U16 Chargers 1, Hyde Park 0
Marsella 6, U14 Arsenal 3
U9 Vikings 7, Wallkill 0

Game summaries provided by Philipstown Soccer Club

Chargers Edge Hyde Park, 1-0

The boys’ U16 Chargers formed as a team in 2011, and likely finished their final season this past Sunday, June 17, with a home game versus the Hyde Park Heat.

Most of the Chargers will continue on this fall with their school teams and academy level programs. Sunday’s game started with emotional speeches by coaches John Maasik and Josh Hammond, who knew that a win against the Hyde Park Heat would also leave the Chargers at the top of the division rankings for the first time.

Right from the opening whistle, the Chargers started strong. The defense of Collin Eng-wong, Zack Maher, Ben Strol and speedy Quinn Petkus would not let the Heat get inside the 18-yard box for much of the beginning of the game. Stopper Jesse Sherman controlled the midfield and was able to dribble and distribute to the Chargers midfield. Middies Alek Maasik, Gabe Dabkowski, Carter Bond, Luke Wimer, Dominic Farina, and Frank Bentowski worked the passing game up the field and created several opportunities with some shots just missing or hitting the posts.

Strikers Luke Hammond and Kyle Mayo made several runs and were met by a strong Hyde Park defense in the first half but kept up the pressure. The Chargers finally connected when Sherman brought the ball upfield for a shot near the 18-yard line that was saved by the Heat keeper, with a rebound shot by Hammond that was saved again but deflected to a well-placed Bentowski who blasted in the go-ahead goal a few minutes before the end of the first half. Chargers up 1-0.

After the second half the Chargers continued playing with heart and intensity, which started to frustrate the Heat. The Heat ended up getting several cards, yet the Chargers were able to continue to rely on teamwork and good sportsmanship that carried them all season. Even when the Heat did break through for a chance on goal, Chargers keeper Chris O’Donnell was up to the challenge and made some diving saves. Defender Maher made a brilliant save of his own after O’Donnell made and initial save and he backed him up to keep a deflected shot from going in. O’Donnell finished with another clean sheet, and his defense played a large role in the final result.

The U-16 Philipstown Chargers win 1-0 over the Heat, and celebrated their hard fought victory and a fantastic final season after the whistle blew. Good luck to all the players in the future!

Arsenal Face Division Champs

The boys’ U14 Philipstown Arsenal soccer team hosted division champs, the Marsella Eagles (8-1), on June 17.

The Gunners stunned the Eagles by scoring early when winger Chase Mayer slotted the ball through the Eagles defense to middle, Tim Ben Adi who put a beautiful finish on the ball to take the early 1-0 lead. After back-and-forth possession between the teams, Marsella answered with a goal of their own at the 15-minute mark.

Next, Philipstown’s Ben Adi won the ball in the midfield and sent an excellent pass to striker, Evan Maasik, who cut through the defense and blasted the ball into the back of the Eagles’ net to reclaim the lead, 2-1.

The turf was sweltering in the late afternoon sun but the skillful Marsella team showed no signs of letting up and momentum started to shift in their favor. Despite the outstanding effort of the Gunners’ defense, the Eagles scored two additional goals and the score at halftime was Marsella 3, Philipstown 2.

Twelve minutes in to the second half the Eagles scored again, bringing the score to 4-2. Two minutes later, Ben Adi once again made an impact on the game when he took a corner kick for the Gunners, sending a ground ball to the top of the 18-yard box where Jasper Drake one-touched a rocket shot past the Eagles’ keeper. Marsella kept the pressure on and showed why they are the number one U14 team in the East Hudson Youth Soccer League, scoring two additional goals before the end of the game.

Philipstown fought to the end but the final score was Marsella Eagles 6, Philipstown 3. With the Gunners’ three goals, Philipstown scored more in a single game against the Eagles than any other team was able to this season.

Vikings End Season with Victory

In their last match of the season on June 17, the boys’ U9 Philipstown Vikings faced the Wallkill Inferno.

From the first whistle, the Vikings set a determined tone for the match with relentless attacks. The offensive pressure lead to an early goal by Elias Moran who controlled a ball deflected by the Inferno and put it past the goalie. Next to score was Connor Keegan who sent the Vikings to halftime with a 2-0 advantage.

In the second half, the Vikings offense found yet another gear. Darwin Saquipay scored early in the half to make it 3-0. Then, an even succession of goals by right wing Parker Larsen, defensive center Joseph DeMarco and back-to-back goals by left wing Rhys Williams put the match out of reach for the Inferno and put an exclamation on the season-ending 7-0 win for the Vikings.

Complementing its offense, the Vikings defense stymied the Inferno and repeatedly sent balls back into Inferno territory. Joseph DeMarco, Oliver Choi and Joey Smith repelled Inferno attacks and goalie Patrick Smith ably protected the goal when necessary. Last fall, in their first season together, the Vikings had a 4-3-3 record and they end this season 5-1-2.

The team continues to improve – a result of excellent coaching – and this effort and teamwork from the players bodes well for the fall season.

Behind The Story

Type: News

News: Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.

Articles attributed to "staff" are written by the editor or a senior editor. This is typically because they are brief items based on a single source, such as a press release, or there are multiple contributors, such as a collection of photos.