By Marisa Dawson
Bennington’s boys soccer team faced a challenging stretch last week, playing three matches in five days, but responded with resilience and growth following an early setback.
The week began on Tuesday, April 14, with a tough 5-3 road loss to Gretna. The Badgers trailed 3-2 at halftime and couldn’t overcome the hosts’ attack in the second half, dropping the non-conference contest.
Coach Nick Nyman noted the team’s disappointment but used it as motivation. “They were disappointed in their play I believe. They know they could’ve and should have done better,” he said. “Since the Gretna loss there has been more emphasis on our defensive play, which I think you can see in our Blair match.”
That defensive focus paid immediate dividends on Thursday, April 16, as Bennington earned a commanding 2-0 shutout victory at Blair. The Badgers handled Blair’s early high pressure effectively, generated strong scoring chances, and maintained control even after receiving a red card early in the second half.
“The guys were definitely ready to go in the Blair match,” Coach Nyman said. “Blair threw a solid 20 minutes of high pressure at us, which I felt we handled very well. We created quite a few excellent scoring opportunities, while keeping their chances to a minimum. Even going down to 10 players early in the 2nd half we continued to out play them throughout the field and did so until the final second ticked off the clock.”
The shutout was a significant confidence booster for the squad after the Gretna defeat.
Bennington capped the week with a thrilling 4-3 home win over Skutt Catholic on Saturday, April 18. The Badgers jumped out to a 2-1 halftime lead but saw it slip away early in the second half due to errors, before regaining composure to retake the lead and hold on for the victory.
“We took the early lead and then unfortunately fumbled it away early in the second half with a few errors, making the game much more difficult than it needed to be,” Coach Nyman explained. “It’s frustrating to see but it showcased our ability to stay calm and resilient as we regained the lead later in the 2nd half and held that lead for the win. Mistakes happen and we were fortunate enough that the players were able to come together as a team and find a way forward for the win.”
With a congested schedule, player management was key. “We’ve had a number of guys get a chance to start due to players being banged up or having to sit a match because of a red card,” the coach said. “Everyone who has gotten a chance has stepped up and has played at a level of expertise we expect. The same can be said for those guys coming in off the bench to give us critical minutes. It helps combat the fatigue of a game heavy season.”
Beyond the scores, Coach Nyman highlighted intangibles he appreciated. “I have seen a lot of resilience from our guys. They didn’t give up after the Gretna loss, but instead doubled down on finding anything that could help improve their game. Each game we are looking at anything that can help us better perform to our expectations.”
Looking ahead with only a handful of games remaining, the coach wants the lessons of the week to carry forward. “We want to play to our full potential and that we only have a handful of games left to achieve that,” he said. “Each game going forward we want to be performing better or making improvements where we can while we can.”
Bennington showed character and depth in a demanding week, turning a disappointing start into two impressive victories that should build momentum for the final stretch of the season.
