Big smiles all around as Deerfield gets in the win column during a perfect autumn afternoon on the beautiful campus of Northfield Mount Hermon. With NMH’s other teams on the road, our Thirds team had the pleasure of playing on Miller Field, one of the finest in the league, and put together an effort worthy of the setting. Remembering its loss to the Hoggers last year and draw the year before, Deerfield knew to expect a relentless attack, and that’s just what we got. Forced to defend our side for most of the first half, NMH charged again and again and outshot us (at least) seven to one. DA’s still-developing and injury-depleted defense did enough to keep them off the board until the 30th minute. Another score eight minutes later sent us into halftime down 2-0. What emerged from Deerfield’s huddle looked like a different team. Suddenly able to maintain possession and pressure NMH’s defense, we started giving ourselves good chances, which paid off quickly when Player of the Week PJ Pirsch ’28 chipped a ball up over the back line for left forward Matias Cushman ’25 to send in. Continuing to find ways to get balls down to the flags let us send balls across the end line off NMH backs and earn us corner kicks. A perfectly placed one by a Bryan Gianvecchio ’26 set up centerback Owen Fleck ’26 to body it into the net and tie the game. A draw would have felt great against a team this tough, but Deerfield was not satisfied. A corner from captain Gershom Munene ‘27 got deflected out by NMH, giving us another. “Keep doing it until it works,” centerback Teddy Gonzalez ’26 yelled from midfield. Forward Vail Brokaw ’27 stepped to the corner and sent a ball inches from the front post. The keeper punched it up and out in front of the six-yard box, where Howard Jin ’27 was waiting. Before the ball hit the ground he chipped it straight back, scoring a bar-down goal that sent Deerfield into a frenzy. The DA defense took it from there, anchored by the incredible endurance of fullback Ryan Bai ’26 and centerback captain Owen Fleck ’26 as well as the hustle of Kenan Ozada ’28 who got thrust into playing holding midfielder for the first time this season mid-game. The team doesn’t bring home the W without the gritty work of Jerry Du ’27 in the net. He made gutsy saves all game, most memorably on a direct kick in the 79th minute. With its newfound confidence, Deerfield looks forward to welcoming Wibraham & Monson Academy this weekend and playing in front of our visiting families.
Speaking of our families, they can view a recording of today’s victory over on NMH’s website: https://www.nmhschool.org/athletics-home/livestream