Heartbreaker: Northville falls in state soccer final
By PAUL WAGER, The Leader-HeraldArticle Photos
ONEONTA - It took until the final game of the season, but the Northville boys soccer team finally ran out of rallies.
After coming from behind in each of their first five postseason games, the Falcons' magical run ended in heartbreaking fashion Sunday in the New York State Class D championship game at the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Chazy scored the game's only goal on a penalty kick with just 2:16 remaining in the game to win its fourth state title in the last six years.
"We kept telling the team that something odd could decide the game," Chazy coach Rob McAuliffe said. "We're just happy to get it in the net any way it came, especially against a great team like Northville. Their kids played hard."
Freshman Brandon Laurin converted the penalty kick for Chazy after the Falcons were called for a hand ball in the box.
The 1-0 victory provided a measure of redemption for the Eagles, who lost 4-3 to Hamilton in overtime in last year's title game.
Northville was left wondering what might have been after coming so close to its first state title since sharing the crown with Hamilton in 1995.
"We've gone through a lot of adversity on and off the field this season," Northville senior goalkeeper Mike VanNostrand said. "It's too bad we couldn't pull out the win."
To get to the finals, both teams had to survive hard-fought semifinal contests Saturday.
The Falcons played 110 minutes and advanced on penalty kicks over Section V champion Belfast, playing the final 50 minutes two players down after red cards.
Chazy emerged with a 2-1 win over Section III champion Hamilton in a rematch of last year's title game.
On Sunday, both teams were still feeling the effects of Saturday's semifinal games.
"I think both teams could have played better if they weren't playing for a second straight day," McAuliffe said. "That's how it goes when you play two games in two days."
Both teams also were missing key players from their lineups. Chazy played without Nathan Reynolds, who suffered an injury in the semifinals, while Northville was without seniors Brandon Bleyl and Zach Bedell after both were ejected from Saturday's game.
Their absence meant lineup changes for the Falcons, who were forced to move senior striker Josh Ostrander to Bedell's sweeper spot and sophomore Jordan Ryder to Bleyl's midfield position.
"We had to play with a new lineup," Clapper said. "That was unfortunate, but we tried to make the most of it."
Chazy controlled play during the first half, outshooting the Falcons by a 6-3 margin.
The Eagles' next chance came with 17 minutes remaining when Tyler Bulriss saw his shot knocked over the crossbar by VanNostrand, who finished with eight saves and was named Northville's Most Valuable Player.
"Michael [VanNostrand] played a wonderful game," Clapper said.
Northville's Jimmy Cole had a pair of near misses in the opening 40 minutes. His first chance came off a flip throw from Ostrander, but Chazy keeper Austin Santor made the save, Cole also sent a shot just over the crossbar with 19:20 remaining in the half.
"We had our chances," Northville coach Steve Clapper said. "We just didn't put one in the net."
In the second half, the Falcons and the Eagles again battled back and forth.
"It was pretty much a 50-50 game the whole time," Ostrander said.
The Falcons nearly broke the scoreless tie with 24:20 left to play when Jon Briggs ripped a hard shot on goal only to have Santor tip the ball wide of the net. Santor finished with three saves for the Eagles.
Defenders for both sides also helped keep the game scoreless in the second half as Northville's Dylan Allen cleared a shot by Chazy's Kyle McCarthy from the goalline.
The Eagles' Shea Howley did the same on a shot by Northville's Mackenzie Groff with six minutes to play.
With 2:16 to play, VanNostrand attempted to punch a ball away from the goal, but it bounced off the hand of a teammate and the official awarded the Eagles a penalty kick.
VanNostrand, who stopped a penalty kick in regulation and two in the decisive penalty-kick round in Saturday's semifinal game against Belfast, looked to save the day again for Northville.
The senior keeper dove to his left with Laurin's shot and got a hand on it, but was unable to keep it out of the net.
"I just couldn't keep it out of the net," VanNostrand said. "It was a good shot."
Trailing 1-0 was nothing new for the Falcons, who trailed in all six of their postseason games, but this one-goal deficit came too late in the game to overcome.
