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BY JOSEPH STASZEWSKISTAFF CORRESPONDENT

ONEONTA, N.Y. — CenterMoriches coach Chris O’Brienhugged every player as hecame off the field. The embrac-es were not in celebration be-cause his boys soccer team lostto Albertus Magnus (Section I),1-0, yesterday in the Class Bstate championship game at theNational Soccer Hall of Fame.The hugs were in thanks.“He said something anothercoach wouldn’t say,” seniorJoe Brantmeyer said.Which was O’Brien tellingeach player how much hecared. “I told them I lovethem,” he said. “I was proudof the effort, not just today.“I’m proud of the effortfrom getting up at 6 in themorning in August and meet-ing down at the docks to do atwo-mile run. I’m proud ofthe sacrifice players make to

try to be the best they canbe.”The team was the first in

school history to play in a statefinal.The Red Devils fell behind

when Sean Russell’s perfectlyplaced direct kick sailed acrossthe 18-yard box from the farside and was headed in by KyleHoffer to the far post in the27th minute for Magnus(20-2-1).“The service was perfect and

the header was perfect,”O’Brien said. “You want thegame to be won on a great goaland I think it was won on agreat goal.”CenterMoriches (18-2-2) near-

ly answered when Brantmeyerbent a 20-yard direct kickaround the wall. The ball skid-ded on the grass and was han-dled gingerly by Magnus goal-keeper Andrew Tartara on hisknees with less then two min-utes remaining in the first half.

One could feel the tensionbuilding in an extremely physi-cal game. Each team had a play-er issued a yellow card in thefirst half, but the aggressiveplay continued.In the 58th minute, CenterMoriches’ Brendan Tyson gotinto a shoving match with Mag-nus’ BrandonGruffi along the farsideline in front of the crowd.The exchange became heatedenough that Tyson’s fathergrabbed him in order to restrainhim, but Tyson was given a redcard for throwing an elbowpriorto that.“They had contact earlier inthe game,” Brantmeyer said. “Itkindof looked likeour guy inten-tionally hit him, but that guy hithim just as hard.”Center Moriches played therest of the gamedown aman, yetthe RedDevils were able to con-tinually attack and to control thegame.“We have a lot of heart and let

the seniors carry us through,”junior RyanMcInnis said. “If wedidn’t have all the seniors on theteam we wouldn’t be as strongwith a man down. We wanted itbad enough, but we just couldn’tget a goal."Center Moriches had chanc-es, though.McInnis controlled a ballnear the far post but sent itwide toward the near post with5:31 left in the game. The RedDevils’ final chance came with3:10 left when a well-placed cor-ner kick by Alex West wastipped up by the goalkeeperand then headed out by KevinPeters.“I played with these guyssince I was in the fifth grade,”Brantmeyer said. “It’s a posi-tive and negative. We’d love towin it. It’s also a hardship goingdown.”

CLASS B STATE FINALAt National Soccer Hall of Fame

Albertus Magnus ............................................ 1 0 — 1Center Moriches ............................................ 0 0 — 0Goals - AM: Hoffer. Saves - AM: Tarara 8; Gebhardt 9.

BY JOSEPH STASZEWSKISTAFF CORRESPONDENT

ONEONTA, N.Y. — At half-time of the Class B state finalyesterday, the Center Morichesboys soccer team huddled withits coaches near the goal to talkstrategy. One player was off tothe side. Defender Alex Westwas running sprints and seeingif he could change directions.He had turned his left ankle

on his kicking leg when it gottangled with an Albertus Mag-nus defender with 9:36 remain-ing in the first half of CenterMoriches’ eventual 1-0 loss toMagnus (I) at the National Soc-cerHall of Fame.Hewashelpedoff the field, hopping on one leg.West thought hewas finished

for the day. It turned out hewasn’t. “I was thinking Iwantedto do my best to get back in so Icould help everyone,” he said ofhis time on the sideline.After having his ankle taped,

West tested it to see if wrap-ping had helped. It still didn’tfeel strong enough, but heplayed despite the pain.“I just wanted to push

through it and help out myteam and try to make the bestof it,” he said.It was no surprise to his

teammates.“He’s shown a lot of heart

from Day 1,” senior Joe Brant-meyer said. “He’s one of thoseguys that gets unlucky andgets banged up, but he getsright back up.”For West, changing direc-

tion and stopping were donewith a little more caution thanusual in the second half, butthe injury had less effect onhis kicking ability.He still took all the team’s

corner and free kicks. Heplayed them well and long,though Center Morichescouldn’t capitalize.“That’s the senior mentality,”

junior Ryan McInnis said. “It’sthe last gameof your high schoolcareer, he got hurt. He pulled itthroughand camebackout.”

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CLASS B BOYS STATE SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP: ALBERTUS MAGNUS 1, CENTER MORICHES 0

First shot at title falls short

PHOTO BY PATRICK MCCARTHY

Center Moriches senior Joe Brantmeyer trips and falls while trying to dribble the ball in front of the Albertus Magnus goal.

West triesto kick-startRed Devils

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