Moe.
They each scored a goal in the first half, but struggled to find room to fire off clean looks over the 40 and overtime periods.
“We put a lot of pressure on them,” Dorman said. “Two of there goals were similar; long balls played quick. We had a lot more controlled possession but weren’t coming away with shots on net. I think that was the difference, just not really being able to put it on frame.”
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Moe got the scoring started in the 17th minute, putting home a goal off a rebound while Beaudry was out of position. After an equalizer from Monson’s Austin Meacham, who scored on a breakaway, Moreno responded to put Granby back ahead by one.
Goodhind sent a through ball over the top of Monson’s back line, and Moreno timed his run up perfectly to run onto it inside the box. He took one touch around Beaudry and laced a left-footer into the back of the net. Granby went into halftime ahead 2-1.
The quick start offensively is something Dorman wants to see more of moving forward, and his team will have that chance in the upcoming MIAA Division 5 state tournament.
“Scoring two goals in the first half, we haven’t scored goals in the first half in awhile,” Dorman said. “We’ve been a second-half team. So that’s a positive to takeaway, putting pressure on early. Then we can force teams to chase the game from there.”
Monson’s Ben Pignone buried the Mustangs’ second game-tying goal of the afternoon less than 10 minutes into the second half. The game would remain deadlocked until Beaupre’s dagger in the final minutes of double overtime.
Granby defeated Monson 2-1 in the Class D final game in 2023, and the Rams came up just shy of another trip there. Monson will play in its second straight title game, where top-seeded Pioneer Valley Regional awaits.
Dorman’s message to a heartbroken Granby team was simple: there’s still more soccer to be played.
“Well, we’re going to try to focus on the state tournament,” Dorman said. “We move on to that, our season’s not over today. In this moment, it’s hard for them to accept that, they’re thinking about this moment and [Monson’s game-winning] goal. So I hope tomorrow we rest, and we’ll get ready for a prelim match in the state tournament.
“We’re ready to make a battle of it,” Dorman added of the state tournament. “The guys are working hard. Just trying to find that finishing touch so that we can maintain some separation is gonna be key.”