Leary’s second-half goal sends Aquinas to state final

By STEVE BRICKLER

MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. — Aquinas (No. 1 NYSSWA Class A) advanced to the New York State Class A Finals with a 1-0 win over Westhill of Section III at Middletown High School, Friday. JB Leary found the back of the net in the 55^th minute for the goal that stood for the rest of the game.

Aquinas seemed to be in control from the get-go, dominating possession and moving the ball around Westhill off the pass.  Aquinas generated a few opportunities to shoot from distance that did not cause much trouble for Westhill goalkeeper Charlie DeMore in the early going.  

In the final six minutes of the first half, the L’il Irish started to press the Westhill goal hard and created four quality scoring chances.  With just under six minutes to play in the half, Tin Tin Pasia beat a defender to the endline and laid the ball back to Ali Shabani whose shot from the right side of the top of the box was tipped off the crossbar and over by DeMore.  Micaiah Benjamin-Castle took the ensuing corner kick and his in-swinging ball bounced in the six box and spun towards the goal which was cleared off the line by a Warrior defender.

Less than two minutes later, Ryan Lewin found Pasia at the top of the 18 to the right of the Warrior goal.  Pasia beat his man off the dribble and took a shot from about 12 yards out that hit the far post and caromed back to a diving DeMore who covered up the rebound.  In the last minute of the half, Pasia sent a square pass across the top of the box to Shabani whose one time shot required a diving stop by DeMore.

VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM JOE TERRITO. 

At halftime, Aquinas head coach Josh Gleason was looking to break down Westhill a little differently in the second half. 

“We put more of an emphasis on trying to get the ball endline.  Their goalie was a big kid, so we weren’t going to beat him with shots from distance.  They played deep with a sweeper and not too many guys forward so our outside backs could get forward.  We had to get the ball wide and be patient, go side to side.”

The build-up to Leary’s goal was a master class of just what Gleason was looking for.  It started with a free kick that Thomas Valentino played short and quick to Shabani who in turn laid off to his right for Benjamin-Castle.  Unable to see an opening in the Warrior defense, Benjamin-Castle sent the ball back to Valentino who one timed the ball to outside back James Marotta. 

Marotta moved the ball up the right flank to forward Nicola Costa, who in turn played the ball back to Marotta.  Marotta turned and played the ball back to midfield to center back Charlie Sorensen who used a square pass to fellow central defender Thomas Geyer on the left side of the field.  Geyer found Benjamin-Castle who had drifted to the left side.  Benjamin-Castle turned and laid a perfectly weighted 30 yard through ball to a streaking Alfonso Vito on the left flank. 

Vito one timed the ball with his left foot on the ground across the box that found Leary in stride about 8 yards from goal that Leary one0timed in with a right-footed blast.  That’s a twelve-pass sequence involving nine field players, a beauty of a goal at any level.

Aquinas continued to have the better of play for the remainder of the game, earning six corner kicks to Westhill’s one over the final 25 minutes of the game.  When Westhill did venture into the Aquinas defensive third, Aquinas defenders Marotta, Sorensen, Geyer and Carter Wegman were able to prevent any threat from being too dangerous.  Goalkeeper LJ Gleason was able to get off his line and punch any balls off corners and free kicks away from danger as well.

“I was worried that Westhill might get us on a long throw or a set piece.  I thought LJ had good command of the box today.  He was able to start quick counters with his distribution”, said the elder Gleason.  

A frustrated Westhill team ended the game with nine field players as two were sent off with red cards as well as a coach. 

Aquinas (19-0-2) moves on to play Byram Hills of Section I, who beat Mineola of Section VIII, 2-in overtime. A 1:00 PM start time is scheduled on Saturday. 

Westhill closes the season at 16-2-2.