Announcement
The EFA Boys Varsity socccer team officially got their season underway with a 5-0 thumping of the Binghamton Patriots at Binghamton Alumni Stadium. Binghamton is a Class AA school providing the Devils with 5 big sectional points in the victory.
The technically sound Blue Devils actually had the advantage playing away from home on the fast and true artificial turf of the stadium. EFA used their speed and crisp passing to consistantly move the ball through the midfield to build the attack with the front-runners. The first goal of the contest began with a ball played into space from senior left-back Cory Hill that sophomore Ross Holden ran onto in the left corner of the field. Holden gathered the pass and found senior Joey Burin in support who, after receiving the ball, beat a Binghamton defender at the corner of the box and unselfishly squared the ball to on-running senior Kevyn Rustici. Rustici one-timed the pass and hammered the ball into the net past a diving Binghamton keeper to give EFA a spectacular 1-0 lead. Moments later, Burin would find himself on the opposite corner of the 18-yard box on a pass from junior midfielder Matt Cascio. Burin roasted the Patriots' defender as he crossed the ball behind his leg to his opposite foot and slotted the ball home to give EFA the 2-0 advantage going into the half.
The Blue Devils came out of the intermission with great confidence and it showed. Ten minutes into the 2nd half, junior Francesco Mannino was brought down in the penalty area and the official had no other option than to award EFA a penalty kick. Burin calmly knocked the ball home and EFA took a 3-0 advantage that really seemed to take the wind out of Binghamton's sail. Moments later, Burin would return the favor Cascio provided him with earlier in the contest as he Cascio would blast a shot into the upper-left hand corner of the net from 25-yards out on an assist from Burin to put the Devils up 4-0.
Tommy Hornbuckle converted a left-footed shot after tracking a throughball down from Rustici with about 15 minutes remaining in the contest to score EFA's final goal giving the Devils the 5-0 win and their first win of the season.
Bobby McGinnis earned his 1st shutout of the season and 9th of his career at Elmira Free Academy; however, the play of Mike McGinnis, Mike Chrabaszcz, Hunter Reed, and Cory Hill played a significant part in the effort.
EFA moves on to play Ithaca, Friday, August 31st, 1:00 pm @ Elmira Free Academy.
EFA Goals-assists: Joey Burin 2-2; Kevin Rustici 1-1; Matt Cascio 1-1; Tommy Hornbuckle 1-0.
Goalie saves: Bobby McGinnis (EFA) 3; Sam Guy (B) 8.
Shots-corners: EFA 15-8; Bing. 5-3.
