By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Pah Gay wanted a second chance.
When opportunity presented itself, the senior midfielder took advantage.
Gay tucked a shot under the crossbar in the 53rd minute, and World of Inquiry/Edison/Padilla/SOTA held on to beat Wilson Magnet/Early College, 2-1 in Rochester City Athletic Conference action, Thursday from the Trent Jackson Memorial Athletic Complex on the campus of Franklin High School.
“It feels good,” Gay said. “We practice and work hard, so it’s good to win like that.”
The play started on the left side of the field where Gay took possession 50 yards out. He cut to his right and split a pair of Wilson defenders. He needed two additional touches to gain separation in the middle third before unleashing a right-footed strike from 28 yards out.
“To be honest, I don’t really think; I just do it,” he said of the play. “I practice with cones like that. Just do it with cones and it becomes instinct.
“Sometimes, when I do it with cones, I think of where the defender will be after I make my move. It helps me stay two steps ahead.”
Minutes earlier, Gay struck the post from inside the 18-yard box.
“I was so mad,” he said. “I was like, next time I got to score.”
53’ Pah Gay splits a pair of defenders and tucks one under the bar from 28 yards out. WOIS/Edison/Padilla/SOTA 2 Wilson 1 @RCSD_Athletics pic.twitter.com/5pqwMWvNhQ
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) September 13, 2024
Early second half: Pah Gay drills the post. pic.twitter.com/c8gEmAzFlE
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) September 12, 2024
World of Inquiry/Edison/Padilla, SOTA keeper, Bereket Tremblay made four saves over the remaining 27-plus minutes to help the Griffins preserve the victory.
“This is his third year playing varsity,” head coach Rich Paufler said of the sophomore. “He started as an eighth-grader. He’s developed. If he keeps on this trajectory, he’s going to be one of the top keepers in the county. Tough kid, smart kid. He has great reactions.”
Wilson worked to get six corner kicks and a pair of free kicks inside of 25 yards over the final 24 minutes of the match.
“We came up short with the overall score, but the boys did well,” said Wilson/Early College head coach Joshua Schipper. “We got to work on finishing. There are a couple new kids to the team who are big additions. We just need to work out the positioning. Once we work that out, I think we’ll be in good shape.”
Wilson came this close to leveling the match. pic.twitter.com/7SgHmpTyj5
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) September 12, 2024
Mohamed Mohamed scored Wilson/Early College’s first goal Yassin Ali assisted on the play.
AR Alhajji had the first tally for the Griffins.
Wilson/Early College (0-2-0) will host Eastridge for a 5 p.m. kickoff on Friday.
World of Inquiry/Edison/Padilla/SOTA (1-1-0) travels to play at Greece Arcadia, Saturday evening. A 7 p.m. start is scheduled.
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