One for the ages

Dawgs defeat Burke for first time ever in hard-fought division match

By RICHARD A. ROSS

JEFFERSONVILLE, NY - “We’re going to win today,” said a grinning Kienan Garn, prior to the arrival of the John S. Burke Catholic Eagles on September 26.

After 80 minutes of some of the most intense soccer ever played on the Sullivan West pitch, Garn’s prophecy proved to be accurate. Sullivan West players mobbed each other in triumph, following the Bulldogs’ 2-0 win over Burke.

Garn, who had the game-winning goal with 38 seconds left in double overtime in the team’s last game versus Liberty on September 21, wasn’t being cocky.

He genuinely believed that Sullivan West could play beat Burke.

To put such confidence in context is to understand that Burke is a team that has always excelled in its skill level and athleticism.

Garn’s confidence was shared by other veteran teammates, including Garrett Owen and Kevin Cappiello. But for new players, the history of Burke’s dominance over Sullivan West was not part of their experience.

The team had assiduously prepared in its practices to mimic Burke’s physical style of play. What they couldn’t simulate was Burke’s finesse. Coaches Debbie Owen and Ron Bernhardt harbored no illusions. They knew the game would provide a real test of their young team’s mettle.

For the first half, Burke kept the ball in the Dawgs’ end for the better part of the first 40 minutes.

“We were just putting out fires,” said Coach Debbie Owen after the game. “We had holes in the middle and they kept pouring through,” she added.

Sullivan West did have a few runs, including a nice ball sent ahead to Jesse Fadis. But the Bulldogs could not really finish. Justin Armstrong was injured in the clash of bodies on the attempted cross.

Burke put on a clinic with its deft passing skills and teamwork as it moved the ball with ease through the midfield. Fine interplay by Matt Biocchi, Luca Spensieri, James Delaney, Raul Sanchez, Ryan Rourke and Jeff Guion created pressure on Sullivan West’s defense, but the Eagles couldn’t get around Owen.

“Number six [Owen] is a heck of a player,” noted Burke coach Rob Dickover in his post-game comments. “We needed to get around him. We didn’t, except for the first 15 minute of the second half.”

Keeper Logan Grishaber made a number of saves in the first half, but most of Burke’s 15 first-half shots were not within the frame.

Biochhi fired a strong one at the net, but Grishaber held on at 17:43.

Sullivan West could not clear and another ball nearly penetrated. As Grishaber came out for the save, another Burke player got a second touch. Fortunately for the Bulldogs, Kevin Correa moved in to head it out of harm’s way. Burke’s Mike Murphy had a chance as well, but fired wide at 8:52.

Burke had numerous opportunities with corner kicks and direct kicks but Sullivan West’s defense held fast.

Huddling in the net at halftime, Owen and Berhardt fired off a litany of things that were going awry and that needed to be amended. “We need more hustle. We’re losing ground in the middle. Forwards, you need to break quicker. You’re waiting too long. We have to communicate better,” Owen said.

The coaches, who had noticed that Burke was putting a ton of pressure on Kevin Cappiello, moved Garn back to help. Other changes of deployment involved forward Eric Minton.

Sullivan West came out with a renewed sense of purpose and desire. All of the team’s skills involving trapping the ball, switching up and firing on the run that had been emphasized in practice were called upon.

The results were immediately evident. The Bulldogs were able to clear the ball more readily. Sullivan West was clearly in an attack mode.

Fadis got a good ball but fired point blank at Burke keeper Tyler Locatell.

Burke fought back and reversed the polarity again as Sullivan West players lapsed back into giving Burke’s strikers too much room, but the Eagles could not convert that edge into a goal.

Armstrong used his speed to dribble ahead up the sideline, but the officials ruled that he stepped out. Owen and Grishaber combined to stop a potential Burke goal. Rich Feeney worked hard and kept a ball in, which he sent ahead to James Spruill, as the Bulldogs were building momentum.

Efforts paid off as Garn picked up a pass from Cappiello and drove up the middle and by Locatell, who had come out to defend. Garn fired one into the net at 29:56 and the Bulldogs took an ecstatic 1-0 lead.

Garn rushed away from the net pointing his finger skyward with a look of exuberance on his face.

Now, the Bulldogs would have to really hunker down and play defense. That one-goal lead could be gone in an instant with Burke’s tremendous ability. But the Bulldogs continued on the attack. Owen blasted a direct kick that nearly went in on a deflection.

With only 3:42 remaining in the game, Seidl kept the ball in and Garn fired a shot that set up a goal by Cappiello on the rebound. The 2-0 lead gave the Dawgs breathing room.

From the sidelines, Bernhardt exhorted his players, “Stay aggressive. This is why you run all those miles.”

As the horn sounded to signal the end of the game, Sullivan West players erupted in celebration.

“We have some of the most intense practices and sometimes everyone is drained,” said Garrett Owen, “but we knew we could beat them. Our defense kept us in the game until our offense kicked in,” he concluded.

Asked about the difference in intensity in the second half, Dickover said, “They were hungrier. They wanted it more than we did.”

Burke fell to 3-4 (1-2 OCIAA) while Sullivan West improved to 4-2 (2-0) OCIAA.

The win put the Bulldogs in a tie for the Division IV lead with James I. O’Neill, which narrowly defeated Fallsburg 2-1 on the same day. The division leaders were scheduled to play on October 3.

Locatell recorded 10 saves for Burke. Grishaber stopped seven shots for Sullivan West.

Visit riverreportersports.com for an album of game photos.