By Michael Letendre
BRISTOL – A few years back, in 2019 to be precise, Bristol Eastern boys soccer coach Bill Sweet earned his 400th all-time victory with a dominating road win at Hartford Public High School.
And on Monday afternoon, Sweet moved over the 425 win total as the Lancers belted the Owls by a 5-0 final from Alumni Field in Bristol.
Eastern is now 5-2 this season while Public (0-6) has yet to hit the pay window in 2023.
It was a good bounce-back victory for the program after a tough loss to Berlin in the previous match.
The Owls hung around early but simply could not crack the Eastern defense, led by outstanding keeper Peyton Cummings.
On the flip side, Eastern’s Matthew Cabrera nabbed a first period goal and later assisted on a score while teammate Eddie Ansah dropped in a couple late goals to ice the affair.
“We took control immediately and were able to dominate play against a game Public team,” said Eastern coach Bill Sweet. “We moved the ball quickly and found open men”
Cabrera headed in the first goal at the 23:58 mark of the first period as the ball was not cleared by Hartford – making it a 1-0 game midway through things.
About three minutes later, Cabrera sent a pass wide to Rocco Barbino who collected it and drilled home the second goal of the showdown to double the Lancers’ cushion.
That 2-0 push held into the halftime break before the Kingstreeters ramped up three additional goals to make it a five-goal lead to end the CCC showdown.
Early in the second half, Liam Sanchez-Barreto was fouled in the penalty area and with 31:15 remaining, he scored on the ensuing penalty kick to post the Kingstreeters to a 3-0 lead.
And to end the event, Ansah notched back-to-back scores.
Ansah blasted in his first goal with 11:24 left after Jeshua Portillo dribbled past three players and laid off a pass to the forward for the score.
Finally, with 7:49 showing on the clock, Ansah completed the scoring after cutting in from the wing, taking a Landon Gawel pass, and hitting a hard shot inside the near post – leading to the final 5-0 score.
Cummings (two) and Connor Murtaugh combined for two saves for Eastern while Public keeper Juan Arreaga stopped 13 shots over a solid effort.
To end the week, the Lancers will be involved in two big matches – one that will require several gallons of gas.
On Thursday, Eastern travels to Edwin O. Smith High School for a 4:00 p.m. game in Storrs with the campus of the University of Connecticut looming.
And then the ultimate challenge comes on a very special Saturday double dip.
Eastern travels to the turf field at Bristol Central on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. for the first game of a boy/girl doubleheader in a huge city series bonanza.
The showdown should be a good one between the two squads.
Bristol Eastern Boys Soccer – CCC Interdivisional Showdown
BRISTOL EASTERN 5, HARTFORD PUBLIC 0
from Alumni Field, Bristol
Scoring 1 2 – F
Hartford Public (0-6) 0 0 – 0
Bristol Eastern (5-2) 2 3 – 5
Individual Scoring – First Half
– Matthew Cabrera (Bristol Eastern), 16:02
– Rocco Barbino (Bristol Eastern), 19:12
Individual Scoring – Second Half
– Liam Sanchez-Barreto (Bristol Eastern), 48:45
– Eddie Ansah (Bristol Eastern), 68:36
– Eddie Ansah (Bristol Eastern), 72:11
Saves: Peyton Cummings (Bristol Eastern), 2; Connor Murtaugh (Bristol Eastern), Juan Arreaga (Hartford Public), 13.
Records: Bristol Eastern 5-2 overall; Hartford Public 0-6.
