Sammed Bawa has been the emotional and on-field leader for Taft. (Mike Gridley/New England Soccer Journal)
A 1-0 win for Taft over Loomis Chaffee is significant in and off itself, but there was something even greater on the line when the Connecticut-based prep schools met this past Saturday afternoon.
When all was said and done, the Big Red emerged as Founders League champions for the first time since 2016, powered by a Cole Torino game-winning strike and shutout from goalkeeper Christopher Murphy (Southbury, Conn.).
The result pushed Taft to 14-1 ahead of year-end games against Cheshire and Hotchkiss, and they figure to earn a top seed when the NEPSAC Class A tournament begins Nov. 13. It also ended a two-year run for the Pelicans (9-3-4) as Founders League champions.
