Avon converts on their chance, capture 2nd straight Class L state title

The Avon High girls soccer team celebrates after winning their second straight Class L state championship Friday at Falcon Field in Meriden.

MERIDEN, Nov. 23 – As the Avon High girls soccer raced off the field in jubilation after winning its second straight Class L championship, there were no less than three players with torn jerseys. One had a tear in her shirt across her belly. Another player had torn sleeve hanging off her shoulder.

In a game that physical and tight, there aren’t a lot of opportunities to score a goal. Avon grabbed its chance and brought home the state championship for the second straight year with a 1-0 decision over No. 4 Masuk-Monroe at Falcon Field in Meriden.

Sophomore Stephanie Saccoccio scored her third goal of the season with 14:21 remaining in the game to lift the No. 2 ranked Falcons (18-1-2). A corner kick from teammate Catherine Jordan was punched out of the goal area by Panther goalie Megan Fitzgerald and it landed right and Saccoccio’s feet near the 20-yard line.

Saccoccio stopped the ball and then drilled it 30 yards into the upper right corner of the net in one quick motion. Fitzgerald had no chance to stop it.

“It was a perfect play right to Stephanie and she just buried it,” Avon coach Jim Murray said.

Avon’s Caroline Smith battles with Diana Antenucci (22) of Masuk in Friday’s Class L championship game.

Avon goalie Kaylan Conrad, playing in her fourth state championship game, did her part, making a handful of saves, including some big stops late in the first half that kept the game scoreless.

“If we have an opportunity, we have to be there to care of it,” Murray said. “And it’s not up to one or two players. We all have confidence in whoever has the ball on their feet. They all know anyone can finish when the opportunity is there.”

Three girls finished the season with 10 goals – midfielders Catherine Jordan and Michaela Marcus and forward Hunter McCarthy. Seventeen players have scored goals for the Falcons. Twelve players have assists, including Jordan with 10 and defender Sarah Betancourt with nine.

It isn’t unusual to see the Avon defenders move forward to create a scoring opportunity. Late in the second half, fullback Lauren Miller drove into the box and despite having two Masuk defenders all over her ripped a shot at Fitzgerald from about five yards away.

Avon kept up the pressure. About two minutes later, it was Erin Heston off the bench creating an opportunity. When Masuk knocked the ball out of play, Avon earned a corner kick and it was Marcus with the kick that Fitzgerald punched out of the box right to a wide-open Saccoccio, who scored for the second straight game.

The Falcons graduated 11 seniors from last year’s championship team and six starters. A return to the state finals wasn’t a given in September. And then Avon opened the season with a 1-1-1 record after three games including a 1-0 loss to Granby in early September.

“This is a great surprise. With losing so many seniors last year and rebuilding slightly at the beginning of the season,” Murray said. “But we didn’t miss a stride. Everyone stepped up so it was great.”

Avon went 17-0-1 in its last 18 games and won another NCCC championship with its only blemish being a 0-0 tie with Suffield in late October.

In the state tournament, the Falcons took advantage of their chances and won five straight games over Southwest Conference (SWC) opponents. It was Marcus with a goal with four minutes left in the second overtime that lifted Avon to a 1-0 win over Bethel in the first round.

Caroline Smith and Britt Douglas had goals in the 2-1 win over Joel Barlow in the quarterfinals and the Falcons built a quick three-goal lead in a 3-1 win over Pomperaug in the semifinal.

And in the final, Avon limited Masuk’s scoring opportunities. The Panthers were playing in their first state final. “I thought we defended phenomenally against an very aggressive, physical and competitive team,” Murray said.

He added, “Our center midfielders Michaela Marcus and Catherine Jordan were phenomenal. They played phenomenal in the middle (of the field) and controlled the tempo (of the game).”

The victory was Avon’s fifth state championship and second straight in Class L. The Falcons won three straight Class M titles from 2001 through 2003. Avon has played in the finals nine times with a record of 5-4. … It was the third straight game that Masuk had not scored a goal in regulation. The Panthers advanced in the quarterfinals with a 1-0 win over Watertown in overtime and topped East Lyme in the semifinals on penalty kicks, 3-2 after  scoreless regulation and overtime periods.

More photos from the game

Avon 1, Masuk 0
At Meriden
Masuk (15-3-2)                        0  0  — 0
Avon (18-1-2)                          0  1  — 1
Goals: Stephanie Saccoccio (A); Saves: Kaylan Conrard (A) 2, Megan Fitzgerald (M) 4