THETFORD — Before Thursday’s contest against Spaulding High, Thetford Academy boys soccer coach Jonathan Bicknell said he was hoping to play just 80 minutes after his team battled to a 2-2 draw in double overtime against Lyndon Institute on Tuesday.
Panthers senior Tanner Hardy made it happen, scoring his first varsity goal with under a minute remaining to extend Thetford’s lead and secure a 3-1 victory over the Crimson Tide.
In the waning moments of the contest, as the Crimson Tide pushed to tie a 2-1 game and force overtime, Thetford freshman Mark Squire sent a nice ball to Hardy, who made a run up the left side of the pitch.
The senior, who has been searching for his first varsity goal, made his way inside the 18-yard box and ripped a shot that was saved, but he followed the rebound and finished it on the second attempt, giving Thetford (4-3-1) a two-goal lead it would not relinquish.
“I saw the opportunity… I went into this game, I was thinking, I want to take these dribbles up, and I want to get a goal this game — I’ve been wanting it forever.” Hardy said.
Hardy said a lot was going through his head when his first attempt was denied, but he pounced on the second chance.
“He hit it off, and I was like, ‘No, that was my last opportunity.’ And then I see it goes a little bit left; I’m like, ‘Oh my God, this is the chance to get a left-footed goal.’ I’ve been working on this forever,” he said.
Adding: “I was like, ‘Lefty, don’t go off the out, don’t go out,’ and I hit it in … Maybe luck, maybe skill, and I was just so happy.”
In addition to Hardy’s offensive contributions, sophomore Elias Rose scored and added an assist. Senior Rowan Moody A’Ness also scored, while freshman Danny Lloyd picked up an assist.
Thetford has been dealing with injuries over the last few weeks, but games like Thursday’s win and its double-overtime battle earlier in the week have shown Bicknell what his squad is made of.
“Playing deep into second OT showed what our guys had for fitness, and then playing a tight game like this — it’s not good for coach and his heart — but it’s good for the players to actually keep that edge and secure that win,” he said.
Both squads battled early to gain an advantage in the first half, with Spaulding having a golden opportunity to take a lead on a penalty kick a little over midway through the first frame.
The Crimson Tide could not capitalize, though, as the shot went wide of the net — a welcome sight for Bicknell.
“We were fortunate; had they gone up ahead 1-0, that could have changed the tone of the game,” he said.
The contest remained scoreless for most of the half until the Panthers finally broke through. A Thetford clearance found the feet of Lloyd, who beat a defender at the top of the 18-yard box and dished it to Rose, who found the back of the net with 3:44 left in the half to put his team up 1-0.
Thetford’s 1-0 lead held through the rest of the first half and much of the second, until Rose sent a corner kick in with about 15:30 left in the contest, and Moody A’Ness headed it in to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead.
Trailing by two goals late, Spaulding quickly cut into the deficit, drawing another penalty kick about a minute later that junior David Valsangiacomo netted to pull his team within one.
In the final 14 minutes of the contest, Thetford stood tall, held off a comeback, and put the game out of reach with Hardy’s goal.
“Tanner works a lot — really hard during practice, and outside of practice, so he’s been striving for that,” Bicknell said. “You saw, he had to hit it a couple of times and the second one was clearly a great goal, so we’re celebrating that for him.”
Up next for Thetford is a home date with Hazen on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.
