Huskies end Dawgs’ run

Rematch of last year’s quarterfinal goes Highland’s way

By RICHARD A. ROSS

HIGHLAND, NY - The Sullivan West Bulldogs’ soccer season came to a somber close on October 30 with a 3-0 loss to the Highland Huskies in a hard-fought Class B quarterfinal match.

The pitched battle, between two schools with canine mascots, was a rematch of last year’s quarterfinal, a 3-2 double overtime sudden death victory by Sullivan West. That historic battle featured a game-tying goal by Kevin Brewer in the last 15 seconds and a game-winner by Jonathan Reynolds four minutes into the second overtime period.

From the Bulldogs’ point of view, it was the biggest win in the school’s soccer program. For the third-seeded Huskies, it was a stultifying end to a season of promise to a school they never saw on their radar.

Now a year to the day later, the loss was on the mind of the fourth-seeded Huskies as they hosted the fifth-seeded Bulldogs again. As Huskies’ coach Jamal Lis-Simmons put it, “Many of these same players were on the field that day and that was part of their motivation to come out and play their best game today.”

Lis-Simmons got just that kind of game from his seasoned squad of veterans, who used deft passing to capitalize on spaces left open by the Bulldogs.

But the Bulldogs, a team that started two months ago with a great deal of raw talent hustled and worked hard. For a school that has no junior varsity program, the fact that they were playing in this game was probably not something that their coaches could have envisioned.

But any hope of recapturing last year’s magic suffered an initial blow as the Huskies broke a scoreless tie, with 33:58 gone in the first period, with a goal by senior forward Anthony Barone, who headed a ball perfectly sent by midfielder David Bae and took a 1-0 lead. Bae had been given way too much room by Sullivan West defenders and Barone’s header was a classic. It was the first salvo from Highland’s leading scorer who would record the hat trick before the day was through.

Up until Barone’s goal, it was either team’s game to claim.

Barone got off the first shot of the day, but Bulldog keeper Logan Grishaber caught it. Highland had a height advantage, but Sullivan West had its early chances. A forceful direct kick from Garrett Owen was strongly repulsed by Highland standout Tom Beckvermit. A short while later, a breakaway by Kevin Cappiello sent a nice ball to Justin Armstrong that was kicked aside by Derek Riley.

The upfront chemistry between Barone and Bae was building early, with long chips from Beckvermit feeding the frenzy.

Sullivan West missed a chance for the early lead when a shot by Cappiello rang off the crossbar. Highland keeper Matt Porter gathered in a subsequent direct kick from Cappiello. Highland outshot Sullivan West 11-6 in the first half. When chances did come Sullivan West’s way, its forwards often hesitated before firing their shots. Although the Bulldogs won many hard-fought midfield battles, they were unable to finish and the Huskies were quick to regroup.

Barone would add two more goals in the second half, but the game’s final score of 3-0 belies its closeness. Before Barone’s second goal was tallied with 6:25 remaining, Sullivan West had a series of corner kicks but couldn’t capitalize. On one of those during that sequence, a flurry in front of the net looked to be on the verge of a score before the Huskies cleared it out.

Near the game’s end, Barone broke up the middle for his third goal and rifled it by Grishaber.

Highland won the right to play undefeated Spackenkill, the tournament’s top seed and the top-rated B team in the state. Beating the Spartans would constitute an enormous victory, something the Huskies were unable to do in their two meetings with Spackenkill, who was last year’s state runner up. For Highland’s 10 seniors, the season goes on.

Sadly that is not the case for Sullivan West’s elder statesmen. Kudos to senior mainstays Garrett Owen, Kienan Garn, Ross Bernhardt, Kevin Cappiello and their supporting cast of final-year players, including Vincent Spruill, Joseph Drobysh, Kevin Pinkel and Todd Calvet.

Sullivan West finished its season at 10-6-3. Highland (13-4) continues on apace. Visit riverreportersports.com for additional photos.