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Strong start continues

Westfield/Brocton tops Frewsburg 7-0 to improve to 5-0-0

By Matt Spielman 4 min read

FREWSBURG -- Jay Pikiewicz has returned to the Westfield/Brocton sidelines this season after eight years away.

The Wolverines are playing like their head coach never left.

Braylon Swanson had three goals and an assist while senior Nolan Anderson posted his fourth clean sheet of the season as Westfield/Brocton beat Frewsburg 7-0 in a Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division III boys soccer match Wednesday at the Frewsburg Sports Complex.

"We are very young," Pikiewicz said of his roster, which includes four seniors. " ... We're still growing, but we've managed to keep finding the key players that make a difference in our lineup. We do like to include everybody. Today was a team effort."

With the win, the Wolverines improved to 5-0-0 on the season, including 3-0-0 in the league. They have outscored their opponents 21-1.

"The goals don't matter to me. A win is a win," Pikiewicz said. " ... Every team is still growing."

Swanson's three goals Wednesday gave him seven on the season while his one assist took him to nine on the year. But Westfield/Brocton is more than just its junior striker.

Sophomore Caleb Freifeld scored on a penalty kick in the 29th minute to take his total to five goals this season while an assist on senior Parker Gambino's goal in the 35th minute was Freifeld's second of the season.

"We're not looking for a key player," Pikiewicz said." We're looking to play the entire team."

Gambino's goal was also his fifth of the season and he added his second assist of the year on Swanson's goal in the 56th minute.

Junior Caleb Stoughton added his second and third goals of the season for the Wolverines. In the 47th minute, Stoughton's hard shot glanced off the Frewsburg keeper's hands and into the net; the goal was assisted by Freifeld. Then, in the 58th minute, Swanson's initial shot was stopped, but he dropped the ball to Stoughton, who scored his third of the season.

"A lot of those goals were built from defense to midfield to forward and that's really the transition that makes soccer soccer," Pikiewicz said. "We're very happy to transition through all of the players."

Senior defender Noah Tuah, an anchor of the Wolverines' defense with freshman Logan Baum, added an assist Thursday on a pass to Swanson in the 60th minute. Tuah also made a long throw-in to Ayden Reese, who assisted on Swanson's goal in the 17th minute.

More impressive than the Wolverines' 21 goals scored this season has been their one goal against, which came in the title game of the Dunkirk Champions Cup back on Sept. 5.

"Honestly, we've had the defensive advantage," Pikiewicz said. "Those guys are key. I think defense is always overlooked in soccer because they don't get the stats."

Anderson has been credited with 38 saves on the season, including 13 on Thursday against Frewsburg. The Bears' best opportunities came early in the second half when Anderson was called upon to punch away back-to-back chances off corner kicks. Frewsburg later missed the net on a penalty kick.

"Frewsburg has a great team with a lot of heart. They could've come back many times," Pikewicz said. "They ruled the middle of the field, our job was to kind of keep it away from there. They were dangerous there."

Westfield/Brocton already has a two-win lead on the rest of Division III with two more games remaining in the first trip through the league schedule. The Wolverines return to action in Westfield against nonleague North East (Pennsylvania) on Saturday while Frewsburg will host nonleague Salamanca that same day.

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