By RYAN WALKER
Injuries crept up on the Norwell Knights yet again.
Three key players on the boys’ soccer team caused the team’s fifth-straight loss, falling 3-1 at New Haven in conference play Wednesday night.
Both teams were looking to get up off the mat in the Northeast 8 clash. Norwell’s 4-4 record was once 4-0 to start the year (now 0-3 NE8), and New Haven holding a 1-4 record.
The Bulldogs, now 2-4, drilled the match’s first goal just two minutes in by striker Leonardo Diaz. They controlled possession for the next 18 minutes, but Norwell, down three of its players, picked up the pace.
A few good stretches of possession turned into chances, and finally Zane Borne knotted things up at one goal apiece with 7:40 remaining in the first half.
It was tied 1-1 at the break, and the Knights seemingly caught up with their opponent to have a standing chance.
After Norwell’s 4-0 record to open the season, it’s been a whirlwind. Starting defender Camden Fisher went down with an injury that will sideline him for most of the season. Forward Noah Schamerloh is also out for an extended period and was supposed to be an X-factor on offense this season.
On top of those two, goaltender Philip Gaier was out due to illness. All three are important chunks to the team at all three levels from offense to defense.
The past two games have been the most frustrating for head coach Kiel Nunn, when the Knights fell to Bellmont and Jay County 4-2. Parts of the first half and most of the second half on Wednesday were a positive though for Nunn.
“We’re starting to find those pieces,” Nunn said. “We’ve had about five or six different lineups trying to find what’s going to work. I think that’s what it comes down to is finding ourselves. When we play who we are and we pass and we possess that ball in the middle, then we’re fine. It’s just when we get frustrated and we get out of sorts, then we kind of give up possessions.”
The score remained tied for another 20 minutes. Both schools exchanged attempts at each goaltender, but both, including first-time goalie Jase Harmon for Norwell, stood firm.
That was until one of the worst possible ways to score happened.
New Haven’s Oscar Rivera from in front of midfield sent the ball soaring into the air toward the net. For it to be called an intentional shot would be a long shot, but more-so an arching pass. The ball was struck well and carried all the way to the top of the net, where it slid through the outstretched hands of Harmon and tucked away to the back of the net.
The Bulldogs cheered in astonishment at the goal after 23 minutes of hard work.
“That was a killer. It really was,” Nunn said. “It was a dagger because of the time that it happened later in the second half … (Harmon) did what he could, he’s not in his normal position.”
Norwell wouldn’t have much of a chance after that, and credit to New Haven’s quick and pesky defense playing keep away.
With 10 seconds remaining, Diaz netted his second goal of the night for the official dagger to even their conference record to 2-2.
Right now, Nunn is just trying to duct tape players together and compete at a high level in the time being. The game at New Haven showed that they are a talented group, but are looking forward to getting back to full strength when the Knights were 4-0.
“I think if I’m really honest with our guys, there’s probably two losses that I’m not happy with, but I get it,” Nunn said. “But the other two, we were just trying to figure out who we are, and I think we’re slowly starting to figure that out.”
Norwell will be at Bishop Luers at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12.
ryan@news-banner.com