"I'm very proud of the guys. They had a great season," Clapper said. "They showed the heart and character they had."
Chazy finishes its season with a 20-0-2 record after adding the 2009 state title to its 2004, 2005 and 2007 titles.
"It feels good. It never gets old," McAuliffe said.
The Eagles' Kaleb Snide was chosen as his team's MVP.
Northville, which won state titles in 1988 and 1995, ends its season with a record of 18-2-1.
"We have no reason to hang our heads," Clapper said. "The team was very successful this year and I'm proud of what we accomplished."
It was the final game for 12 Northville seniors. That group includes Ostrander, Cole, VanNostrand, Groff, Bleyl, Bedell, Nick Visco, Jason Barnes, Scott Parker, Dillan Carman, Dustin Mineconzo and Zach Jones.
"I'm proud of every guy out here, especially the seniors," Ostrander said. "Everything we did reflects what Northville is about. I was proud to be part of it."
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soccermoom
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11-24-09 6:31 PM
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Congrats to our boys of Northville, I am proud of you! No one can take away your memories, your desire, your accomplishments, or your pride. There will always be negative people out there, but they are the jealous that never got where you have been or reached the goals you have reached. The ones who never like to see anyone better than them, ignore the negative, you are role models and wonderful young men, dont stop dreaming, you guys proved the higher the mountain the harder the climb, but you made it, you guys are the Champions!!!
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soccermoom
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11-24-09 6:21 PM
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After reading the posts by brhbrh, I had many thoughts go through my mind, many negative things that could be said to brhbrh, but then I thought, why are we lowering ourselves to that level? The Northville Falcons.... 2008, 2009 section 2 Class D Champions, 2009 WAC Champions, 2009 Regional Champions, 2009 New York State Finalists. A team well accomplished, a team that has gone through a death of a beloved Teacher, a very much loved classmate, A team that has united a town and showed a small town how to unite, heal and help each other. Most of all these are HIGH SCHOOL CHILDREN. We should all be so lucky to have role models like them for our younger children to look up to, the desire to win, the courage to fight and the heart of Champions. You may have been at the game, and you are entitled to your opinion, but with all the negativity and bad things in this world why dont you listen to the advice of your elders...IF YOU HAVE NOTHING NICE TO SAY DONT SAY NOTHING AT ALL....
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falconsupporter
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11-24-09 3:43 PM
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Wow kudos to them then for getting as far as they did playing like a "modified" team... I will let there record speak for itself!!! I don't think that you will find anyone who would agree with your assessment though.
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brhbrh
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11-24-09 3:19 PM
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yes i was at the game. the other punch occurred in front of me. northville was the weakest team i saw outside of the first round of sectionals. they definitely had "heart" and did hustle but that was it. dirty, yes skilled, no. they played like a modified team jacked-up on red bull.
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falconsupporter
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11-24-09 12:10 PM
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Oh Forgot, did any of you naysayers see the New York state soccer poll where Northville was ranked all season? We finished second in the state behind Chazy, not bad for the "least" skilled, "dirtiest" team that brhbrh has ever seen!! Out of 700 teams that started post season play we finished second I'd say that's not bad!! Oh BPPATS why the sour grapes, we didn't get to beat you in the stop DWI tournament this year so why are you hating on us??
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falconsupporter
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11-24-09 11:54 AM
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I would just like to end with this... I know each and every one of these boys personally much unlike brhbrh. Your comments about there game of soccer and there character is unwarranted and unfactual!! When ever an opponent went down they would take a knee out of respect or offer a hand to help them up or clap for them as they left the field and in one display our goalie came out of the box and put an opponents arm around his shoulder and helped him off the field! Dirty players, I don't think so!! You don't play "C" schools all season and win the WAC 09 Northern division, Section II Class D championship, Regional Championship and get into the championship game by sheer luck you get there by playing your heart out each and every game, taking everything you have and leaving it on the field and by yes having "SKILL".
