South Kent soccer victorious over Kent

KENT — Two of Kent’s private schools met on the soccer field Wednesday, Oct. 5. The South Kent School Cardinals defeated the Kent School Lions 1-0, taking the win for the second year in a row.In a match that was always intense, the home team, Kent, was the early aggressor. Kent provided dangerous offset pieces and long throw-ins almost immediately. South Kent’s goalkeeper, Giovani Riello, was forced to make three diving saves in the first half off dead ball opportunities. The Lions’ best chance occurred when Ibrahim Mutala curled a direct kick over the South Kent wall, but Riello made a save at full stretch to keep the ball out of the net. Kent goalkeeper Rashid Nuhu also showed his class with a few first-half saves, most notably on a breakaway by Lucas Cavenco. Despite a few good opportunities at both ends, the first half was a stop-and-start affair that didn’t have much rhythm and ended as it started, 0-0.The second half saw South Kent bring a little more passing and possession into the game, and it didn’t take long before it paid off. Ten minutes into the second half Sean Basak-Smith and Tre Ming exchanged several passes down the right flank. The last pass set up Ming for a shot that he blasted into the left corner from inside the 18-yard box. South Kent had a couple opportunities to extend the score but was thwarted by Nuhu. Kent pressed for the equalizer and earned several more dead balls that were dangerous. In the end, the back line of Shakhai Trott, Cody Guerry, Ben Lussier, TJ Hughes and Jalen Harvey along with Riello did well limiting the Kent chances and earning the Cardinals their fourth shutout of the season. In the 1-0 win, South Kent had 17 shots to Kent’s six; eight shots on goal to Kent’s three; three saves to Kent’s four; six corner kicks to Kent’s five; and eight fouls to Kent’s four.The Man of the Match was South Kent’s Tre Ming, the only player to score.Owen Finberg is the coach of South Kent’s soccer team.