Chazy 2, Wheatland-Chili 1

Chazy returns to title game

From the Press-Republican:

By CRAIG KNOWLES
Staff Writer


ONEONTA — The Chazy boys are one win away from making it back-to-back championships in NYSPHSAA Class D soccer.

Stetson Fields scored the game-winner Saturday as the top-ranked Eagles posted a convincing 2-1 victory over Section V's Wheatland Chili in the semifinals held at the National Soccer Hall of Fame Field.

The Eagles (22-1), who have won three state titles in four years, will take on Section III's Hamilton in the championship game today at 12:30 p.m.

Shea Howley gave Chazy the early lead just 9:24 into the opening half with a blistering shot that went far post into the side netting, beating Wildcats goalie Tony Pipitone.

"Shea hit a rocket of a ball into the side netting," Chazy head coach Rob McAuliffe said. "Howley has had some bad luck of late, but managed to score today."

McAuliffe felt the game was in hand as Chazy had scored against the wind and had the wind at its back in the second half.

"To go up, 1-0, early in the first half against the wind was great," McAuliffe said.

Wheatland-Chili, however, made it a game when Garhett Varin, whose grandmother runs Varin's Market and Deli in Ellenburg Depot, tallied a breakaway goal at 19:28 of the second half.

Moments later, the Eagles had a golden opportunity to score when a cross came from the left wing into the box where Fields went up for a bicycle kick and rang the ball off the corner of the crossbar and the post.

"Stetson was a little frustrated early in the second half," McAuliffe stated. "He had some great opportunities, but wasn't finishing.

"We talked and he calmed down."

Fields would eventually score the game-winning goal at 27:03 of the second half to put Chazy up, 2-1, and send the Eagles into the state finals