WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — The Hartford High boys soccer team’s season ended Saturday with a 2-1 loss to U-32 in the VPA Division II playoff quarterfinals at the Maxfield Sports Complex.
The fifth-seeded Raiders (13-3) advanced to the semifinals for the third time in the last six years. The fourth-seeded Hurricanes (12-3-1) haven’t reached that stage since 2016 and closed the season 1-3-1 after starting the campaign 11-0-0.
U-32 opened the scoring with a minute remaining in the first half. Bennett Clark leaped at the right post to head home Finnegan O’Donnell’s corner kick from the opposite side.
The Raiders doubled their lead eight minutes into the second half. Shiloh Weiss sent the ball ahead and as it rolled into the penalty area’s left side, O’Donnell beat charging goalkeeper Blaine Gour to the orb, tapped it wide and finished with poise.
Hartford was listless for much of the match but came alive late, sparked by Joey Beggs’ move up to midfield from the back line.
One of his team’s nine seniors, Beggs halved his team’s deficit when a long and seemingly harmless shot rolled under sprawling U-32 goalkeeper Alexander Moore with six minutes to play.
The Raiders visit top-seed Montpelier (15-0-1) at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
Tris Wykes can be reached at twykes@vnews.com.