Falcons look to improve tournament seeding

Senior goalkeeper Alex Zachary corrals a corner kick during the first half of a home game versus E.O. Smith. Photos by Colin Rajala.

The Enrico Fermi High School boys’ soccer team (9-5) created some separation in the Central Connecticut Conference East Division and Class L state tournament with a decisive 3-0 victory over the E.O Smith Panthers (6-6-1) on Oct. 23. After the victory, the Falcons are currently seeded 15th in the state tournament, five spots ahead of the Panthers, and hope to finish the season strong to lock up a first round home game.

“We had a horrible practice yesterday, and I laid into them before the game because a human being is not like a light switch, where you can turn it on and off; you play like you practice,” said head coach Jim Russell. “We showed up and rallied. Some players that don’t normally start played well, and I am very pleased with their performance.”

Seven minutes into the first half, defender Casey Kajdan played a ball over the top of the defense and senior forward Anthony O’Connell used his speed to run onto the ball before the goalie could get to it, and flicked it over his head and into the net for the early lead. Six minutes later, the Falcons would extend their lead, when Kajdan played a corner kick into the box, ricocheting off an E.O Smith defender to the foot of senior striker Dale Quesnel, who ripped a shot far post off the goalkeeper’s fingertips into the upper 90.

In the second half, Fermi would continue where they left off, maintaining a steady attack, out-shooting E.O. Smith 14-6. Fermi would hit the post twice and fail to convert on some close range shots before putting the game away with 18 minutes left in the half. Kadjan dribbled the ball out of the Fermi backlines and played a ball forward to senior striker Jacob Alaimo, who played a ball through two defenders to Quesnel to beat the keeper. 

Playing without senior co-captain and strong back line player Adrian Case, Fermi received a strong performance from senior co-captain and first-year goalie Alex Zachary, who tallied nine saves on the way to his sixth shutout of the season.