New England Junior School Boys Soccer Tournament Champions

IMS has made it to the championship game three previous times, but fell short of their ultimate goal. Last year, the 2023 Boys Varsity Soccer team made it to the finals, but then lost to The Fessenden School 0-1 and it was a tough defeat. Several of the current IMS players were on last year’s team and began preparing mentally and physically for the 2024 tournament to avoid a repeat.

In the first game of the tournament, our team played Cardigan Mountain School. IMS controlled the game right from the start. It didn’t take long for our Falcons to score the opening goal. IMS kept the pressure on Cardigan throughout the game with the final score coming to 3-0.

In the second game, IMS was matched with Fay School. Fay is a well-coached team with plenty of talent on the field. What seemed like an even game turned quickly into an event that the IMS boys hadn’t experienced all year. Fay was defending with their entire team making it very hard for IMS to score. When the final whistle blew and the game was over, IMS lost 2-0. Our coaches, Mr. Horosky and Mr. LeStage, met with the team after this loss and took this opportunity to explain to the players that this loss was a good learning experience for them and that if they did get a chance to continue to the next round, it would be a true test of the team’s character, dedication, and desire. Moments after this meeting, the team found out that they were still in the running and they were moving to the quarterfinals. This news brought new life to the team.

In the quarterfinals, IMS played Rumsey Hall. From the moment the game started it was clear that IMS was on a mission and that they were not going to blow this opportunity. Our team scored six goals by the midpoint of the game and the game ended 6-0 pushing our team to the next round.

In the semi-finals, it was a rematch of last year’s final. For IMS to continue on its quest, it would have to knock off perennial powerhouse and frequent tournament champion Fessenden. IMS was ready for the task at hand. IMS controlled the play from the opening whistle. Throughout the game, IMS used its effective passing ability and work rate to apply pressure on Fessenden and created scoring chances over and over again. IMS continued this onslaught, but couldn’t find the back of the net. Time and time again IMS created golden opportunities to score but failed to convert. Usually, when this happens in sports, the team that is being dominated finds a way to steal the game. Late in the game, Fessenden had their only two chances, but luckily they were off target. The game ended 0-0, so now it was time for penalty kicks to decide which team would go to the final.

Each team would send five players to take kicks from the penalty spot. Fessenden went first and converted. Will Frydl was IMS’s first kicker and he made it. Fessenden then scored again. Anko tied it for IMS putting the game at 2-2. Fessenden’s next kicker sent the ball to the corner, but Mark made an outstanding diving save. Josiah then converted to put IMS up 3-2. Fessenden scored, and then Mazen converted. The next kicker for Fessenden scored, which put all of the pressure on the shoulders of Abdul Baaki. No one was more prepared for this moment than Abdul. He calmly and confidently approached the ball, then buried it in the corner to send IMS back to the final for the second year in a row.

In the final IMS would play the Fay School again, who had just beaten host Eaglebrook 6-0 in their semi-final. Fay was also the team that beat IMS earlier in the day. With the Boys Varsity Soccer team re-focused on their mission and coming off huge wins over Rumsey and Fessenden, the coaches and players were riding high and excited for the chance to play for the Championship. IMS was confident and prepared, but unexpectedly less than a minute into the game IMS found itself down 0-1. Fay was flying and the IMS boys were trying to find a way to penetrate the Fay defense. It was an even game throughout the first half. Late in the half, Abdul received a great pass from Josiah. Abdul dribbled the ball around the Fay keeper and was taken down in the penalty box. IMS was awarded a penalty kick. Abdul was injured, so Josiah stepped up and made the penalty kick. Halftime came with a score of 1-1. The coaches reiterated at halftime that this was a moment in time that these boys would never forget if they were able to win. Everything that the boys trained for all season was right in front of them. How badly did they want it? In the second half, the team put on a clinic as they had done throughout the season. They raised their level of play and completely dominated Fay. When it was all said and done, IMS won the Final 5-1.

Our Falcons are the 2024 New England Junior School Boys Soccer Tournament Champions! The highs and lows, then highs again showed the character, grit, determination, passion, and teamwork that allowed this special group of players to achieve the goal that they set at the beginning of the season.