0
0
In many ways, winning the fifth annual La Copa de BHS was simply a continuation of the successful boys soccer season.
Seniors Grant Barrientos and Bryan Ohlott were on the same side again and a freshman, Chad Durkin, was guarding the net. The only difference was that it was for the Creek Boys, who edged the Ball Handlers, 3-2, in the La Copa final on Wednesday, Feb. 28.
Jad El-Sahely, kicker for the football team as a junior and senior, was reunited with Barrientos and Ohlott, whom he played soccer with at John Hill School and for his first two years of high school. El-Sahely, most recently accustomed to kicking field goals, showed he still possessed his scoring touch when it came to soccer as he fueled the Creek Boys’ attack.
“There was a lot of chemistry,” noted Barrientos, headed to George Washington University in the fall. “We’ve played with each other so long. It was like the season all over again.”
The Creek Boys not only had firepower, they had two standout goalies in Durkin and Catie Owens, netminder for the girls soccer squad. Lorenzo LeBrun rounded out the title team.
“Winning was great,” Barrientos said. “It was a lot of fun.”
The Ball Handlers, runners-up for the second consecutive year, put in a stellar effort and vowed to come out on top in the 2019 La Copa de BHS.
“Next year, we are going to win the Copa,” Ball Handlers captain Mia Peguero said.
Rafa Elias, captain of Real BHS, was proud he and his teammates made it to the semifinals for the first time. Real BHS fell, 1-0, to the Creek Boys, whose lone goal came off the foot of El-Sahely.
“We tried our best,” Elias said. “We connected with each other. We’ll try to do better next year. We made it to the semifinals this year. Maybe we will go to the final next year.”
Also in the semifinals were the All Stars, captained by Kate Crooker. Crooker said she was “happy” with the effort her team put forth.
“Everyone played well and we had some good karma on our side,” she said.
Eight teams competed in the La Copa de BHS. The event raised approximately $537. The funds will be used by the Spanish Club for field trip transportation and operating costs.
The Creek Boys, Peterborough, 5-Star Lasana and Real BHS faced off in Group A. Group B consisted of the Ball Handlers, All Stars, French Toast Mafia and Los Tejones. The French Toast Mafia was comprised of BHS freshmen while the players on Los Tejones were from the Craig High School.
***PHOTO GALLERY BELOW***
Author
