Bacon Academy looking to take the next step up in Connecticut boys soccer

Andrew Storton couldn't resist the chance to coach the Bacon Academy (Colchester, Conn.) boys' soccer team.

Concurrently, Bacon was open to being led by someone with Storton's background, even if he was its third coach in three seasons.

So far, Bacon and Storton have been a good match. The Bobcats will take a 9-0 record into Friday's match against Windham, and are ranked No. 1 in the Connecticut Soccer Coaches Association Medium/Small Division Top 10 poll.

"We've scored a lot of goals and haven't conceded too many, so that's been really pleasing to watch," Storton said.

"You hope you go into every game and compete and get a win, but (the success) is a good sort of testament to how hard these guys have worked. Even during the preseason and opening game, even when they've gotten behind in games, they've had that belief that they can compete."

Connor McHugh, Bacon's senior goalkeeper, said, "I had heard some good things about coach. Since he's a Premier coach, I was hopeful. We were all expecting good things from coach, and he's exceeded our expectations."

The Bobcats have been one of the more consistent winners in the Eastern Connecticut Conference, but a state title has eluded them. They finished 10-5-1 in the last regular season but were eliminated in the first round of the CIAC Class M tournament.

"We were a good team last year, but for some reason, we couldn't get it done," McHugh said

The year before that, Bacon was ranked second in Class L, but was knocked out in the second round.

Storton, a native of England who now lives in Colchester, had coached previously at New London's Williams School. He jumped at the chance to coach at Bacon.

"The chance to work in my town with a large school was too good an opportunity to turn down," Storton said.
Mindful that he was their third coach in three years, Storton set out to establish structure at Bacon. Practice starts every day at 3 p.m., and players are expected to compete and be challenged every day.

"That was the key thing for me," Storton said, "that these guys with a lot ability wanted to improve and get better, and to create that environment."

Storton's approach isn't revolutionary, but the results don't lie. Bacon has outscored opponents, 42-4, and recorded six shutouts in its first nine games.

"We've got a great solid core," Storton said. "Connor McHugh, the team captain, he's got experience and the all-around ability that makes him very good goalkeeper. He's been a great player for us back there.

"Senior Zach Slomski (a back), this is his fourth year. It's his last go at high school soccer, and you can see that every game means a lot to him. You see that he has good technical ability.

"(Senior forward) Chad Ferro is a complete player in terms of speed and ability. He's got that innate ability to know where to be at the right time."

Bacon is over halfway through its 2012 schedule, with difficult games against perennial conference powers Norwich Free Academy and Montville still to come. Montville is ranked second in the coaches' Medium/Small Division poll.

"I do think we can go far in states," McHugh said. "You can't be too overconfident, and there are some good teams, but as long as we play our game and keep our heads, we can go all the way."

Ned Griffen has covered high school, college and professional sports in the Northeast since 1992. A 2003 New England Associated Press News Executives award winner, he may be reached at nedgriffen@gmail.com.