MIDDLETOWN — The Chazy boys’ soccer team was ever so close to returning to the NYSPHSAA Class D championship game.
The defending co-state champion-Eagles, however, couldn’t take advantage of numerous opportunities and ended up dropping a 2-1 overtime decision to Section II’s Northville in Friday night’s Final Four semifinals at Faller Field.
McQuade Klippel tallied the game-winning goal at the 7:48 mark of the first extra session to send the Falcons (16-4-1) into the title contest.
“We played well and for a majority of the game I felt like we were the better team,” Chazy coach Rob McAuliffe said. “But they defended well and finished on their chances.
“That’s how it goes sometimes.”
The game-winning goal came about when Northville’s Logan Hammons lofted a cross in front of the Chazy net between two Eagle defenders. Klippel was there to head the ball into the net.
It was an excruciating finish to the contest for the Eagles, who controlled possession time and applied all kinds of pressure in the final 20 minutes of regulation with the game tied at 1-all.
But despite corner kicks, a couple of outstanding saves by Northville netminder Logan Armstrong, shots going just wide of the net, blocked shots and players just unable to get a foot on the ball in close, Chazy wasn’t able to break the tie.
“I felt we were knocking on the door the last 20 minutes of regulation,” McAuliffe said. “I still felt good about our chances heading into overtime.
“We created multiple chances.”
The Eagles (17-3-1) took a 1-0 lead at 24:59 of the first half on Ben West’s goal. Landon Duprey sent a direct kick into the box and West scored off a scramble in front.
Chazy held the lead until 5:12 remained in the opening half when Braydn Bovee sent a hard shot from straight on into the upper corner of the net.
Armstrong finished with eight saves in the Northville nets and Henry Kapp made five stops for Chazy. Both had a couple of outstanding saves.
The setback ended what was a pretty remarkable season for the young Chazy team.
Saturday night, the Eagles started two seniors (Madox Tyndall and Novak Jarus), two juniors (Pryce Parker and Owen Kapp), five sophomores (Duprey, Jacoby Weeden, Jack Rovers, Chadd Devins Jr. and Ashton Hoffnagle) and two freshmen (Henry Kapp and Zeke McLennan).
The Eagles used three reserves — West, a senior, and sophomores Jack McAuliffe and Kahne Labombard.
Chazy, which was seeking its 11th Class D state title, was without senior back Elijah Valentin, who was injured during the Section VII playoffs.
“We had a young team all season and were even younger without Elijah out there,” McAuliffe said. “The older players did what they needed to do and the younger guys played great.
“My young team accomplished a lot and I’m proud of all my players. On a different day, we’re playing in the state finals. At certain points during the season, there were people who questioned if we could get to this level.”
The Eagles finished the season with a Northern Soccer League Division II title, Section VII Class D championship and a regional crown.
With nine of the 11 players who started Friday’s game and two key reserves coming back next year, the Eagles will be a handful to deal with.
In Friday’s first semifinal, Section III’s Hamilton outlasted Section V’s Naples, 3-2, in overtime.
Hamilton held a 2-0 lead in the game, Naples rallied back to tie it, and Hamilton prevailed in the overtime.
Some people felt Hamilton and Naples were the two best teams at the Class D Final Four and that may have been an accurate assessment following Hamilton’s 3-0 victory over Northville in the championship game on Saturday afternoon.
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Northville 2, Chazy 1, OT
CCRS;1;0;0;—;1
NOR;1;0;1;—;2
First half- 1, CCRS, West, 24:59. 2, N, Bovee, 34:48.
First overtime- 3, N, Klippel (Hammons), 7:48.
Shots on goal- CCRS, 9-7.
Saves- H. Kapp, CCRS, 5. Armstrong, N, 8.