By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The stakes weren’t as high, the sport different. Results rang the same. Human error impacted the outcome of another McQuaid Jesuit Knights athletic contest.
World of Inquiry’s Ayub Jeylani gets credit for the game-winner in the 92nd minute as the Griffins defeated McQuaid, 2-1 in RCAC action at Franklin High School Wednesday afternoon.
The play never should have occurred.
Dan Rooney’s goal should have ended the game in the 82nd minute. Instead the senior attacker was ruled offsides, and the goal disallowed.
“It was a missed call,” said first-year McQuaid coach Nino Pilato by phone Thursday morning. “The referees acknowledged it. They owned up to it which was classy of them. The boys took it in stride, took it as best they can.”
There’s no question Rooney was between the nearest defender and the goal when teammate Justin LaFountain delivered a cross into the 18-yard box. That doesn’t matter. Another WOI defender, closer to the net, was laying on the pitch clutching a leg cramp.
“Physically, you never see calls reversed in soccer,” Pilato explained. “It’s not football where they have instant replay and can call it back.”
As Rooney touched the ball over the head of WOI goalkeeper, Jean Sindayihebura, the official’s whistle blew the play dead. Then all eyes turned to WOI’s James Weh, in his home white jersey, laying among the white painted letters of the Franklin High end zone.
“Not going to use that as an excuse,” Pilato continued. “We had many opportunities to win the game at some point. Give the other team credit because they kept fighting, kept going for it, and they did their job.”
One overtime period later, Jeylani gave WOI, playing one man down because of disqualification, its program’s first victory over McQuaid.
“At that point when that goal was scored, the game should have been over because of the golden goal.” Pilato added. “I think that kind of deflated them (the McQuaid players) at that point. Unfortunately, we didn’t respond well on the field when the play happened, but we responded respectfully afterward. As a coach it makes you proud knowing the boys aren’t going to be whiners about it.”
Rooney’s goal that wasn’t reminded Pilato of last February when McQuaid’s basketball season ended because of a “non-correctable error.”
“That was the first thing that popped into my head,” Pilato said recalling the 59-58 loss. “I was like man that happened again.”
East High eliminated the Knights in the Section V Class AA quarter-finals when the winning basket was scored with too many players on the court. Pilato echoed the message offered by the Jesuit school after last February’s outcome.
“It’s a good life lesson for the kids to know that things don’t always go your way and it’s going to be how you respond that’s more important.”
With the win Wednesday, WOI gained sole possession of first in the RCAC with an overall record of 8-0 and 4-0 in the league.
The same two teams meet October 11th at McQuaid.
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