By JOHN LIKANJE
Moises Arrendell scored the match’s lone goal in the 88th minute for the game-winner to lift Churchville-Chili to a 1-0 victory over Irondequoit in the Class A sectional quarterfinals.
In a match in which both teams sought to use the torrential downpour to their advantage, Arrendell caught the one fortunate wind which assisted him in finding the back of the net. The junior midfielder already had two shots right in front of the goal that couldn’t sneak through. On his third opportunity, Arrendell’s hustle was integral in him cashing in.
Arrendell started on a breakaway from the left side of midfield and dribbled to his right towards the upper right sideline. Despite an Eagles’ defender stepping up to cut him off, the junior midfielder poked the ball away towards out of bounds while avoiding the tackle. Then Arrendell hustled to the ball and launched it towards the goal from 15 yards out, where two of his teammates plus the Eagles’ keeper were anticipating the cross. Although the ball appeared to be careening straight at first, the wind altered it right towards the upper right post, past the goalkeeper’s fingertips and into the net’s mid-section.
“I think it was a turnover in the middle,” Saints head coach John Mahoney explained on the goal. “I don’t think that they cleared it out like they could’ve. Then the ball popped to Mo. He took a turn and went out wide and there was just basically no one on him and he just struck it. I don’t think, on a good day, that ball goes in the net. But that’s why you shoot. That’s why you take chances. He took a chance and it paid off.”
It capped off 87 minutes of near misses and key saves as the Saints posted 16 shots, including 15 shots on goal. Arrendell was one of three players with multiple chances. The senior duo of Collin Curley and Gaven Egan both registered four shots.
“The weather was a difference,” Mahoney said. “It was a strong wind in the first half and we were all over them (Irondequoit). Second half, they had the wind. They had a lot of chances. I think we shot six or seven times from one yard out and that’s been an Achilles heel of our team all year long. Tonight, it was just that much harder in the rain.
“This is the mental side of the game,” the Saints’ head coach said when commenting on playing in the rain and cold. “There were guys who were cold. If we had gone to PKs (penalty kicks), I would’ve had a new goalie in because standing there for 110 minutes of soccer is just hard in this.”
Jaden Tensley recorded seven saves to pitch the shutout – the Saints’ fourth in their last six contests. With three minutes remaining in regulation, the senior goalkeeper punched the ball away on an Eagles’ free kick from 25 yards out to keep the game scoreless.
With the victory, not only did Churchville-Chili advance to the sectional semifinals for the fourth straight year, Mahoney joined the school record books. The 12th-year head coach notched his 126th career win to pass Paul Setter for most victories in program history.
“It’s emotional, honestly,” Mahoney said. “I’ve been around the program for a long time. Being here long enough to get a record like that just means that we’re doing stuff the right way. We try to represent the school the right way and be good, humble people who work hard on the field and good things happen. I’m proud. I’m happy. I’m humble. But now I want two more.”
Churchville-Chili will face Greece Arcadia in the semifinals on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Eastridge High School. Greece Arcadia played to a scoreless tie with Honeoye Falls-Lima and advanced on penalty kicks, 3-2.
“I expect another one of these games,” Mahoney said. “0-0 late in the game and needing a winner. Last year, we played Arcadia in the semifinals and needed a golden goal winner off the post in overtime.”
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