On Thursday night, the Manual boys’ varsity soccer team beat The Brown School Bears, 5-2, on senior night.
Before the start of the game, all 12 of the 2025 seniors celebrated their senior night by walking out onto the field with their families, taking a picture with the Athletic Director David Zuberer and Principal Dr. Michael Newman. As they walked out, the announcers talked about their playing career as their teammates cheered them on.
First Half:
To start start of the game, Brown had a kick off where they connected a pass to Faris Halilovic (#10, 10). Halilovic (#10, 10) shot the ball, but it was saved by Manual’s goalie, Gavin Fulton (#0, 12).
Yassin Mohamed-Hassen (#19, 12) then dribbled the ball through Brown’s goal box where he made an attempt on the goal. The shot was ultimately picked up by the Bears goalie, Austin White (#1, 11).
Once Manual got back the possession of the ball, Arav Agarwal (#21, 12) took the ball and attempted a shot on Brown’s goal. However, his shot was saved by the Bears’ goalie once again.
Halilovic then received the goal kick from White, and took the ball up the field to Manual’s goal. He shot on the goal multiple times. During one instance, a shot on the goal went high and the next one was blocked by the Crimsons’ defender, Rhyse Johnston (#6, 12).
Manual got the ball back shortly after. Ibrahim Piracha (#10, 12) then received a pass from the offense, where he was able to shoot across the goal box and score. The goal by Piracha made the score 1-0, with the Crimsons in the lead.
Later on in the first half, Manual’s William Mahan (#2, 12) had multiple shots on Brown’s goal, but those attempts were saved by Browns’ goalie.
After continuous failed attempts on the goal from Halilovic and Piracha, as well as Karim Tayara (#13, 12), Brown ultimately got possession back.
While defending, Aiden Brockman (#14, 12) then was called for a foul in the box. This allowed for Brown to receive a penalty kick. Fortunately, Manual’s goalie, Fulton, saved the kick made by Brown, allowing Manual to remain in the lead.
At the end of the first half, Brown’s defense fouled in the box, giving Manual their own penalty kick. The ball was knocked away, however, by their goalie. Luckily, Mahan got the rebound and kicked the ball towards the goal, scoring Manual’s second goal of the night. Mahan’s goal gave the Crimsons a 2-0 lead going into halftime.
“It felt awesome scoring and I was very happy to finish the opportunity,” Mahan said, after his goal on senior night.
Second Half:
The second half of the game started out with multiple attempts on goal by Brown. They were blocked by Fulton and the defensive line, however.
Manual also had several attempts on the Bears’ goal. Tayara attempted a header, but was blocked, and a shot by Nolan Stevens (#12, 12) was high. Another shot by Piracha was just wide of the goal as well.
After numerous attempts by both offenses, Brown’s Ethan Wright (#21, 10) kicked a long shot from midfield. The shot went over the head of Fulton, soaring straight into the goal making the score 2-1, with Manual still in the lead.
In response to Brown’s first goal of the game, Manual’s offense took the ball up the field, where they passed across the Bears’ goal box. Stevens got on the end of it, tapping it in for a goal, increasing Manual’s lead to 3-1.
Both teams then attempted long shots on goal. Manual’s Grant Rogers (#20, 11) kicked the ball towards the goal, but was blocked by the Bears’ Charlie Pettit (#6, 12). Brown’s shot was then blocked by Fulton.
During a Manual possession, Brown’s defense fouled in the box, giving Manual yet another penalty kick. Stevens then shot the ball into the goal, making the score 4-1, with Manual in the lead.
Towards the end of the second half, Piracha once again got the ball and dribbled upfield through Brown’s defenders where he scored for the second time of the night. The score was then 5-1, with Manual in the lead.
“After scoring each goal, my mentality was to go again and get another one,” Piracha said.
With only a few minutes left, Brown got the ball back, passed it down the field, and scored the final goal of the game, made by Amar Aikhabi (#9, 10). Time ran out shortly afterwards.
The Crimsons ended their senior night with a 5-2 win over Brown.
“I am glad that we finished the game with the result we wanted because it will be a core memory in a lot of the guys’ hearts for years to come,” Piracha said.
The team will play their next game at Ballard High School on September 24 at 7:30 pm.
