Mount Everett Boys Roll to Quarter-Finals

 

Dan Litchfield, Matt Morehouse and Ellis Waldman each found the back of the net for Mount Everett (12-2-4), which also benefited from an own goal for the game's first score.

 

The fifth-seeded Eagles advance to Friday's sectional quarter-final at No. 4 Granby (13-3-3), which knocked off Smith Vocational on Wednesday afternoon.

 

Mount Everett allowed just four shots on keeper Ryan Meyer, who was never really tested until midway through the second half with Mount Everett holding a commanding 3-0 lead.

 

In the first half, the Eagles dominated play despite not scoring a goal off their own feet until the 31st minute.

 

Mount Everett controlled the middle of the field, keeping Ware (9-9-1) pinned in its end most of the half.

 

"We've moved guys around throughout the year, but we've kind of kept the same midfield going the whole way," Mount Everett coach Joshua King said. "Contolling that midfield gives you better chances to score [and] gives you better opportunities to maintain possession.

 

"If you're able to control their midfied and control your own, that gives you a better chance. The two games we struggled -- against Taconic and when we lost a Westfield Tech -- we didn't control the midfield, and that hurt us at the end."

 

Mount Everett' early pressure led to the game's first goal in the fifth minute.

 

Cavan Brady teed up a corner kick from the left wing and curled it into the 6-yard box, where it deflected off the leg of a Ware player and into the net.

 

The only time that 1-0 lead was threatened was midway through the half when the visitors were awarded a direct free kick about 35 yards from goal. The low shot got through the wall, but Meyer was there to scoop it up and keep the shutout going.

 

Litchfield gave Meyer a cushion in the 31st minute. After the Eagles took possession on a failed clear out of Ware's backfield, Brady set up Litchfield for a shot from about 15 yards to make it 2-0.

 

It was 3-0 at half-time after Brendan Dempsey fed Matt Morehouse with a header, and Morehouse beat Ware's keeper, who came off his line to make a play on the ball and gave Morehouse an open look at the cage.

 

Ware's best chance to get on the board came with 11 minutes, 28 seconds left in the second half. Jake Thompson ripped off an on-target shot from 20 yards out, but Meyer made a diving save to keep it 3-0.

 

Mount Everett's fourth goal came with 8:17 left. Waldman did the honors from outside the 18 with a ball to the upper 90.

 

The Eagles move on to face Granby, a 5-1 winner in its tournament opener on Wednesday.

 

"The main thing is you've got to come and play," King said. "Anyone can be beaten on any day. Last year, in the first 10 minutes, we had two or three chances to score against Lenox. We didn't convert. They come down on the one free kick they got and put one in the back of the net, and that kind of deflates your sails.

 

"I think if we come out motivated and fired up on Friday and put one in the back of the net quick, hopefully, we'll maintain confidence and maintain momentum."