Boys' soccer: Plainsmen two wins from goal

PHOTOGRAPHER: Marc Schultz

James Homan (16), Tommy Osborn (21), goalkeeper Jerry Lewandowski and Anthony Romeo (10) of Shenendehowa celebrate after Homan scored the game-winning goal in the Section II Class AA championship game against Niskayuna.

Given the number of seniors on the team, the goal of this year’s Shenendehowa boys’ soccer squad has been nothing but a state title.

The goal is within reach, as the 16-3-1 Plainsmen play Section XI champion Commack Saturday in the Class AA state semifinals at Middletown High School. A win would give Shenendehowa — the only Section II boys’ soccer team still playing — a spot in Sunday afternoon’s final with either Fairport (Section V) or Ithaca (Section IV).

“Everything we’ve worked toward has been for this weekend,” said senior co-captain James Homan.

Shenendehowa takes a 16-3-1 record into the 1:15 game, which will be played on the turf field at the Middletown complex. The Cougars come in at 19-1-1.

Both teams sport stingy defenses. The Plainsmen have permitted only nine goals this season, one in their last six and none in four postseason games.

Commack has given up a dozen goals, and has also been clean in back throughout the postseason. The Cougars got to their first state final four since 1995 with a 1-0 victory Walt Whitman.

“The main thing as a center back is to play mistake-free in the back,” said Homan, who pairs with classmate Tom Osborn in central defense, flanked by two more seniors in Anthony Romeo and Adel Cekic, in front of junior goalkeeper Jerry Lewandowski, the lone underclassman on the starting 11. “As long as we can keep the ball out of our net, we’ve got a good chance.”

The last two seasons ended sooner than the Plainsmen would have liked, as Shenendehowa didn’t even get a chance to play for a sectional title.

“Losing in the sectional semis the last two years was no fun,” said co-captain Tucker Marvin. “Getting out of the section and winning regionals was big.”

Shenendehowa took down unbeaten Fayetteville-Manlius, 1-0, on a Michael Miner goal in last weekend’s regional final to get to Saturday’s game.

“They were a good team. Offensively, they were strong,” said Homan.

“Once we calmed down and started working the ball around, we got opportunities,” said Marvin, who is still shaking his head at Miners’ 25-yard strike that curled over the goalkeeper and snuck in between the crossbar and goal post.

“Perfectly placed shot. One of the best I’ve ever seen,” Marvin said.

Commack will present its own set of problems.

“They’ve got a couple of good goalscorers, and a 6-foot-5 goalkeeper [Ryan Sinnott] who’s really good and comes out and get everything.”

“I would imagine they’re pretty solid up the spine,” said third-year head coach Jonathan Bain. “We’ve seen some film, but the speed you see on film is always a little slower than you see on the field.”

Bain is looking for the same quality of play that the Plainsmen have shown in the last two weeks.

“The big difference in sectionals from the regular season is that we haven’t made mistakes, or if there were mistakes, they weren’t big enough to cost us the game,” he said.

“We’re finding ways to grind a game out and preserve a 1-0 victory. They’re playing harder, they’re fighting and they’re not making mistakes.”

“Once we got into the postseason, we’ve been more focused. Every game is a must win,” Homan said. “The best way to end the season is to play for the state championship.”

“Once you get into the playoffs, and the farther you go, evey game gets closer and closer,” Marvin said. “Every team gets better. If we go out and have fun, and play our game, we’ll be OK.”

“With this group of 18 seniors, we’re going to try and make a whole weekend out of it,” Bain said. “It’s the last time they’ll be together, the last time they’ll play for Shenendehowa. There’s nothing they’d like better than to finish on a high note.

“I think we’ve got a good shot.”