ONEONTA, N.Y. -- The Oneonta men's soccer team fired from all cylinders as they defeated King's College, 7-0, to repeat as the Mayor's Cup Champions, Sunday afternoon at Red Dragon Field. Seven different players scored each goal for Oneonta with seniors
Brian Escobar (Bellport, NY/Bellport),
Iyare Harris (Kingston, NY/Kingston),
Liam Jeannotte-Recio (Eastchester, NY/Eastchester), sophomore
Jack Bochenski (Eastchester, NY/Eastchester), and freshman
Elias Curran (Rondout Valley, NY/Rondout Valley) all scoring their first goals with the program. Harris finished the game with a goal and two assists, while Esobar recorded a goal and an assist. It is the Red Dragons' sixth Mayor's Cup in the past seven years as the team improved to 3-0 on the season and the Monarchs dropped to 1-1-1 overall.
During the tournament's award ceremony, Oneonta senior
Imari Harris (Kingston, NY/Kingston) was awarded the Jim Lennox Offensive MVP, and senior
Erik Popp (Hopewell Junction, NY/John Jay) was honored with the Garth Stam Defensive MVP. Graduate students
Milton Mancias Magana (Mamaroneck, NY/Mamaroneck),
Zach Rabadi (Hopewell Junction, NY/John Jay), senior
James Cintron (Poughkeepsie, NY/Roy C. Ketcham) and junior
Nico Loaiza (Brentwood, NY/Brentwood) were all named to the All-Tournament team.
"The scoreline was harsh today," said Head Coach
Iain Byrne. "They gifted us an early goal, and then everything just fell into place after that. It's been a good start to the season, but we still have a ways to go to get to the level we need."
Im. Harris netted the game-winner for the Red Dragons in the third minute of play. Oneonta cleared the ball the length of the field into the penalty box. Loaiza fought off a defender and beat the Kings' keeper to the ball to get off a quick pass to Harris for an open shot from eight yards out.
The Red Dragons kept the ball in the final third throughout the first half and struck three more times between the 39th and 45th minute to extend their lead to 4-0. Rabadi netted the first goal in the 39th when Loaiza crossed the ball through the Monarch goalie's hands and Rabadi lasered the ball from the corner of the goal area into the lower right side of the net. In the 42nd, junior
Anthony Traube (Centereach, NY/Centereach) sent a corner kick into the far post goal area, where sophomore
Noah Hechler (Somers, NY/Somers) headed the ball towards the goal line. The ball bounced off two defenders, then Escobar capitalized and scored in front of the net.
Before the end of the first half, Curran scored his first collegiate goal. Senior
Zach Tanner (Massapequa Park, NY/Saint Anthony's) delivered a pass inside the box that got to Iy. Harris. Harris gained control and passed it back to Curran, who rifled a shot into the upper left 90 for a 4-0 lead entering halftime.
Oneonta kept control of the match during the second half and scored three more times in the final 45. In the 61st minute, Bochenski tallied his first collegiate goal. Escobar crossed the ball into the box, and Bochenski had his first shot blocked. Iy. Harris gained control of the ball and took a shot that was saved, then Bochenski came in towards the goal area for the rebound and put it away with his right foot.
In the 88th minute, the King's defenders were trying to switch the point of attack deep in their own territory, when Iy. Harris forced a turnover in the box and sprinted towards the loose ball for the open shot from 12 yards out.
With less than a minute to play, Jeannotte-Recio was sent a lead pass into the 18-yard box, where a Monarch defender tripped him up and awarded the Red Dragon a penalty kick. On the PK, Jeannotte-Recio kept the ball low and struck it into the right side of the net for the final score of the game.
Cintron started the first half in net for Oneonta and recorded a save in the 24th minute. Freshman
Cole Lawrence (Commack, NY/St. Anthony's) made his first collegiate appearance, manning the net in the second half, and finished with two saves. Lawrence earned his first save from a long shot attempt from Jonathan Cortez in the 58th minute, then he stopped Matt Gandarillas' shot in the 86th.
Oneonta outshot King's 19-3 in total shots, 12-3 in shots on target, and finished with an 11-0 advantage in corner kicks.
The Red Dragons are on the road for their next seven matches, starting in St. Lawrence on Saturday, September 12, to take on the Saints at 12 pm.
