WINSTED — Housatonic Valley Regional High School girls and boys varsity soccer teams each officially opened the 2024 season Wednesday, Sept. 5, with victories over Gilbert School.
The girls traveled to Winsted for the game while the boys hosted Gilbert in Falls Village. After a full game in the sun, the HVRHS girls won 11-1 and the boys won 14-0.
Before game time, coach Don Drislane told the girls team to “make it a strong start” to the season. The team got hyped up with a dance-off in the pre-game huddle before taking the field.
Strikers Ava Segalla and Georgie Clayton set the tone with early goals. Abby White and Lou Haemmerle won just about every 50/50 ball in midfield to help give the Mountaineers an 8-1 advantage by halftime.
By the end of the match Segalla scored four times, Clayton and Haemmerle each scored twice, and Carmela Egan, Mia Dodge and Louise Faveau scored once each. Madison “Maddog” Dewitt saved three shots-on-net.
The HVRHS boys led from start to finish on their home field. Everett Belanick and Brayan Lopez each secured hattricks in the game. Patrick Money scored twice and the following players each scored once: Manny Matsudaira, Wyatt Bayer, Anthony Labbadia, Jackson McAvoy, Angel Gonzalez and Ryan Segalla.
Photo by Riley Klein
Hayden Bachman navigates through traffic near the Gilbert net.