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falconsupporter
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11-24-09 11:36 AM
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Continued: Sanction?? Please.... There was alot more pushing, hooking, kicking etc. going on from every team there then just the Northville Falcons!! So if that is the case then you should sanction them all!!! This happened in all of the classes not just the D's!! so once again, if you weren't there then you have no right to comment and if you were then you will know what I am talking about!! As for the comment regarding the baseball fiasco again you weren't there and you do not know the whole story no one on that team witnessed anything therefore could not "rat" out who did it. Yes there were "rumors" but no FACTS isn't everyone innocent until proven guilty? In fact the principal originally accused the Modified team and then the JV team so unfortunately no one will ever know what truly happened. Unfortunately my son had to forfeit his season and he wasn't even at practice due to an injury. You do not know the whole story so please let it rest!!!
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falconsupporter
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11-24-09 11:26 AM
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Continued: Now as for the comments from brhbrh, Do you really think an "unskilled" team would make it to the Championship game? Have you seen any of there games this season or post season? I would love to know what that opinion is based on? Perhaps this team played you and beat you... sounds like sour grapes to me!! Where are you from that you feel you have the knowledge to voice such a strong opionion? How do you defeat a very physical team 2 men down for 50 minutes and be "unskilled" or not have heart?? Your post is an absolute JOKE!!!
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falconsupporter
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11-24-09 11:16 AM
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Wow, I can't believe all of the haters here. First of all let me say this, The Chazy and Hamilton Teams themselves were involved in an altercation that resulted in several members of the team getting into it which resulted in one of the Cahzy starters being punched in the head and receiving a concussion and therefore sitting out the championship game. Where was the red cards in that?? The two incidents involving the Northville players were minor in comparison to that but resulted in red cards. How much of this is at the discretion of the 1 ref on the field?? All of it is at his discretion/intrepretation! If you were not there and didn't see the incident then please save your harsh comments. Only one incident was a punch which was shown on News channel 9 and was quite obvious so perhaps that was warranted but the other red card was completely uncalled for, there was no punching involved just a mere shoulder brush because the other player was doing the same to him.
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brhbrh
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11-24-09 9:14 AM
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other red card was same thing. punch opponent after losing ball. classy bunch
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tommylarry
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11-23-09 6:46 PM
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This is the same school whos players forfeited their season in order not to rat on a teammate who deficated on the locker room floor last year in JV baseball?? Another case of a selfish kid hurting the team (and the team being dumb enough to back him) Nowadays though its "snitches get stitches" as the kids say. Back in the day he would have gotten the crap beaten outta him (pun intended) and they would have continued on with the season...
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tommylarry
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11-23-09 6:41 PM
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I was only congratulating a local team on a tough playoff run. I have not seen them play or am even a soccer fan. I did have a question though how someone could be so stupid as to throw a punch at an opponent in a semi-final game when they surely must have known that a red card would be issued for such an offense and that a red card would not only exclude them for the rest of the game but also the final (if they were to make it). What was the other offense that received the other red card??? I guess I should have said congrats to the Northville team members who played with heart and class.
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bppats
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11-23-09 6:34 PM
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Please a sanction
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brhbrh
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11-23-09 5:26 PM
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northville has a very tough goalie and hustled to every ball but other than that they were the least skilled and by far the dirtiest team i have seen. to be proud of this display by team and coach is ridiculous. nysphaa should consider sanctions against them, may be a 1 year ban from sectional play
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brhbrh
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11-23-09 5:19 PM
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here is a video link to one cheap shot *******capitalnews9****/all-regions-news-2131-content/sports/sports_news/488351/northville-takes-on-belfast
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tommylarry
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11-23-09 4:19 PM
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1st of all, congratulations to the Northville squad for an amazing season, it's quite an accomplishment. My question is what on earth did those two players do to get ejected from the semi-final game and were there ejections from the other team from the same incident?? That must have been a huge blow to lose two starters for the Championship game???
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tinbucktoof
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11-23-09 3:39 PM
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Congratulations to Coach Clapper and his entire squad for an awesome year!! You all should be very proud of everyhting you accomplished this year.
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Ferth7
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11-23-09 10:54 AM
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We're soooo proud of the Northville boys regardless of their sad loss in the state finals
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