HCS Boys Edged 1-0 by Clinton

RFH 2010, Featured Articles, HCS Boys Soccer

Sat, Oct 15, 2011

The HCS boys soccer team narrowly lost to one of the best Class B teams in the state

The 1-0 score of the HCS boys soccer team's senior night loss at home under the lights Friday night doesn't come close tp truly explaining the game.

The Emerald Knights' loss came at the hands of Clinton, the seventh ranked Class B team in the state with a 15-0 record for the year, a squad with as many seniors as HCS has players. And, it comes as the regular season winds down and the post-season looms.

As such, Coach Brian Latella said he saw plenty to be optimistic about.

"There are so many positives to take away from this loss," Latella said afterward.

Chief among those pluses was the way his team played overall, but especially after Clinton scored with about 24 minutes left in the second half. Latella said the Knights didn't let down, and created numerous chances but just missed the net.

He also said that leading scorer, and one of seven seniors honored before the game, Drew Thompson played his best game of the year. Latella said that after Thompson had a penalty kick blocked in the early going of the first half, and picked up the level of his play for the balance of the game.

Latella also praised goalie John Kerber. Not long after Thompson had his PK blocked, Clinton put together a strong rush that ended in a near point-blank shot on goal. Kerber made an acrobatic save and kept Clinton off the scoreboard and kept HCS energized.

"John really picked up the level of his play tonight," said Latella.

All of these positives bode well for Hamilton as sectional play is just weeks off.

Latella's squad will have three chances this week to apply what they learned against Clinton. They play at Old Forge Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. and then play in the Sauquoit Valley tournament on the weekend. HCS opens Friday at 4 p.m. against Illion, and will play either the host team or Mowhak at a time to be announced Saturday depending on the outcomes of the first round.

Before the game HCS honored this year's seniors, who played their last regular season home games Friday. This year's seniors inlcude: