By Laura Amato
The Holy Cross boys soccer team saw its dreams of winning a CHSAA city championship dashed last week when the Knights fell 2-1 in OT to Regis in the intersectional semifinals at St. John’s University. But while the loss was disappointing, the squad got a bit of a gift a few hours later.
The Knights advanced to the CHSAA state tournament as the diocese representative – after Fordham Prep downed Archbishop Molloy 2-1 in double overtime of the second intersectional semifinal. It wasn’t the way Holy Cross wanted to earn the berth, but it keeps their season alive and that’s all the squad cares about.
“I couldn’t be more proud of these guys,” said Holy Cross coach Matt Tyburczy. “I had to hope Fordham takes care of business against Molloy. I’ve got all the respect in the world for [Molloy coach] Andy Kostel, but I want to play two more games.”
The Knights had their chances to secure a victory in the semifinal, but their front line simply couldn’t put the ball in the back of the net. The team’s best chance came in the 57th minute when Michael De Canio lined up a picture-perfect shot that was saved by Regis goalkeeper Andrew Ceonzo.
“That’s playoff soccer right there. What happens in the regular season never really matters,” Tyburczy said. “We all know it’s going to be a 1-0, 2-1 type of game, very limited chances and the quality chances that you do get you have to put away.”
Regis brought the pressure in the final minutes of regulation, notching a handful of prime chances, including a corner kick in the 70th minute that rebounded just over the net.
“It went back and forth a little bit, but I think the last few minutes of the second half, it got a little bit hairy,” Tyburczy said. “We stood tall though and it’s the counterattack in the first part of the overtime that caught us.”
The Knights looked like they were knocking on the goal-line door late in the first overtime, but a Regis clear-and-quick counterattack at midfield turned the tide—and Adriano Atallah connected on the payoff.
The midfielder drew Holy Cross keeper Eric Rossi off his line as soon as the ball landed at his feet, pushing it towards the far side of the net for the game-winner with 50 seconds left in OT.
“This whole season I’ve never been so scared to lose and I thought for sure, I have to put this through and we have to win this,” Atallah said. “There was no other thought in my head.”
It was a heartbreaking blow for Rossi, who was otherwise fantastic in the semi and Tyburczy was quick to point out that the junior goalie kept the Knights in the game.
“It’s never one person’s fault,” he said. “Things happen and [Rossi] was our savior the whole entire season.”
It wasn’t a perfect ending, but the Knights aren’t strangers to these types of victories. After all, the squad clinched the Brooklyn-Queens title with a tie. As far as Holy Cross is concerned, the only thing that matters is that there’s still another game on the schedule and another chance to go after a title.
“Last year was our first semifinal in 11 years and I’m glad we’re back here again,” Tyburczy said. “It just shows how far the program has come in the last few years.”
