Morgan boys soccer defeats Valley Regional to claim Shoreline Conference championship

The Morgan boys soccer team beat Valley Regional 3-1 to win the Shoreline Conference championship at Blythe Field Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. (Joe Morelli / Hearst Connecticut Media) DEEP RIVER - Jayden Gutierrez had been to plenty of Morgan boys soccer games as a youth. He went to see his older brother Jonathan put on a show.Now Jayden is a freshman for the Huskies and already a key contributor. He has already accomplished something in a Morgan uniform that Jonathan never did.Jayden scored one of three goals Monday night to lead the fourth-seeded Huskies to a 3-1 victory over No. 6 Valley Regional for the Shoreline Conference championship."This year, we were doubted a lot. We weren't expected to make it that far. Just how my brother did, we never gave up and we kept going," Jayden Gutierrez said.The Huskies (11-5-2) reached a pair of Shoreline finals in 2022 and 2025, but came up short in both games. This is the first solo Shoreline title for Morgan since 2018. The Huskies were co-champions in 2019 and 2021.Jonathan Gutierrez earned All-American honors last season and is now playing at the University of Hartford."We lost six all-conference players with an All-American and a couple all-state players. We knew going in we had to put the puzzle pieces in a different way based on our shortcomings last year," said Morgan coach Ross DeMay, now in his 14th season. "They bought in and they grew as the season went on."Morgan has played in 10 championship finals under DeMay.Jayden Gutierrez scored the second goal for Morgan in the 48th minute. After stopping a corner-kick attempt from Valley Regional, Morgan broke into a quick counter attack. Gutierrez found a wide open Tanner Adamiec streaking down the left side. Adamiec kicked it back to Gutierrez, who scored past Shoreline Goalkeeper of the Year Paul Malaguti for a 2-0 lead."Jonny was a better finisher. Jayden technically is more gifted on the ball but we will see what happens," DeMay said in comparing the brothers."Jayden has always been the best player on the field growing up, so now it's an awakening that he's got to get better and that he's playing with older, faster, bigger players that you can't just dribble through anybody anymore."Rocco Passante headed Morgan's first goal off a corner kick in the 31st minute. The third goal from Carlos Daniel Rivera came with nearly 25 minutes left.The Warriors were able to get one, from Aaron Johnson on an assist from Chris Kostek. There were a couple of other opportunities, but Valley couldn't cash in and is still searching for its first league title since 2012."We're pressing to get the game-tying goal and got caught in transition," Valley Regional coach Bryant Ziobron said. "Hats off to them, they got the ball forward quickly."Valley (11-4-4) defeated No. 3 seed East Hampton and defending champion Haddam-Killingworth, the No. 2 seed, in the semifinals to reach Monday's final. Malaguti was at his best, saving penalty kicks in both games to help the Warriors advance, Ziobron said."I think we were one of the best defensive teams in the conference and it kind of showed in that run," Ziobron said. "Especially going into the (Class S) state tournament, if it comes to that (to advance) we're so confident in taking penalties and with him backstopping us."Valley and Morgan tied 1-1 on Sept. 18. Player of the GameJayden Gutierrez, Morgan: Freshman ended up scoring the deciding goal on an assist from Tanner Adamiec.Quotable"We knew going into the season that we were very inexperienced in going forward that we would have to grow as a team and really buy in and they did so." - Morgan boys soccer coach Ross DeMayMorgan 3, Valley Regional 1(at Deep River)VALLEY 0 1 - 1MORGAN 1 2 - 3Scoring: M: Rocco Passante, 30:33; Jayden Gutierrez (Tanner Adamiec), 48:12; Carlos Daniel Rivera Martin, 54:21; VR: Aaron Johnson (Chris Kostek), 71st minute. Records: M 12-5-2; VR 11-4-4.Sign up for the Connecticut Briefing from CT Insider. Get the biggest headlines of the day from our network of journalists around the state.This article originally published at Morgan boys soccer defeats Valley Regional to claim Shoreline Conference championship.