East boys soccer avenges only league loss

Williamsville East's Simon Park gets loose at Lake Shore last Wednesday. The Flames won 4-1. East followed with a 2-1 home victory over Hamburg. East is 4-1 in ECIC Division II and 7-1-1 overall. Photo by John Normile Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

Williamsville East's only loss all season was against Hamburg so the Flames had plenty play for in their ECIC Division II contest last Thursday at East.

East, who lost to Hamburg, 3-0, on Wednesday, Sept. 5, avenged the loss with a 2-1 victory.

East is ranked third among Western New York large schools; Hamburg is ninth.

Six minutes into the first half, Hamburg's Tom O'Connor scored on the team's first shot of the game to give Hamburg a 1-0 lead. The shot hit the far post and into the net.

East coach Ron Schumacher said his team had scoring chances but could not get the equalizer until Mac Noronha beat an outside defender and sent a short pass to Kevin Castine, who tied the game with one second on the clock.

Derek Frost scored the game-winning goal five minutes into the second half. Defender Rashaun Durden sent a ball to Frost, who took a couple of dribbles and set a hard shot into the net 18 yards out.

Schumacher said as the game went on, Hamburg picked up the pace and had scoring opportunities, but the East defense and goalie Brian Wallden played solid.

The Hamburg win was big because it was Hamburg's second loss. East is 4-1 in league, 7-1-1 overall.

The Flames opened last week last Wednesday with a 4-1 victory at Lake Shore.

Schumacher said his team had several good scoring opportunities but Lake Shore's goalie made great saves.

A little over four minutes into the game, Kevin Castine made it 1-0 after drilling a shot into the far post. Twenty minutes later, Simon Park flipped a ball over the defender and Matt Kweller scored the Flames' second goal. Castine scored again on a pass from Colin Begy to give East a three-goal lead.

Lake Shore continued to play better soccer than in the past years and put a loose ball in front of the goal in to score their only goal, Schumacher said.

Begy scored the only goal in the second half on a penalty kick when Simon Park was taken down hard by a Lake Shore defender.

"All players for East were able to get in the game and have substantial playing time," said Schumacher. "The players are improving their skills and contributing to wins."

East shut out Iroquois, 4-0, on Monday. Results will appear in next week's Bee. The Flames play at 4:45 p.m. on Wednesday at West Seneca East and at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 28 at Sweet Home.