Weston Trojans defeat New Milford 4-0 to retain SWC soccer title

Weston boys soccer coach Thomas Guardado began the 2026 campaign with the goal of extending his team's championship run. The Trojans had defeated Bethel to win the Southwest Conference (SWC) title in 2025, but their path to a second consecutive trophy was tested early in the schedule.

New Milford, under second-year head coach Steven Carneiro, upset Weston during the regular season. That result left the Trojans with a single loss heading into the conference final on Sunday at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury. The matchup served as a direct rematch against the only team that had beaten them all year.

Weston controlled the contest from the start. Constantine Joannides converted a penalty kick at the 9:23 mark to give the Trojans an early lead. Mads Leary provided the assist for Kacper Bos, who scored at 37:56 to extend the advantage before halftime. Leary added a goal at 41:31 to open the second half, and Maks Moffley finished the scoring at 49:57.

The final score was 4-0. Weston finished the tournament having outscored its opponents 10-0 across three matches. The Trojans' defense allowed zero goals during the event. This shutout marked the first time New Milford failed to score this season.

Kyle Schiffer, the senior captain, was named tournament MVP for his defensive leadership. Schiffer noted that the earlier 4-2 loss to New Milford served as a wake-up call for the squad. He said the team realized they were not invincible and adjusted their effort in every practice and game. The adjustment resulted in what he described as a completely different team by the time the finals arrived.

Coach Guardado credited the longevity of the group, noting that many of the seniors have played together since they were five years old. He acknowledged that New Milford had transformed its program under Carneiro, calling the rival an incredible coaching staff. However, Guardado stated there was never a doubt regarding Weston's ability to close out the season. He described the team as a playoff contender and expressed hope for continued success in the state tournament.

Weston enters the postseason as the No. 2 seed in the CIAC's unofficial Class M rankings. New Milford is currently the top seed in Class L. The CIAC is scheduled to release official playoff pairings on Tuesday.