Spartans News

The stage was set…the reigning ETIAC champion Richmond Knights versus the 2023 runner-up Stanstead College Spartans in the 2024 ETIAC semi-final played at Stanstead College on Tuesday, October 23 at 4:00pm. This match would be the third and final one of the season, and despite having won the previous two league encounters by an aggregate 11-3 margin, the Spartans would not take the Knights for granted. Potentially slipping up the Spartans on this day – and if there was ever a banana skin in the works – was exhaustion resulting from six games in three days at the CAIS tournament in Aurora, Ontario, just the previous weekend.

The Stanstead College Senior Boys Soccer Spartans attended the annual CAIS tournament held on the campus of St. Andrew’s College in Aurora, Ontario, October 17-19, and finished in 6^th place in the silver division. CAIS organized a new format for 2024, which was aimed at having divisions of like with like talent. There are large and small CAIS schools, some with very strong and some with less experienced quality teams, so this new format provided all schools with the opportunity of playing against teams of similar caliber. For Stanstead College, this format worked perfectly, as games against Trinity College School, Ridley College and Country Day School were all excellent matchups.

 

The Spartans opened the ETIAC season by travelling west to Cowansville and the home of the Massey-Vanier Vikings. Always a difficult team to play, the Vikings are a tough opponent and hard to beat at home. From the opening kick-off the Spartans displayed their trademark style of play, keeping the ball by passing and moving it quickly on the ground, beginning offensive attacks by playing the ball from the defenders through the midfield to the forwards and breaking opponents down with aggressive pressure.

Stanstead started the game on the front foot and took the lead in the 5^th minute when left-winger Jeremiah  finished from inside the 6-yard box following a great pass from Jordan. The Spartans doubled the lead in the 12^th minute when Gabriel won a 50/50 contested ball, made a quick move and fired a rocket into the back of the CDL goal. Spartan goalkeeper, Emanuel, faced and denied the four shots directed his way and earned the shutout.