By Christopher Shaban
EAGLE TIMES STAFF
LANGDON — An emotional ending to the best rivalry in New Hampshire Men’s Soccer gave the Stevens Cardinals a dramatic 2-1 win in the 51st Annual Bernard Cup Game, in front of over 400 fans in Wildcat Country.
The Fall Mountain Wildcats entered the game with a 4-4-1 record, while the Cardinals limped in with a single win all season, but this was Stevens vs Fall Mountain soccer and records don’t matter between these two teams. “This game has such great meaning, the history and all the great players who have played in this game is just remarkable,” said Cardinals senior Sam Dalke.
It looked like the Wildcats were going to take charge from the get-go, with some sustained play in the Cardinals side of the field, when a blast by Eli Royce had the Fall Mountain faithful ready to explode, but the goal post said no. A lightning strike attack from the Cardinals put the ball on the boots of a streaking Landon Norton-Avery down the right wing. Norton-Avery got every bit of the shot, as his blast was true into the far corner, giving Stevens a 1-0 lead as the Cardinals fans erupted, and the Fall Mountain fans were in shock.
The midfield wasn’t a place for the timid as tough physical play coming from the Cardinals’ Mason Ferland was stellar. “My grandfather played in this game, and I know the meaning of what this game is all about, I was here to give 110% tonight,” said Ferland. Fall Mountain had an equally tough midfield lineup with Matt Hartwell and Jager Klem battling with Ferland, Matt Wilmont and Jason Demars of the Black and Red. “We were so hyped up for this game, it’s hard to put into words but I can tell you that we wanted this game really bad,” said Wilmont.
Another quick Stevens rush set up Trystan Lane who whistled an absolute rocket into the cage to put the Cardinals up 2-0. “That was a dream goal, I’ve wanted to do this since I can remember, this game means so much to this team and community, we were on such a high,” said Lane after the game. That lead held up into the break, but there was another half of soccer remaining.
“They are going to come at us like crazy,” said Stevens Head Coach Jason Stone during halftime, while across the pitch Fall Mountain’s coach was telling his team, “We need to slow them down right now.”
As the intensity picked up, and the crowd got louder as the time ticked off the clock, the Cardinal defense was holding Fall Mountain at bay. But a break by Zachery King forced Stevens goalie Maddox Foster off his line to smother King only a few feet from the goal, as the Wildcats were really pressing play. As the game grew more intense, the cards started to fly out as the referees tried their best to keep things under control.
Dalke tried to put a dagger into the Wildcats, but Aidan Parrot made a fabulous save to keep Fall Mountain within striking distance. Moments later, King found a seam and his break away resulted in a goal as the Wildcat fans finally had something to yell about. In stoppage time, with the Cardinals clinging to a 2-1 lead, emotions took hold of the game as tempers flared and things ended quickly with the Cardinals taking a 2-1 win.
“We played the hardest we have in many, many games. I am so proud is an understatement, we kept organized and kept our emotions in check,” said Stone as his players raced across the field into the huge Claremont crowd to begin the celebration, hoisting the cup along the way. “We wanted it more, we fought and brought our best game with us tonight, this is so special,” said Dalke after the game.
“This is the fourth cup I have had the honor of carrying across the field after a win. This is by far the most intense, emotional, hard-fought game we have played. This is just an amazing feeling,” said the senior Lane.
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