NEW BRITAIN — Their schedule made them a low seed. It might’ve also made Plainville a CIAC boys soccer champion.
Quick transition off a turnover produced the only goal with 11:50 left as 23rd-seeded Plainville beat top-seeded, unbeaten Ellington 1-0 Sunday evening at Veterans Stadium to win the Class M title. It’s the school’s first soccer championship.
The Blue Devils (13-7-1) were all over Ellington most of the night.
CIAC FALL CHAMPIONSHIP SCOREBOARD
“We know how to come out against the strongest,” said sophomore Pat Gryczewski, who was in the middle of the passing play that produced the goal and was one of a few Blue Devils around the front of the Ellington net most of the night.
Plainville coach Tim Brown gets the ice bath after winning the Class M title #ctbsoc pic.twitter.com/eaH8tJpnNS
— GameTimeCT (@GameTimeCT) November 19, 2018
The Blue Devils’ regular-season schedule included three of the finalists in Classes LL and L, Hall, Maloney and Glastonbury. They went 0-3, leaving them a 23rd seed — lowest ever to reach a final, according to the CIAC — but it got them prepared.
“The schedule is what makes Plainville,” coach Tim Brown said. “We play these teams routinely, the Ls, LLs. the Farmingtons, E.O. Smiths, Hall, Wethersfield.
“We don’t have as deep a bench. We can’t rely on 18, 20 players for fresh legs. We play them tough. We’re often on the poor end of the result, but they know they battled.”
Plainville’s Pat Gruczewski talks Class M title victory #ctbsoc pic.twitter.com/Zf2Er4tE8E
— GameTimeCT (@GameTimeCT) November 19, 2018
It prepared Plainville for top-seeded Ellington (20-1), which got a quick scoring chance and didn’t really threaten again until its best scoring chance, when Ryan Zahner pounced on a loose ball just above the top of the box with 17 minutes left. Plainville keeper Sergio Zaldivar knocked it down and controlled it.
Ellington coach Roy Gurnon said the result was partly because of Plainville’s pressure and partly because the Knights were a bit out of sync.
“We passed to guys who were already covered,” Gurnon said with a chuckle. “It wasn’t one of our better performances, but give them credit. They’re quick and athletic and forced us into mistakes.”
One turned into the goal when senior midfielder Mikey Torres forced a turnover near midfield. He sent classmate Dane Stephens, the game’s MVP, ahead.
“I saw Patrick running down the left side, so I played it through a defender’s legs,” Stephens said.
Gryczewski controlled it and said he heard Jamie Raucci screaming for the ball in front of the net. The cross found him.
“(The title) means a lot. I’ve tried all my years to win this, to get a chance like this,” Stephens said. “This team was great.”
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Stephens’ speed and creativity produced chances for Plainville and helped set up the goal. He was named MVP of the final.
QUOTABLE
“Our goal was to get here, and our next goal was to win it. I said to the boys, we’re a great program already, but to get to the very next level, we’ve got to start winning finals. Once we do that, we’ve elevated ourselves to the top. Now we worry about maintaining, winning those championships. And that’s where we are now. So we’ve acttually entered an arena that might be more difficult than the one we were in.” —Plainville coach Tim Brown
PLAINVILLE 1, ELLINGTON 0
PLAINVILLE 0 1—1
ELLINGTON 0 0—0
Records: Plainville 13-7-1; Ellington 20-1. Goals: P—Jamie Raucci. Assists: P—Pat Gryczewski, Dane Stephens. Goalies: P—Sergio Zaldivar (4 saves); E—Mitch LaForge (4). Shots: P—13; E—7
