Warde Boys' Soccer Gunning For Winning Season

The Fairfield Warde boys' soccer team is looking to rebound from an up-and-down 2009 season in which the Mustangs finished 6-7-5.

While Warde qualified for the CIAC Class L state tournament, losing to Brookfield, 4-0, in the second round, it won only six of 18 games last year.

The state tournament loss was the final game for all-FCIAC and all-state goalkeeper Matt Freedman, who graduated alongside fellow seniors Filippo Cenatiempo and Karl Rempe. Cenatiempo and Rempe were all-FCIAC East picks in 2009.

 This year the Mustangs are looking for similar performances from senior captains Guthrie Carpenter, Oliver DeBarros and Connor Gavey.   

 "We have a large senior class,  thus they bring experience [with lots of] technical and tactical skill, as well as unity," Warde head coach Justin Ottavio said.

Ottavio, who is entering his seventh year at Warde, has a career mark of 24-39-18. He has a simple goal for the season: " Treat every game with the same respect."

The Mustangs have a difficult task in their opener, as they host defending Class LL state champion Staples on Tuesday at 4 p.m.