MANCHESTER, NH — Jamaal Frett and Noah Baldwin scored two goals each to lead Hillside to a 4-0 win over Southside in the middle school City Championship game, Monday evening on the Schubert Field pitch at Gill Stadium.
It’s Hillside’s first city championship in the three years it has been contested.
The game was close throughout, with Hillside clinging to a 1-0 lead deep into the second half. But as Southside began to take risks to try and tie the game, Hillside took advantage. Baldwin netted his second goal and Fetts added a pair, all coming over the final 9:30, to blow the game open.
“I had to take some chances. I pulled the defense up and it bit me,” said Southside Coach Sean McCouery. “But it doesn’t matter if you lose by one or you lose by four.”
”Jamaal and Noah are both 8th graders. They’ve done a great job for us all season long,” said Hillside Coach Nate Baldwin. Whenever we’ve needed goals from them, they’ve scored.”
Hillside ends its season at 7-3, while Southside finishes at 4-6.
While Hillside carried much of the play through the first half, they had a hard time generating quality scoring chances. The Southside defense, led by Kemran Ferrier and Aden Pelletier, did an excellent job collapsing on the Hillside forwards and clogging the middle.
Noah Baldwin was nearly able to give Hillside the lead on consecutive scoring bids in the 21st minute. Baldwin ripped a right-footed blast from 35 yards that caromed off the crossbar. The rebound bounced straight back and Baldwin was able to gain control, dribble around a defender and walk in alone, only to be stopped cold on a brilliant diving save by Southside keeper Jeremiah Simpson (8 saves).
Hillside maintained the pressure and it finally paid off in the 25th minute. The ambidextrous Baldwin, surrounded by defenders, switched to his left foot and snapped off a shot into the upper left corner of the goal, giving Hillside a 1-0 lead.
Southside was able to generate its best offense of the half in the final minutes. Forward Carlos Martinez broke in clean but Hillside keeper Grady Bates (6 saves) came way out of his net to take the ball off his foot.
Later, Southside enjoyed a pair of corners but couldn’t generate any shots.
Southside’s best chance to tie the game came midway through the second half. Forward Barret Fluck sliced through the attack zone, accepted a beautiful lead pass from Martinez and found himself with a clean look. Fluck got off his shot but Bates came up with the huge save.
It was one of the rare prime scoring bids for Southside, as the Hillside defense, led by Charlie LaBranche, Cooper Barrett, JJ Dusengimana and Anderson Brock marked tightly and clogged passing lanes in the attack zone. Loose balls in the penalty area were quickly cleared away.
As the clock ticked down, McCouery brought his defense up to try and generate more offense. But the gamble resulted in Hillside getting the offensive freedom they were lacking most of the day.
In the 61st minute, Frett provided an insurance goal, stealing a goal kick and beating Simpson with a low shot into the left corner for a 2-0 lead.
Baldwin netted his second goal in the 66th minute, making a sensational run from 40 yards out, weaving through multiple defenders and beating a defenseless Simpson for the score.
Frett capped the scoring with his second goal in the 69th minute, on a nice individual effort.
