By John Tolis
Just two minutes. That’s all Monsignor McClancy needed to change its fortunes against Kennedy Catholic and clinch its third straight city soccer title.
Trailing by a goal for nearly the entire game, the Crusaders scored twice late to pull out a dramatic 2-1 victory in the CHSAA Class A boy’s soccer final at Fordham University last Saturday.
The comeback started in the 72nd minute, then Alex Ulic placed a beautiful pass into the box and senior Michael Ferrara headed the ball in. Two minutes later, star senior Joey Mifsud dribbled a ball down the left side and blasted a shot from 20 yards out past the Kennedy Catholic keeper for the eventual winning goal. He fell to his knees in celebration.
“I thought it’s my senior year, I gotta go out with a bang,” Mifsud said. “I thought when I got the ball, I might as well take a shot. You never know especially in a final. I didn’t get to see the whole goal, but I saw the ball go in and I knew right there that we won the game.”
McClancy (13-2-1) didn’t start the game the way it had hoped and allowed Kennedy Catholic to take control. Their opponent won the possession game in the first half and moved the ball flawlessly around the Crusaders’ defense. The Gaels (14-1-1) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute after senior Gareth Esteves passed the ball in the box to Tom Cioffi, who tapped it perfectly into the back of the net. McClancy came out with a different energy in the second half.
“We told these guys to keep fighting,” McClancy Coach Michael Sylvester said. “In the first half we were a little shaky, but we knew we had to settle in and play our game. We called on the seniors. We had to lean on them, these guys stepped up, Joey and Mike put one in for us.”
The Gaels joined the CHSAA this season and were a new threat to the Crusaders’ reign. The teams got to know each other during a regular season battle that Kennedy Catholic won 1-0. McClancy didn’t let the same thing happen when it mattered most. It left Ferrara having trouble describing what it’s like to end his senior year with another title.
“To make history as a senior it’s honestly ridiculous,” he said. “I can’t explain the feeling.”
It’s a moment and a legacy Mifsud, who has been a part of all three crowns, will always remember.
“Four years it’s been my life now. I’m not going to forget these four years,” Mifsud said.
