Deerfield recorded double-digit wins for the first time in four years with its victory against Avon under overcast skies in the Farmington River valley on Wednesday afternoon. The side had a chance to put its dangerous depth on display, as it came into the fixture with striker Cole Higgins (and his 23 goals on the season) unavailable and then lost three players to injury as the match progressed.
After five sluggish opening minutes, the team remembered its training and started playing to plan. Following a week of drilling set pieces in practice, PJ Pirsch got Deerfield on the board in the 14th minute with a goal off a typically strong corner kick from midfielder Vail Brokaw ’27. Four minutes later they doubled the lead when Justin Treyz ’29, making his debut at striker, got the rebound after a blocked shot by forward Ari Baharani ’29 following a feed from Charlie Juhas ’29, who put together another standout performance at fullback. The first half expired with the score at 2-0, but the attack was just getting started.
Nine minutes into the second half, veteran fullback Joaquim Cavalcante ’26 served a ball deep over Avon’s back line where Pirsch went one-on-one against the keeper and came out on top. A minute later, in the 45th minute, the team was treated to a season highlight when junior Howard Jin’s well-placed corner found towering centerback Magnus Selvig ’26, whose back was to the goal as he flicked it back over his shoulder and out of reach of the keeper’s outstretched hands. Cavalcante and Baharani kept working on the right flank to move the ball deep for crosses, and after a couple frustrated attempts, their persistence paid off when Baharani got the ball in front of goal for Jose Fernandez Zambrano ’28, the third striker of the match, to finish. Baharani next found himself with a breakaway and when the keeper blocked his strong-footed shot, he tucked it away with his weaker foot to make it 6-0 to Deerfield. Again displaying his persistence, his next attack ended with a shot that ricocheted off the post which he buried into the bottom left corner. On his next opportunity, he read the defence well and squared the ball to Brokaw, who slotted home the eighth goal. A rare defensive breakdown gave the Winged Beavers one of their only opportunities in the box, and they capitalized to deny Deerfield the clean sheet. But captains Rich Zhou ’26 and Selvig were as effective as ever, as was indefatigable defensive midfielder Jasper Gruhl ’28 who recorded his season high in minutes.
With three matches left on the calendar, this talented and cohesive side heads toward its greatest challenge yet, facing off on Saturday against Williston’s JV squad, whom Deerfield hasn’t beaten in eight years.