By Chris Goldberg
TopLaxRecruits.com, Posted 4/15/13
The Brunswick School (CT) continued its early-season success Saturday by defeating Chatham (N.J.), 7-5 at the Nike “Checking for Cancer” Invitational at Haverford School (Pa.).
The Bruins, ranked No. 16, improved to 5-0 as sophomore attackman Marshall Dickson (two goals, one assist) scored the game winner with 8:28 to play and junior Cameron Stafford added an insurance tally.
Brunswick also got two goals from sophomore attackman Charlie Cobb and three assists from another sophomore, Jack Knight. Junior goalie Tommy Heidt made 13 saves.
Brunswick has won all five of its games by four goals or less and four of them have been by two goals or less.
“I think with a young team this year, the big thing was keeping it consistent and keeping it simple,” said senior midfielder Peter Khoury, who had one goal “We talked a lot in the preseason about how we need to keep our possessions long on offense.”
Brunswick is already 3-0 in the mighty New England West 1 Conference.
“We lost a lot of experience on the offensive side of the field,” Khoury said. “I think taking 2-3 minute long possessions and getting the best possible shot is the biggest reason we’ve been successful. We have more experience on the defensive side of the ball and they have been awesome.”
Khoury was happy that Brunswick was invited to Haverford School for the prestigious tourney, which was created five years ago to raise awareness for three men’s cancers; Colorectal, Prostate and Testicular.
Also playing from the New England West 1 was defending co-champion Salisbury, which fell to host Haverford School, 13-11.
In two weeks Brunswick will head back to Philly to compete in the Katie Samson Festival, an event that raises money for spinal cord research and development.
“It’s an awesome event,” said Khoury of Saturday’s invite. “We have been working hard the last few years trying to show we belong with the best teams in the country and teams like Salisbury and Haverford School are the best teams in the nation.
“It’s an honor for us to be down here. Playing in the New England West 1 with our inexperience is like a baptism by fire. We need experience and that’s the best way to get it, by playing the best possible competition day in and day out.”
The TopLaxRecruits North America Boys’ Rankings:
1. Boys’ Latin, Md. (11-0) Prev: No. 1
2. Chaminade, N.Y. (6-0) Prev: No. 2
3. Smithtown West, N.Y. (7-0) Prev: No. 4
4. St. Paul’s School, Md. (11-1) Prev: No. 3
5. Culver Academy, Ill. (8-1) Prev: No. 5
6. Gonzaga, D.C. (11-2) No. 6
7. Gilman School, Md. (7-1) Prev: No. 7
8. Calvert Hall, Md. (6-2) Prev: No. 12
9. Garden City, N.Y. (5-1) Prev: No. 8
10. Hill Academy, Ontario (12-3) Prev: No. 10
11. St. Ignatius Prep, Cal. (12-0) Prev: No. 11
12. Malvern Prep, Pa. (7-0) Prev: No. 13
13. Jamesville-DeWitt, N.Y. (6-0) Prev: No. 14
14. Delbarton, N.J. (5-0) Prev: No. 15
15. La Salle, Pa. (5-2) Prev: No. 16
16. Brunswick School, CT (5-0) Prev: No. 20
17. Ward Melville, N.Y. (6-0) Prev: NR
18. Avon Old Farms, CT., (6-0) Prev: NR
19. Don Bosco Prep, N.J. (4-0) Prev: NR
20. Haverford School, Pa. (7-3) Prev: NR
Under consideration: Duxbury, Mass. (4-1); Episcopal Academy, Pa. (7-3); Hereford, Md. (5-2); Highland Park, TX (12-1); Loyola Blakefield, Md. (7-4); McDonogh School, Md. (7-3); Ithaca, N.Y. (6-0); Niskayuna, NY (4-0); Salisbury School, Conn. (2-1); St. Anthony’s, N.Y. (5-2); The Woodlands, TX (16-0); West Islip, N.Y. (3-1).