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RFH 2010, Cover Stories

UPDATED: Slide Show Added; HCS Wins Sectional Soccer Title; Face S. Kortright

Sun, Nov 07, 2010

UPDATED: Slide Show Added; HCS Wins Sectional Soccer Title; Face S. Kortright

MORRISVILLE -- The HCS boys soccer team won the Section III Class D championship for the third straight year, beating Cincinnatus 1-0 under the lights at Morrisville State College tonight.

The win moves Coach Brian Latella's squad into the regional title match against South Kortright. Latella said he expects the game will be played next Saturday afternoon on the fields at the now-closed National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta.

Dan Kraynak and Drew Thompson teamed up for the game's only goal. With a little more than four minutes left to play in the second half, Thompson maneuvered the ball through and past three Cincinnatus defenders and crossed it to a closing Kraynak.

"I headed it in just like coach taught me," said the senior captain after the game. "We knew the game was ours to win. We just had to find the key to their defense."

Thompson and Kraynak -- each powerful scoring threats in their own rights -- similarly combined for the second of two goals in the Knights' win earlier in the week over McGraw.

"We've talked all year about what can happen when they (the junior Thompson and the senior Kraynak) work together," said Latella. "They had DK (Kraynak) marked to tight tonight but he never let it bother him."

As it has all season, the Knight's defense played a huge role in the sectioinal championship win. They held Cincinnatus to a just handful of credible scoring opportunities, and when they did get off a shot, senior goalkeeper Kinnon Nolan-Finkel kept the ball out of the net. Latella praised the play of Lucas Rhyde, Joe Taranto, Phil Douchinsky, Sam Hale and Nolan-Finkel for helping preserve the win. He said the defense never allowed any truly dangerous scoring opportunities to develop.

"Sam was phenomenal in the middle," said Latella. "Lucas and Phil locked things down and Joe got to every lose ball."

"This was a classic game between two very competent teams," Latella said afterwards. "We played as near a complete game as we could tonight. The difference was we shut them down in the second half."

Such was the sermon according to Latella for the sectionals. In the last nine days, the Emerald Knights have won four games by a combined score of 11-2. The demanding march to the sectional title included:

  • a 3-1 opening win over Watertown Immaculate Heart Central;
  • a 5-1 win over Old Forge;
  • a 2-0 win over McGraw on Thursday;
  • and 1-0 win tonight to let HCS take home the Section III Class D banner for yet another season.
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