By Dylan Butler
It wasn't the final result, but rather the controversial way his team lost the match that Martello and several other teary-eyed Terriers struggled to come to terms with at the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point.
Regis senior Bobby Marcoux capped a bizarre sequence with 13:43 left in the second half by blasting the ball past St. Francis Prep keeper Nick Caputi from 22 yards out on a disputed indirect free kick for the game's only goal.
“It's tough,” Martello said. “They stole the game away from us.”
“They” referred to referee Ahmed Hassan and his linesmen.
Moments before Hassan whistled the play dead and awarded Regis the set piece, St. Francis Prep senior Chris Herrera laid on the ground injured for nearly 30 seconds as Regis worked the ball up the field.
Finally, with Herrera now about 60 yards away from the play, Hassan stopped the play as Herrera was helped off the field.
According to high school rules, a referee can award an indirect free kick after stopping play to attend to an injured player if the opposing team “clearly” has possession.
But who had possession of the ball was a matter of debate after the game.
“That was the only way we can lose is if the ref took the ball and put it outside the 18-yard box for them, which is what he did,” said Herrera, one of 13 seniors on the St. Francis Prep roster. “We had possession of the ball and it's suppose to be our ball or a drop ball. It's like he gave them a perfect opportunity.”
“I've never seen that before,” added Marcoux. “We had a wide-open shot when he called it, but I guess it worked out for the best.”
What it worked out to be for St. Francis Prep (8-3-4) was a frustrating, bitter way to lose the match. Immediately following the goal, Terriers assistant coach Vincenzo Purificato, brother of head coach Franco Purificato, was issued a red card for arguing the set piece. Prep senior Chris Belac also lost his cool and was given a yellow card by Hassan.
“I had great expectations for this team,” Herrera said. “We all believed we had a great team, we were confident and it's heartbreaking to lose it to the refs.”
While Regis (12-4-1) advances to the CHSAA title match for the first time in school history, the senior-laden St. Francis Prep team is left with an empty feeling after dominating a chunk of the match.
“I'd rather lose it in the field of play than have it decided by a referee. That's just as bad as giving a penalty shot,” said a choked up Franco Purificato. “They played with a lot of heart, so did we. But we just couldn't finish. They got one good opportunity. We had a couple but we couldn't find the back of the net.”
Reach Associate Sports Editor Dylan Butler by email at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 143.
