Given the size and speed on Deering’s varsity this season, midfielder Stephen Ochan isn’t the Rams’ only threat.
But, boy, is he still a big one.
Ochan scored two goals from 30 yards – one on a free kick, the other on the run – to lead Deering to a 3-0 victory over rival Portland on Friday night in a wide-open, physical Western Class A boys’ soccer match at Deering’s Memorial Field.
“It was (Ochan’s) night. The kid is an absolute talent,” said Portland Coach Rocco Frenzilli. “We did what we thought we could have done. He hit that dead ball, and then he hit another perfect shot. Deering’s obviously for real.”
Ochan said both goals were generated by the why-not outlook Deering Coach Joel Costigan instills in his team, now 3-0.
“Coach tells us, when you see something, try it,” Ochan said. “Try anything. If it works, great. If it doesn’t, at least you tried.”
“We’ve been working on different formations, putting guys in different situations and changing gears, so we always have something to fall back on,” Costigan said. “And that worked tonight.”
Jonathan Bujambi opened the scoring 14:13 into the game, when he slipped behind the Bulldogs defense to go one-on-one with keeper Bobby Brittingham (14 saves) and put the ball in the lower right corner. Josue Samuel Madrid-Brenis set up the play.
Ochan’s 30-yard free kick made it 2-0 at 37:25. From near the top right corner of the penalty area, he sent in a bending, left-footed shot that found the top left corner.
“It always feels great to win the rivalry game,” Ochan said. “When you look out and see (alumni) are back to watch, you want to play better.”
Portland (1-2) came out strong in the second half, led by midfielders Sam Farr, Josh Irving and forward Matthew Alvarez, and quickly tallied the first two of its three corner kicks. Deering keeper Anthony Russo (10 saves) stayed cool.
“I looked up at the clock (6 minutes in) and we had had some chances but not enough to get by Anthony,” said Frenzilli. “He’s a great goalkeeper, and if you shoot balls at him you’re not going to beat him. We just needed to look for chances and put balls away, but they just weren’t there. Credit to Deering, they closed everything down tonight.”
Ochan struck again 11 minutes into the second half. He gained control in midfield and carried it up the right sideline. Facing two defenders about 30 yards out, he cut inside. Still on the run, he let another left-footed shot go, and the ball again found the upper left corner of the goal.
Deering had several more chances, including a handful by senior Hany Ramadan, who if not for the strong play of backs Tim Baker, Oliver Brochu and Alex Frank, might have expanded the lead. Ramadan, a speedy senior who previously ran cross country in the fall, gave Portland’s back line a workout, including two runs that ended in brilliant saves by Brittingham.
Just how good are the Rams?
“We won’t really know until the playoffs,” Costigan said. “Every game is going to be challenging.”
Same for the Bulldogs.
“We’ll build on (this game),” Frenzilli said. “There’s a long season to go, and we’re ready for it.”
Send questions/comments to the editors.
