The Gray Bees Stifle the Green Wave

By LeNard Higgins
September 2023

Photo by Joshua Gebreselassie '24

On a beautiful Saturday morning in Morristown, NJ, the St. Benedict's Gray Bees shutout the Delbarton Green Wave by a score of 2-0 at the Delbarton Invitational Tournament.

The Gray Bee defense, led by Felix Agyemang, Baden Wandling, Mark Surretsky and Gianni Rosario and anchored by goalkeeper Victor Laracca, did not give Delbarton a chance on goal for the entire first half. Laracca would end the game with six saves.

The biggest difference was Delbarton's approach towards the game in the second half.

When asked about the difference between the first and second halves, Coach Jim Wandling stated, "The biggest difference was Delbarton's approach towards the game in the second half. In the first half, they were happy to sit back in a defensive posture and only looked to come out for counterattack opportunities. Down two goals going into the second half, Delbarton opened up and looked to get forward more."

The Gray Bees scoring was led by two-time Gatorade Player of the Year, Ransford Gyan, who scored in the seventh minute with the assist from Kwaku Agyebeng and Cristian Oliviera, who scored in the 17th minute. That was all St. Benedict's would need, as the defense would control the pace for the entirety of the game.

Injuries always play a part in the season.

This game was not without some adversity for the Gray Bees, as Kwaku Agyebeng suffered an ankle sprain likely to keep him sidelined for some time. "Injuries always play a part in the season. How we manage the injuries themselves and getting other guys to step up and fill the roles needed for the team will determine our success during those periods. Kwaku is one of the best players in the country, so losing him to injury is a huge blow to the team. We could be without him for a week or a couple more weeks, depending on how he responds to physical therapy. Fortunately, we have some talented players coming off the bench who are ready to make a name for themselves."

...we have some talented players coming off the bench who are ready to make a name for themselves.

Baden Wandling says, "After picking up a couple of injuries in the two games this weekend, our main focus is nursing our players back to health. We have a tough stretch of games coming up, so we need everybody. Now, the coaches and players will focus on keeping our technique sharp and further implementing our style of play."

The Gray Bees are now 7-0 and looking forward to an upcoming match with their rivals at the Pennington School.