When the Naugatuck Valley League boys soccer tournament rolls around every fall, there’s no secret about which team everybody wants to beat.
“We understand that everyone is out to get us as four-time (defending) champs,” said Naugatuck coach Ryan Kinne, whose team will be a top-two seed in the tournament beginning Saturday, “but as long as we come in with the right attitude, mentality and hunger, I have immense confidence in us.”
Naugatuck will face Watertown on Wednesday night on the road to determine the top seed for the tournament. Both teams enter the match with 13-0-1 records in the NVL. Regardless of the result, they will be seeded on opposite sides of the bracket and be on track to meet in the league championship match next Wednesday at Seymour High.
The Greyhounds’ only loss on the season came in a 1-0 nonleague contest against Pomperaug in September. They carry a seven-match winning streak into the regular-season finale, but Kinne said his team can’t be too confident after some recent offensive struggles. Naugy had scored just five goals in three matches entering its match against Watertown, including one-goal wins over Torrington and Kennedy, who the ‘Hounds might see in the quarterfinals.
“Our struggle all year has been putting the ball in the net,” Kinne said. “We don’t lack at creating opportunities. We just struggle with the final product of burying our chances.”
Naugatuck has 11 shutouts to its credit. The most recent came Monday in a 1-0 win over Kennedy. Matt Carroll netted the only goal on an assist by Felipe Pereire, and Aren Seeger and Zach Alves combined to make three saves.
Woodland will enter the tournament as one of the hottest teams in the league. After a 1-2 start in the league, the Hawks have a 10-3-1 NVL record entering their regular-season finale against Crosby on Wednesday night at home. A victory in that match will clinch at least the fourth seed for Woodland, which means a home quarterfinal Saturday against Ansonia, Seymour or Sacred Heart.
The Hawks suffered a setback last Thursday in a 2-0 loss to the Chargers. It was Woodland’s first NVL defeat since a 2-0 decision vs. Naugatuck on Sept. 15, but Hawks coach Tony Moutinho said it might not have been a bad thing.
“We had a winning streak, and sometimes you get too cocky,” Moutinho said. “Especially towards the end, it’s good to have a loss to make you realize you’re beatable.”
Woodland bounced back Monday with a 6-1 win over Waterbury Career. Maciej Lewicki and Jason Claiborn starred with hat tricks, and Andrew Spofford and Ryan Lamb combined to make four saves.
For Moutinho, the key to Woodland’s potential success in the postseason is confidence.
“We just have to play as a unit,” said Moutinho, who tabbed Naugatuck and Watertown as co-favorites. “We can’t lose our composure if we get down by one or two. We have enough talent to come back from that, but sometimes the team gets down. We have to stay focused.”
Kinne thinks his Greyhounds need to play with more urgency once the playoffs begin.
“We have had our moments of brilliance throughout the season, but we have also had some moments when we’ve taken our foot off the gas and have been a little too complacent,” said Kinne, who warned that upsets are a frequent occurrence in the NVL tournament. “I would like to see some more consistency in our effort and work rate, but I have no doubt that as the intensity increases in the win-and-go-home scenarios that the boys will raise their level.”
Tournament pairings and game times will be announced later this week. The tournament begins Saturday with quarterfinals at higher-seeded sites. The semifinals are set for Oct. 30 at Crosby High, and the final is scheduled for Nov. 1 at Seymour.
