Thunder corral Mustangs
Sebastian Alvarez did it all for the Blessed Trinity Thunder Thursday.
The 15-year-old, Grade 10 student not only earned a shutout, but also achieved the rare feat of scoring a goal while tending net.
Alvarez was credited with a goal in the first half as the Thunder topped the Saint Michael Mustangs 2-0 in a Niagara Catholic Athletic Association senior boys soccer game at Kalar Park.
Alvarez was credited with the goal when his clearing kicked sailed all the way down the field without being touched by a teammate, was kicked back by a Saint Michael defender to Mustangs goalie Brock Conklin, who muffed the pass as the ball rolled slowly into the net.
“I wasn’t expecting it to go in, obviously,” Alvarez said. “I just cleared it because there was a lot of pressure. It’s nice to have a little hiccup to have a goal for me once in a while.”
Alvarez has always wanted to be a goalie.
“I’ve been playing goal ever since I can remember,” he said. “My older brother (Patrick) played soccer and I was always fascinated with being goalie and being the reason games can be won.”
The other side of that is that the goalie can also be the reason a team loses.
“I never take it on myself. This is a team sport, if somebody scores it’s everyone’s fault, not just mine,” he said. “If I make a mistake, that’s fine. Everyone makes mistakes.”
Alvarez, who is in his first season of travel with the Lincoln Storm, said being a goaltender is a constant work in progress.
“It’s really all about the training,” he said. “You need to learn to be on the tips of your feet. You have to learn where the ball is going to end up and take into account the what the wind is going to do to the ball.”
BT coach Mike Minicucci is well aware what a top-notch goaltender can do for a team.
“The goalie is the most important man on the field,” he said. “If he’s mobile and can kick the ball and distribute and pass, it’s like having an extra defender.”
Alvarez’ goal was the only scoring in the first half which saw the Mustangs have more than their share of opportunities offensively.
“A lead always builds confidence for the players so it helps tremendously,” Minicucci said of 1-0 lead. “My style is to just continue to play how we were playing. Things were working well so we stuck with it.”
The Thunder later added an insurance marker from Adam Scott as time wound down.
The win improved BT’s record to 2-0-1.
The Mustangs are 0-2-1.
“I knew what we were up against as far as what Blessed Trinity had for a starting lineup last year. I know they were going to be a well balanced team,” Saint Michael coach Pat Ricci said. “I’m always trying different systems and different lineups, I have 18 guys. We’re finally at a point where we have our starting lineup and my system.”
Ricci admitted the fluke goal was a killer.
“To go down 1-0 with our own goal, that’s the stinger, all the while we had possession. We had about four chances in the first half. We delivered crosses and shots from every angle we could against one of the top three teams in the league from last year’s standings.”
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