Growing pains: Trinity boys fall, 5-0, still looking for first DII win

HOLLIS, NH — Trinity High boys soccer coach Phil Tuttle knew his team would experience growing pains this season, as it made the jump to Division II. That doesn’t make days like Tuesday any easier.

Tuttle’s Pioneers were overmatched, falling 5-0 to a powerful Hollis-Brookline squad. Senior midfielder Hunter Crea had a hat trick to lead the Cavaliers, who blew the game open with four second-half goals.

Using its superior speed and athleticism, Hollis-Brookline did to Trinity what Trinity had done to so many opponents over the previous two seasons, en route to back-to-back Division III State Championships. The Cavaliers outshot the Pioneers, 21-6, and dominated the midfield throughout the game.

With just five returning starters, Tuttle was aware his team might take its lumps early in 2022.

“We’ve had some injuries to some of our older guys, one was just coming back tonight, and we’re playing a lot of freshmen. So, we knew it would be tough in the early going,” said Tuttle. “(Hollis-Brookline) is a really good team, the best team we’ve seen this year.”

Trinity (0-2-1) came out aggressively and was able to generate quality scoring chances in the first 10 minutes. Attacks by seniors Nate Shipman and Drew Stephen led to a corner and a direct kick from inside 20 yards but the Pioneers were unable to convert.

“We had a number of chances in the first half that we just didn’t put away,” said Tuttle. “If you can go up on a team like that 1-0, then hold things together …”

Trinity was able to keep things close in the first half thanks to some strong play from keeper Drew Overy. The senior finished with 12 saves including brilliant stops on Ben Dufoe and Nate McEvoy. The Pioneers’ defense also played a stellar first half, led by sweeper Fritz Arsitor.

Hollis-Brookline (3-0-0) appeared ready to take an early lead, when Dufoe outraced Overy to a lead pass and skittered the ball toward an open net. But out of nowhere, Trinity midfielder Evan Pearson sprinted in and slid along the turf to kick the out of play just before it crossed the line.

The Cavaliers finally broke through in the 26th minute off a direct kick deep in the Cavaliers’ attack zone. McEvoy chipped a perfect pass, which Ronan Finnegan  fielded and ripped past Overy for a 1-0 lead.

As the second half got underway, Hollis-Brookline ramped up its attack, criss-crossing the field to spread the Trinity defense and open passing lanes. The Cavaliers spent little time ball-handling, choosing .instead to pass the ball downfield to open spaces and let their exceptional team speed do the rest.

Then second half was dominated by the play of Crea in the midfield and Parker Cheyne (goal, 2 assists) on the right wing. It was Cheyne who gave the Cavaliers a 2-0 lead in the 44th minute, making a strong rush deep down the right side and blasting a perfectly placed shot into the upper far corner of the net.

Cheyne’s goal seemed to open the floodgates and Crea was the beneficiary, scoring three times in a span of less than 12 minutes to break the game wide open. Cheyne set up two of the goals, one on a corner kick and the other on a perfectly lofted crossing pass.

Trinity will try again for its first win of the season, Friday at 4 p.m., at home against Pembroke.