Good wins will come

Well, that was one of those defeats that sits most heavily in the heart, and yet you have to accept the result. With a determined mentality, the Martlets kept all but one of Avon's shots well away from their net for almost the entirety of the first half before an uncharacteristic goal shattered the silence. In this first half, Brooks Berthiaume '27 showed on the field was not a mere determination and selflessness; he ran every inch of the field like a maniac. Jon Orquiola '28, in turn, put on a goalkeeping masterclass behind him to be more or less invincible, an impenetrable layer of concrete keeping out over twenty essential chances. In a game that needed it all, his presence provided the team with guts.

The second half of the game was no different, with the Martlets forging ahead again without relenting. Avon capitalised on some sloppy defending when they failed to clear the ball for their second, but rather than shrinking into themselves, the boys forged ahead. Allen Alava '28 was outstanding defensively, and on every play everyone fought hard for each other to the end. It was a bittersweet loss, hard to swallow yet bursting with hope. The exquisite victories will come; they take time and healing, but they are coming. 

Jon deserves the Grit and Grace award. He deserves it not only for his extraordinary saves that made those plays into a game, but also because he reminded us what courage looks like under pressure. What a goalkeeper!