Raptors Soccer Shakes Loss, Prep For Stretch Run

RHAM senior Troy Miller controls the ball at Rocky Hill High School on Oct. 6. The Raptors fell to the Terriers, but have sense qualified for the state tournament. 

Head coach Ray Bell’s message to the RHAM boys soccer team following the Raptors 1-0 loss to Rocky Hill last Friday was simple, yet inspiring.

“This is a defining moment,” Bell told his team after the defeat. 

“This could be good for us as a team,” added Bell. “We’ll have to see how we rebound after this –– that’s the key.”

Prior to the loss, RHAM had been exceeding expectations, losing only one game in their first eight contests while racking up five quality wins. 

Following a scoreless first half at Rocky Hill High School, the home Terriers took the advantage for good when a deep kick from
Rocky Hill senior captain David Czubat slipped through the arms of RHAM goalie T.J. Machowski in front of the goal before Noah Kazmierczak scored what turned out to be the game-deciding goal in the 57th minute. 

Late in regulation, RHAM nearly tallied the equalizer in similar fashion when senior Zuriel Sarosh found the back of the net after the ball slipped out of the hands of Rocky Hill’s goalie Kyle Demarest. However, the goal was waived off after the official determined that Demarest was interfered with while having both hands on the ball at the time of contact.

The controversial call kept is a one-goal deficit and senior Troy Miller fired one final desperation shot in the closing seconds that was just off the mark, officially snapping a two-game winning streak and dropping the Raptors to 5-2-2.   

“This wasn’t an indication of the first eight games of the year. We didn’t really play as a team tonight,” said Bell. “I think we were more worried about officials rather than worrying about our play, and we tried to pick up our intensity the last five minutes when it should have been like that for 80 minutes.”

Rocky Hill head coach Paul Horta was impressed with his team’s ability to battle with RHAM, who he called Class M title contenders. 
“If we play this team ten times they might beat us nine times, but it will always be a battle,” added Horta.

Bell credited Rocky Hill for being the more aggressive team, yet said the way RHAM played was not indicative of the first eight games where they played with a sense of urgency and went toe-to-toe with the top teams in the area. 

The Raptors started the season with a 3-0 win over rival Bacon Academy and also posted victories over Tolland (1-0), Manchester (2-0), South Windsor (3-1), and conference powerhouse Glastonbury (1-0).

Miller has been the main force offensively, scoring the game-deciding goals in the pair of 1-0 wins, scoring on a spectacular bicycle against Tolland and hammering home the crucial kick against Glastonbury. 

Captaining the team on the field are senior defender Alexander Grillo and senior midfielder Jacob Dooley. 

Bell said his captains are “lead by example” type of players that have set a standard for how to play the right way.

The veteran coach also credited Machowski, who has been in net for five shutouts so far this season. 

“He’s saved our butts plenty of times,” Bell said of his keeper. 

Following the loss to Rocky Hill, RHAM rebounded with another quality win, defeating Farmington 2-1 on Tuesday, earning win No. 6. 

Miller scored a goal and dished out an assist, feeding Michael Thatford for the team’s other goal. The victory qualified the Raptors
for a spot in the Class M and kept them atop the Central Connecticut Conference (CCC) East where they remain undefeated (3-0-1) within the region.  

RHAM now enters the stretch run of the regular season, playing five of their final six games at home, including a conference bout with East Catholic on Monday (Oct. 19) at 3:45. 

Bell hopes that his team is consistenly playing with anticipation “rather than reaction” by the time the state tourney starts in November. 

​After competing at a Class L level a year ago, where they won in the opening round of the state tourney and almost upset No. 2 seed Xavier in round two, the Raptors are playing at a Class M level this fall.