Serhan Marvi
Nobles Boys Varsity Soccer beat Belmont Hill away 3-2 Saturday afternoon to claim the top spot in the ISL.
“[Belmont Hill] has a really strong senior class, and they’ve been talking a lot of smack, too,” forward Andrew Martins (Class I) said. “I haven’t beaten them in my time here.”
In anticipation of Saturday’s matchup, the Bulldawgs’ front three prepared to face Belmont’s formidable defense.
“Their whole back line is committed,” Martins said.
A key component of practice was matching Belmont’s physical dominance.
“We put a lot of emphasis on fitness just for this moment,” forward Anran Liu (Class I) said.
Liu remained tenacious in his aggressive press throughout the entire first half, waiting for the slightest crack in Belmont’s protective fortress. He finally caught them on their toes when the opposing goalie dropped the ball inside the penalty box.
“I was in the right place at the right time,” Liu said. “Luckily, I got a foot on it and I could finish.”
Despite Nobles taking the early lead with Liu’s first goal of the season, Belmont regained momentum, scoring two unanswered goals before halftime.
“We outplayed them in the first 20 minutes, and then we made mistakes that shouldn’t have happened,” Martins said. “Our urgency just needed to be better. We had to come out, and we had to fly.”
The Bulldawgs’ persistence shone through in the second half as Captains Juju Fynn-Thompson (Class I) and Mack Smink (Class I) both took excellent shots on goal, and the back line stayed resolute.
“[Cesar Miranda (Class I) and James Hazen (Class I)] together are an absolute brick wall,” Martins said. “Hazen in the air is one of the best defenders I’ve seen, and Cesar’s just really smart and technical. They’re a really good duo.”
The defenders’ strong performance over the weekend can be attributed to their unrivaled chemistry and discipline.
“We worked on our communication through the week,” Captain Ryan Callahan (Class I) said. “Our new coach, Harri Sprofera, worked on our positioning and how to counter the other team’s wingers.”
Keeping hope alive, the big break for Nobles came as forward Mateo Cosentino (Class I) was tripped within Belmont Hill’s box.
“If we didn’t get that penalty from Mateo, we would’ve lost the game,” Martins said.
In a do-or-die situation, Martins lined up for the game-tying penalty kick.
“I was lowkey pooping my pants ‘cause it was a huge moment,” he said. “I thought, ‘deep breath, don’t even think about it,’ and I just hit it as hard as I could in the corner, and it worked.”
Martins’s successful attempt at this critical juncture stands in stark contrast to the team’s lackluster performance in penalty kicks last season. With Martins back from injury this year, teammates turned to him for a more secure outcome.
“I’m honored to have that privilege,” Martins said.
At 2-2, momentum swung in the Dawgs’ favor, and it was only a matter of time before they would claim victory. With two defenders standing between the net and a revitalized Martins, the deal was sealed.
“They were giving me space so I just took it on my left and shot it near post,” he said. “The goalie was way off his line, and I scored … sorry, boys.”
Coming off injuries to midfielders Vedant Kulkarni (Class I) and Charlie Hood (Class I), Saturday’s win demonstrated Nobles’ unparalleled depth.
“Charlie’s a big part of the team, but at this point in the season, we have other players that are willing to step up,” Fynn-Thompson said. “We’re probably one of the most well-rounded teams in the ISL this year.”
As the season enters its latter half, Nobles’ victory puts their ISL aspirations in the hands of the players.
“If we’d lost, we’d have to hope that Belmont Hill loses a game or that something random happens,” Callahan said. “Now, we control our own destiny. We don’t have to count on anyone else. We’re in control of our season.”