The Sharon Academy’s boys soccer team is on a mission to reach the finals and win their first-ever school and Vermont championship. With the loss of both the leading scorer (Hannes Fisher-Byrne) and second scorer (Michael Young-Ward), along with goalie Brad Farrell and Andrew Parent, the Phoenix need to fill in some very big holes if they hope to take it all.

With a core group of a dozen returnees heavily loaded with experience in play-time and the addition of eight new players, there appears to be the possibility of filling those holes rather quickly.

Returning are seniors Hudson Cox, Issac Sacca, Michael Landry, Bryce Lloyd, Mike Pascitelli and Torin Riddle. Juniors are Cedar Farwell, Shane Hardy-Johnson, Nick Munro, Tim Woodin, Erik Littlehales and Lucas Starr.

Newcomers are senior Zevi Rubin-Crump, juniors Emil Ashley in goal and Jake Hurwitz, and sophomores Drew Chaboyer, Evan Halnon, Cameron Pattison, Mario Sacca and Sesma Cameron. TSA has much to work with, and that suits six-year veteran coach Rob Stainton.

Coach continually stresses team play and unity from his players in order to get the job done in both scoring and defending the net.

The boys opened their season with a barrage of goals in a resounding defeat of the West Rutland Golden Horde.

Littlehales is off to a fine start with a hat trick plus an assist. Also scoring for the Phoenix were Colin Young with two goals, Cox and Sesma with a goal apiece and Lloyd with a goal and an assist. First year goalie Emil Ashley made five saves in the contest.

TSA also handed the Chelsea Red Devils an 8-1 loss in Chelsea on Saturday, Sept. 11. Sesma, Starr and Littlehales all doubled-up for six goals and Rubin-Crump and Landry each tallied one goal.

Goalie Pattison made one save in the outing.

Loss for Sharon

On September 15, South Royalton came to Sharon and defeated the Phoenix 3-1. It took only six minutes for the Royals to strike when James Doyle-Braman put one past TSA’s keeper. Doyle-Braman scored again at the start of the second half. TSA’s Littlehales set up Rubin-Crump, cutting the lead to one. Unfortunately, South Royalton struck one last time when Marshall Distell delivered. A September 17 scheduled game against the Rochester Rockets was postponed and will be rescheduled.

On Wednesday, Sept. 22 TSA hosted the Rivendell Raptors and won, 1-0.

The goal was scored in the 13^th minute of play when Sesma hit paydirt with an indirect kick. Then it was a hard-fought game of “keep away” as the Phoenix rallied and held off the attack of the Raptors.