Jack Brown ‘23
Staff Editor
There are certain standout teams in the history of sports. Ones whose greatness allows them to transcend their era due to a combination of dominance and swagger. Teams like the 1920s Yankees, the ’96 Bulls, and the Belichick-led Patriots all embarrassed their competition to such an extent that they will never be forgotten. And we can add the 2020-2021 Barristers United Sunday League soccer team to this exclusive club.
Coming into the spring season, there were questions about the squad’s ability to win the championship. Having failed to even compete in the previous season’s playoffs, due to playoffs falling in the middle of exams, they entered the season expected to fight for a mid table spot while the truly elite teams like FC Beercelona and Kerfuffle FC were the Vegas favorites to meet in the championship game. This prediction would not look good in hindsight.
With a final goal differential of 52-9, the squad absolutely dominated the entire league to the point other teams questioned our participation. Even with biased refs, sub-par facilities, and LRW briefs, the team could not be stopped.
Leading the charge were the three 3L captains, Nathan Eagan ’21, Will Pretto ’21 and Zach Turk ’21. Having been club starters since their 1L year, they were a dependable presence in both games and practices throughout the year. All three were major threats going forward, and could drop back to help absorb pressure in the fleeting moments when other teams had momentum on their side. The consistency they provided for the club, along with the passion with which they would played (and in Nathan’s case celebrated) would make the final victory seem inevitable.
Barristers was not just a three man show; their excellence extended to every other position on the pitch. In net was the indomitable Zane Clark ’21 who, although rarely called upon, still came up in big moments to help the team end with such a lopsided goal differential. When he was unavailable, such as in the championship game, due to an injury, the team could count on Aziz Rashidzada ’23 to step in even when he was fasting for Ramadan.
Right in front of the team’s underutilized goalkeepers was a back line that would be the envy of any professional club in Europe. While injuries, brunch commitments, and the occasional tactical decision to move a player to striker would prevent the defense from being as consistent as the goalkeeper, there still were plenty of players who the fans knew for their defensive prowess.
At the heart of the defense was Ardi Khalafi ’22 who enjoyed the challenge of being out of his favored position, striker, to help mentor new defensive signings Jack Brown ’23 and Warren Griffiths ’23. Ardi was joined by Christian Sorensen ’21 who, in his last season with the club, established himself as a reliable defender and occasional winger.
At right fullback, fans came to expect to see Erin Magoffie ’23 every minute of every week. Due to a lack of girls on the team, she often had to play all eighty minutes. This did not take away from her performance, however, as teams began to avoid attacking down the right side.
Teams didn’t find the left back position to be any easier, however, thanks to the unique playstyle of current Barristers co-captain Stephen Wald ’22. A former winger, Stephen would often overlap with the midfield and scored a fair number of goals while playing fullback. Even when caught out of position, his high workrate allowed him to track back and help maintain the defensive excellence that teams came to fear from Barristers.
These efforts were buoyed by a powerful midfield who often embarrassed other teams through their intricate passing sequences and impressive fitness. Boston native and fan of M&M McFlurries Tom Schnoor ’23 was an absolute box-to-box work horse who could be counted on to disrupt whatever meager possession the other team had while fellow stoic 1L John Lawrence ’23 was always able to get the ball out when under pressure.
Finally, current co-captain Day Robins ’22 could also be seen playing all eighty minutes at the same breakneck pace. Winner of SOCA Sunday League Goal of the Season, thanks to an impressive curling effort from well outside the eighteen yard box, Day, like Erin, showed never a sign of fatigue despite the lack of women substitutes in most games.
With this midfield behind them, the team’s offense feasted, scoring more than five goals on all but two occasions. Double Hoo Sam Mirzai ’22 was merciless up top, channeling his frustration with cite checks into each game, scoring multiple hat tricks throughout the season. When defenses focused on him, they left space for the deadly winger pair of Dominick Giovanniello ’21 and Kelli Finnegan ’22, who could always be counted on to capitalize on any mistakes the defense made. Finally, former Division 1 soccer player and LRW gunner Doyle Tuvesson ’23 scored at will despite his icy relationship with the Barristers United fan clubs.
The club was not limited to just these aforementioned names. Countless members of the Law School stepped up when needed to help continue the legacy of excellence the team has long been known for. While last season's run of dominance may be hard to top, leaks from inside the team’s preseason indicate that this new class of 1Ls may be the most talented in generations. Whether or not this ends up being the case remains to be seen, but the future still looks bright for Barristers United.
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jwb4bb@virginia.edu