CHATHAM SOCCER KNOCKED OUT IN SEMIFINALS

Greg Dedrick
ccSCOOP Sports Editor

Second-seeded Chatham was denied their rematch and a chance for a Sectional Title against Tamarac when they were knocked off by third-seeded Cohoes in the Section II Class B semifinals. The Panthers fell behind 2-0 before rallying to tie the game up but ultimately fell 3-2 in overtime.

The Panthers gave up a goal early on in the contest as Chris Rizzo got to the back post and headed home a cross from Brian Hume. In the 27th minute, Cohoes extended their lead as John Murray beat Panther keeper Steve Oleynek from 30 yards out for a 2-0 advantage. With the game possibly slipping out of reach as the first half came to a close, the Panthers got on the board with a goal by Todd Van Alstyne to cut the deficit in half.

Neither team could put one home as the second half clock wound to the final whistle. Finally with five minutes left Andrew Knight tied up the game with a deep curving free kick that slid just inside the back post.

The game went to overtime, and that’s when Chatham’s season came to an end. Hume scored on a shot that deflected off a defender and beat Oleynek and send the Panthers home. Oleynek made three stops in goal for Chatham while Cohoes goalie Tyler Skaarup made eight stops.

The Panthers finished 16-4 overall losing in the Sectionals final four. Chatham went 14-2 in the league, which earned them a share of the conference title along with rival Maple Hill.

The Panthers lost a lot of important players off their squad last year, and some expected a letdown that never came. This year the Panthers will graduate six very key players. Andrew Knight and Joe Van Allen will be leaving the team—Knight, a lethal free-kick weapon who has tremendous vision and passing skills from the midfield, and Van Allen, one of the most lethal scorers in all of Section II. Also graduating will be Simon Day, who may be the top sweeper in the Patroon Conference; vastly underrated midfielder Cody Portin; Timm Novine, who became a good complementary scorer to Van Allen; and Hayden Crellin, who started the season in goal before moving to the midfield.

Chatham’s cupboard will be far from bare, starting in goal with sophomore Steve Oleynek, who came up to varsity halfway through the season and showed he was more than capable of leading a championship-caliber team. Despite the loss of Day on defense, the team will return a talented trio of Tyler Mashaw, Marley Carroll, and Mike Gilbert in the back. Someone will have to step up to replace the points of Van Allen and Knight, and it would seem like junior Todd Van Alstyne and sophomore Nick Faxon will take on those roles. Cody Clifford a junior varsity player is also a name to watch for next year.