It took penalty kicks to decide the winner of the 2009 USCAA Men’s Soccer National Championship, after double overtime was played on a cold and windy night in Burlington, Vermont. Concordia College is located in Selma, Alabama and is home to 16 Trinidad and Tobago natives, including Head Coach Brent Dukhie and Assistant Coach Gregory Williams.
“These guys came back as different men,” said Dukhie,” I have never been so proud of a group of players.”
As the final got on the way, it was the Defending Champions Briarcliff College who had the better start of the two teams, forcing Concordia’s goalkeeper Akil Benjamin, to produce some vital saves in the early stages of the match. Concordia then lost their Captain Bryant Constantine late in the first half due to injury with his replacement, Vikern Hunte making his presence known in midfield as the game intensified.
Nevertheless, “The hornets” as they are known, kept their heads in the game and were almost rewarded in the 42nd minute of the first half when midfielder and ex- Joe Public player Kenjay Simmonds struck the cross bar from just inside the penalty area.
At the start of the second half Brent Dukhie’s men looked the better team, with ex- St. Anthony’s midfielder Chuvalos George stringing some beautiful passes from midfield.
The hornets would eventually get there break through in the 65th minute, through leading goal scorer Hyron Brown-Baptiste who slotted the ball past the opposition goal keeper after some nice work from the nippy Freshman, Emery Joyeau.
The match however would be level 10 minutes later after the hornet’s defense left unmarked Briarcliff’s defender Jabneel Springer in the penalty area and he made no mistake, heading the ball past the un-rushing Akil Benjamin.
The scores remained level in regulation time and the introductions of the tricky Adrian White as well as the recovered playmaker Bryant Constantine in overtime boosted the Hornets in attack, but at the end of double overtime the both teams could not be separated.
Penalties were now needed and Goals from the spot came courtesy of Kenjay Simmonds, Emery Joyeau, Leandro Subero and Nigeria native Lekol Kordah. Goalkeeper Akil Benjamin, who is also a member of the St. Kitts National team, was once again instrumental in the victory, saving two of Briarcliff’s four penalty kicks.
Hyron Brown-Baptiste along with Captain Bryant Constantine were both selected by the USCAA on the All- American team with Honorable mentions going to the hornet’s Emery Joyeau and second leading goal scorer Brent Pierre. “This is not just about soccer,” said Coach Dukhie.
“This is about life, this is about school.” as both Kenjay Simmonds and Brent Pierre were selected on the USCAA All-Academic team. All-Americans of the USCAA Tournament play-offs were Goalkeeper and MVP of the tournament Akil Benjamin as well as defenders Leandro Subero and Freshman Lekol Kordah.
Special mention must be made to Coach Winston Williams who started this program in 1999 and is also a Native of Trinidad and Tobago. The Concordia Soccer Team is expected to have dinner with the Mayor of the City on Tuesday 24th November to acknowledge their successful season, finishing with a record of 13 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses for the season.
The team list is as follows-
From Trinidad and Tobago: (Goalkeeper) Derron Maillard; (Defenders) Bryan Arneaud, Leandro Subero, Martin Brown, (Midfielders) Captain Bryant Constantine, Chuvalos George, Vikern Hunte, Kenjay Simmons, Adrian White, Emery Joyeau, Troy Pedro, Kareem Chrysostom, (Strikers) Hyron Brown-Baptiste, Brent Pierre.
From USA: (Defender) Kareem James, (Strikers) Kurt Newton, Demontinez Hughley.
From Africa: (Defenders) Lekol Kordah, Abdoul Mbengue.
From St. Kitts: (Goalkeeper) Akil Benjamin.