The Warriors saw their soccer season end on their home pitch Tuesday evening as the visiting Concord Christian Kingsmen knocked WLC out of the NHIAA Division IV playoffs with a lopsided win. 

“We had a heck of a season,” WLC head coach Dan Nelson told his boys after the 6-1 loss. “We did a lot of good things. You guys are a heck of a soccer team. Just didn’t work out.”

WLC's Charlie Mayes looks to make a play.
WLC’s Charlie Mayes looks to make a play. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript

 WLC (10-6-1) finished with the eighth seed and earned a home playoff game; their draw was less than ideal, however, as they pulled No. 9 Concord Christian, a team that had just beaten the Warriors 4-2 the week before. The Kingsmen are fast and well-conditioned, as evidenced by their postgame sprinting regimen as well as their six goals, some of which involved simply outsprinting the Warriors to long through balls. 

A last-gasp effort from WLC senior captain Nate Gill.
A last-gasp effort from WLC senior captain Nate Gill. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript

WLC was without their top defender, Vito Anzalone, thanks to an equestrian injury to his foot, and the Warriors missed him back there. 

“That put us in a 2-0 deficit real quick,” Nelson said. 

WLC's Tommaso Alboroghetti with the ball in the midfield.
WLC’s Tommaso Alboroghetti with the ball in the midfield. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript

WLC kept it close for most of the game and could have easily had the lead at several points, missing point-blank twice — wide and high — and seeing two other dangerous shots from exchange student Tommaso Alboroghetti saved spectacularly. 

WLC's Vinny Anzalone gives goalkeeper Conner Allen a hug as they collide following an Allen save.
WLC’s Vinny Anzalone gives goalkeeper Conner Allen a hug as they collide following an Allen save. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript

Senior captain Korey Begley scored Wilton’s only goal in the 60th minute to cut the lead to 3-1, but that was it. Even as their deficit grew, the Warriors didn’t quit, captain Nate Gill laboring through injury to put pressure on the Kingsmen ballhandlers, Alboroghetti, Begley, Charlie Mayes and Josh Lord pushing the offense, and Conner Allen diving all over the place in net. 

WLC senior captain Korey Begley scored the Warriors' lone goal.
WLC senior captain Korey Begley scored the Warriors’ lone goal. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript

“We had opportunities that we didn’t capitalize on,” Nelson said, “but there’s nothing I’m going to hold in this game against you guys. They just came out, and they get to move on.”

WLC has three state championship wins – 1962, 2010 and 2011 – and has not advanced past the first round of the playoffs since 2018. This season was expected to be a rebuilding year, so 10 wins and a home playoff game is a solid outcome, and the Warriors will be back next fall. Nelson emptied his bench at the end of the game, giving his underclassmen a taste of the playoffs and giving the fans a preview of what’s to come for Wilton soccer. 

“There’s a lot of people who are leaving, a lot of people are coming back, and some more coming up,” Nelson said.