Blazers split with Worland, Buffalo

Andrew Towne
Posted 4/19/23

BUFFALO – The Torrington High School boys’ soccer team split a weekend pair of matches with defending state champions, the Worland Warriors, and the Buffalo Bison.

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Blazers split with Worland, Buffalo

Posted

BUFFALO – The Torrington High School boys’ soccer team split a weekend pair of matches with defending state champions, the Worland Warriors, and the Buffalo Bison.

On Friday, the Blazers were handed their first loss of the season with a 9-0 loss to Worland in a rematch of last season’s state championship game.

“Worland is good,” THS coach Gabe Bartlett said.

Torrington hang with Worland for nearly 30 minutes, trailing 1-0.

That’s when things changed.

“They are relentless,” Bartlett said. “They are what we strive to be.”

After a night in a motel and getting on his players, the Blazers got back in the win column on Saturday afternoon to the tune of a 2-1 shootout victory over the Bison.

“I got after the kids a little bit after the Worland game, and they responded,” Bartlett said. “They did awesome. They responded.”

Buffalo grabbed a 1-0, but freshman forward Anthony Arnusch tied the game midway through the second half.

The score remained tied at one through 80 minutes of play, forcing penalty kicks.

Torrington controlled possession of the ball for much of the second half.

“We had all the momentum. We had shot after shot, crosses and chances, but we just didn’t get one in,” Bartlett said.

This season is the first with no overtime periods. Instead of playing an additional 20 minutes of overtime, the new rule states they go straight to penalty kicks.

“I’m not a fan of the new PK rule,” Bartlett said. 

Torrington sophomore goalkeeper Griffin Wolfe fended off Buffalo to help secure the Blazer victory.

“He did awesome,” Bartlett said. “It was a confidence booster for him.”

In the penalty kicks, Arnusch netted his second goal of the game, while Adam Bartlett, Elijah Hatch and Greysen Shields added goals to outscore Buffalo 4-3 in the penalty kicks to secure the victory.

“I’ll take the split anytime with two away games and an overnight trip.”

The Blazers (3-1 overall and 2-1 in the 3A East) are back at home on Thursday, April 20 against the Newcastle Dogies (1-4 and 0-3). Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.

“They are really down,” Bartlett said. “Hopefully, we can get on them early and get everyone a lot of playing time.”