The Somers boys soccer team piled up the goals in their 7-1 runaway victory over Litchfield in the Class S soccer final.

None meant more than the one scored by Kyle Laires before halftime  as It put the Spartans up 3-1 last Saturday on their way to a second consecutive state title and fourth in six years. It was a picturesque, high arching shot, hooked in by the left foot of Laires, a right-footed kicker. It gave the Spartans momentum going into the second half, when they put the game away and secured another championship for  what has become a Connecticut soccer dynasty.

All those things made it great. Still, the story behind the goal makes it unforgettable.

While watching his son play in the semifinal against Portland a week earlier, Kyle's father Jorge received a phone call from his brother in Portugal. Jorge's brother told him there had been a car accident and Jorge's mother, Alvira, Kyle's grandmother, had been killed. Jorge Laires' brother and sister-in-law were injured.

"Naturally, I didn't tell Kyle until after the game," Jorge said. "My parents immigrated to the states and returned to Portugal after they retired. They live about three hours from Lisbon. My brother and sister-in-law [who live in Lisbon] were driving her to a restaurant to celebrate her [87th] birthday. I jumped on a plane and went over there for the funeral, which ended up being on [November] the 22nd, her birthday.

When Jorge returned to Somers, he had a message for Kyle, a 5-foot-11, 155-pound senior who had scored three goals all season.

"Right before the game, he called me over and told me in Portuguese to win it for my grandmother, to go score a goal for Alvira," Kyle said.

Soccer runs in the Laires family. Kyle grew up in Longmeadow, Mass., and played in youth leagues there and in Somers. Jorge still plays.

"I'm in a league called the Over The Hill League," Jorge said. "It's guys from Longmeadow. We play around the Boston area on the weekends. Kyle has always loved to play. It's in the family."

In Kyle's final high school game, his goal became part of that family legacy.

"I was so motivated," Kyle said. "I thought about her the whole game."

The moment came late in the second half with Somers already up, 2-1. After his corner kick, the ball was headed back in Kyle's direction.

"I just caught it with my left foot and hooked it in. I was a little outside the 18 [yard box]," Kyle said.

"It was a rocket," Jorge said.

After it went in, Kyle turned and pointed to his family.

"After I scored, I was pointing at them. My whole family that lives in America was there. My aunts, cousins," he said. "To win state titles is great, but this makes it so much better. I'm never going to forget that one."

Said coach John Pantuosco: "As soon as he hit it, I said 'It's in!' I'm getting a little choked up even talking about it now."

Kyle said his teammates and coach had been very supportive of him after learning of his loss.

"My teammates are all my best friends," he said. "Coach told them what happened at the Sunday practice [after the semifinal]. He said to the team, 'Kyle lost his grandmother. So we've got a lot more to play for than just a state title.'"

Kyle "is a very lovable person," Pantuosco said. "We try to build a family atmosphere here at Somers, so we all felt it."

Amid the celebration of another championship after the game, Kyle met up with his family.

"It was quite a moment," Jorge said. "I just said, 'You did it! You did it! You did it for your grandmother!' It meant a lot to me, to him and to us as a family."

Pantuosco said from a technical standpoint, Kyle's shot was " the greatest goal by far we've scored all season. Considering the circumstances around it makes it all that more special."

At the moment, Kyle is unsure of his college plans. He has applications pending. "I'd love to go to UConn," he said. "Even if I don't play fo a college team, I'll still play for fun. Maybe intramurals or a club team."

Wherever he plays again, he'll likely never score a goal with more impact.

"After the game, I told them 'I did it for avó [grandmother in Portuguese],'" he said.

Score one for the Laires family.

"It'll certainly be remembered by us forever," Jorge said.

It's also part of what is becoming a storied history at Somers.

"He'll remember it for the rest of his life," Pantuosco said. "And I'll use it as a teaching tool. I'm always using stories with the kids and there's nothing better than this."