Santiago scores twice in Seekonk's 4-0 win over Case
SWANSEA — The Seekonk High School boys’ soccer team completed its 2009 South Coast Conference regular season schedule on the road Monday afternoon, Nov. 2, against Case, returning home with a rather routine 4-0 victory over the struggling Cardinals.
Aris Santiago scored twice for the locals, his team-leading 12th and 13th goals of the season, including what proved the game-winning tally in the seventh minute. His other, the Warriors’ second of the contest as well, came in the 58th. Brendan Gouveia and Kanari Wirrassamee accounted for the other Seekonk goals. Wirrassamee assisted on Gouveia’s goal in the 72nd minute. Gouveia helped on Santiago’s first.
“When you're playing against a team you know you should beat, sometimes it’s hard to get up to play them,” said SHS head coach Jeff Creamer. “And we’re not the kind of team that can do that. We need a purpose when we play because we’re better when do. We smothered their goal with shots the whole game. Finishing is still a problem for us. It’s something we really have to work in practice this week before the playoffs.”
To say the Warriors were the dominant side would be more than an understatement. If Seekonk didn’t maintain 95-percent of the possession throughout the contest, then the locals had none at all. Their attack was that overwhelming.
Still, the recent frustrations for the Warriors, their inability to score during the run of play, were evident for much of the game. Santiago’s initial goal came off a set-piece. Gouveia delivered a corner kick, which Santiago put a purposeful header to beat Case keeper Cody Lyne.
“I just opened up. I saw the ball coming and just went for it,” Santiago said of his first goal, which came in the manner most of his tallies have this season.
Seekonk continued to pour on the pressure for the remainder of the first half, sending numerous shots towards goal, but couldn’t find the range. Wirrassamee had the best look at goal off a cross late in the opening 40 minutes. His shot, however, banged off the crossbar. The follow up of his brother, Kunakorn, sailed high and wide of the target. Carlson Magina also had a good touch with a header off a corner before the break, but it, too, went wide.
The Warriors remained stymied to begin the second half. Magina was denied by Lyne with a two-handed punch save on his tailing shot from some 20 yards out early in the period. Seekonk then had two knocks off the ensuing corner kick. The last, a shot by center-back Paul Hindle, flew high over the bar.
Lyne made two more noteworthy stops of Seekonk shots before Santiago finally broke through for the locals’ second goal. He stole a Lyne clearing punt at midfield, took a few dribbles then sent a laser past the Case goalie for the score from about 30 yards out.
“I think we’re pretty good, but we could do a whole lot better,” said Santiago. “Hopefully, we get some rest, get ready and see what we can do in the playoffs.”
In short order, and with the game well in hand, Gouveia scored Seekonk’s third goal. Kanari Wirrassamme controlled deep in the right corner of the Case end, dribbled on the by-line then delivered a pass to an open Gouveia at the top of the six-yard box, who caught Lyne wrong-footed for the tally. Wirrassamme, following the ensuing center touch, got his goal moments later to ice the victory.
The Warriors now await the release of the Eastern Mass. Division Three South Sectional playoff bracket, which should come later this week, mostly like on Friday, Nov. 6. Seekonk, if it gets a bye, would open the postseason the following week. If the locals must play in a preliminary round game, then that would likely take place either Saturday or Sunday, Nov. 7 or 8, at a site and time to be determined.
To view or purchase more SHS-Case boys' soccer photos click the following link...
