Announcement
November 4, 2007
By Joe Mink
jmink@stargazette.com
Star-Gazette
ONEONTA -- Maybe they can have their rubber match next year.
Elmira Free Academy hoped to repeat last season's triumph against Owego Free Academy in the Section 4 Class A boys soccer championship game, but on Saturday the Blue Devils came out on the short end, losing 2-1 to the Indians at the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Nicholas Gregg scored both goals for Owego (16-3), one early in the game and the other late in a rough and occasionally contentious match.
"It could have gone the other way," Owego coach Jason Luke said. "We got a lucky break."
At one point, an official went up to EFA coach Derek Hamilton to warn about "constant fouling" from both sides. He later warned the players and coaches about excessive complaining, and Owego players shouted from their bench about EFA players taking dives to draw penalties. After the post-game handshake some participants engaged in a little pushing and shoving.
Hamilton's primary concern turned out to be the game clock. Despite the schools being little more than a half-hour drive from each other, Section 4 had them and the other schools playing their title games at the Soccer Hall, more than an hour and a half drive from Elmira.
Even with that, there was no official scorer at the game, nor was there anyone to handle the scoreboard and time clock. One of the officials noted that at a Section 3 game there was a row of scorers and someone to man the scoreboard and time clock.
As a result, the officials had to keep time, and Hamilton said they were off in their calculations.
"I always keep (my watch for timing) on my wrist," Hamilton explained
He said he was told at one point there was 17 minutes and 40 seconds left in regulation, with the score tied 1-1. Shortly after Gregg scored the go-ahead goal on a rush to the net, Hamilton said he was told there was a minute remaining.
"After the goal, my watch showed there were seven minutes left," he said.
In last year's Class A sectional title game, Kevyn Rustici scored the lone goal in EFA's 1-0 victory. He figured in EFA's goal Saturday, making a pinpoint pass from the right corner that found teammate Frankie Mannino in a crowd around the Owego net. Mannino beat goalie Tyler Spadine in close as EFA tied it up at 1-1 in the second half.
"I was asked to play a quick ball. I saw Frankie call for it. (He's) someone you can rely on," Rustici said.
EFA (12-6-1) had 11 seniors in the game, and Hamilton said he thought the emotional outcome may have played into the post-game tussle.
"This was the end of their careers," he explained. "We had two teams playing for their seasons. I expected it to be physical, and neither team was more physical than the other."
For Rustici, the game and the season weren't total losses.
"It's sad to see the season end," he said. "But I've never been with a closer-knit group of guys than these."
