South, Amherst can't capitalize on scoring chances
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Amherst's Jack Barrick dribbles the ball past Maryvale's Brian Macie during the team's 0-0 tie last Wednesday at Amherst. Also pictured is Amherst's Bridger Langfur. Photo by John Rusac Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

If the Amherst and Williamsville South boys soccer teams scored more goals, each would have had better records heading into their final league game on Tuesday. That's kind of an obvious statement to make but judging by the comments from Amherst coach Bobby DiNunzio and South coach Peter Sugg, it's been each team's Achilles heel this season.

"We've had at least three games where if we had finished our chances, we more than likely would have won," said Sugg, whose team is 3-7-3 overall, 3-5-2 in ECIC Division III. "It's why our record is what it is. It's really cost us some games. It's frustrating to watch as a coach; the players are frustrated also."

"We've only allowed 15 goals this season but scored 21," added DiNunzio, whose team is 8-5-3 overall, 4-4-3 in league play. "It's not for lack of chances; they're just not going in."

Williamsville South

There have been several instances recently where the Billies' inability to cash in scoring opportunities has cost them games.

In South's 1-1 tie with Amherst on Sept. 26, Sugg felt his team had multiple scoring chances in the first half but could not capitalize. Sophomore midfielder Brendan Lawler tied the game at the 27-minute mark on an assist from junior midfielder Greg Potter.

"Potter won a ball inside the box and hit a diagonal ball back to Lawler inside the box who hit a rocket into the left corner of the net," said Sugg.

Senior Ben Gaughan took a cross from Phil Beaudet and volleyed it into the far corner of the net to give Amherst the lead 19.5 minutes into the first half.

"We missed a ton of chances, but so did they," said DiNunzio.

South's next contest, a 0-0 tie with Depew on Oct. 2, was the "most frustrating game of the year," said Sugg.

"We had chance after chance but couldn't score," said Sugg. "Brian Van Ee hit a post on a penalty shot in the first half. In the second half, I was shaking my head wondering how we missed some shots because we dominated ball possession."

Sophomore goalie Steve Crawford recorded the shutout.

South's other four recent games were a 6-2 road loss against Maryvale on Oct. 4, a 2-0 home win on Oct. 6 over Cheektowaga, a 2-2 tie at Pioneer on Oct. 10 and a 1-0 home loss on Oct. 12 versus Starpoint.

Sugg said his team played well in the first half against Maryvale, trailing 2-1, but mistake after mistake in the second half led to a four-goal Flyers' outburst in 7.5 minutes. Two of the goals came from Maryvale's best player, Josh Hall.

"They just took it to us and we didn't respond," said Sugg. "Part of our problem this year is that when we make mistakes, other teams seem to capitalize and when other teams make mistakes, a lot of time we haven't scored."

Sophomore Zach Schwartz and senior James Chudy scored in the first and second half, respectively, for the Billies.

South responded from the Maryvale loss with a win over Cheektowaga.

"I was impressed with our mental toughness and the way we came back after how we played in the second half against Maryvale," said Sugg.

Senior Sam Alt scored 30 minutes into the second half. Senior Trevor Lawler scored nine minutes later from Schwartz. Crawford recorded the shutout.

Junior Justin Hofschneider (Schwartz) scored at the 13-minute mark for the only goal of the first half against Pioneer but Sugg said his team sleep walked through the first 25 minutes.

"After the first 25 minutes, we played well but missed some opportunities we could have been up two or three to nothing," said Sugg. "If you let a team hang around, sometime bad things happen and that's what happens to us."

Pioneer scored 28 minutes into the second half and scored 40 seconds later. Alt tied the game shortly thereafter.

Sugg said his team had a great chance to win the game with two minutes left but Hofschneider's shot labeled for the corner of the net was deflected wide by the Pioneer goalkeeper.

Sugg said his team made one mistake against Starpoint and they scored on it. Starpoint also beat South 1-0 in its first meeting on Sept. 24.

South closes out the season with a road game at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday at Williamsville North.

Amherst Central

Since the first South game, the Tigers have gone 2-2-1. Amherst lost 2-1 at home against Depew on Sept. 28 and 3-0 at Cheektowaga on Oct. 2, beat Starpoint, 2-1, on Oct. 4 and at Pioneer, 4-1, on Oct. 12 and tied Maryvale, 0-0, on Oct. 10.

The Depew and Cheektowaga games could have been Amherst wins had the Tigers scored on its chances.

DiNunzio said Depew's second goal was the result of a miscommunication between senior goalie Kurt Ebsary and senior defender Alex Portin. Ebsary made a mistake in net on the Wildcats' first goal.

Junior Ignacio Castillo-Torrente scored in the second half on a pass from Gaughan.

DiNunzio said the Cheektowaga game was evenly played but the Warriors scored on some second half chances.

Senior Bridger Langfur scored on a two-on-one halfway through the second half to lift the Tigers over Starpoint. Gaughan scored on a header over the Starpoint goalie in the first half. Amherst is the only team to have beaten Starpoint in league play this season. Amherst won 1-0 on Sept. 18.

Four different Amherst players scored in 20 minutes against Pioneer. Juniors William O'Neil-White (Langfur) and Mike Szymkowiak (sophomore Adil Ali) and Ali (Langfur) scored on rebounds. Beaudet also tallied on an assist by junior Jack Barrick. It was the first game back in since mid-September for sophomore goalie Joe Pittari, who had broken his leg.

Ebsary, who returned to the midfield, played admirably in Pittari's absence. DiNunzio said Ebsary was the MVP of the Maryvale game. Senior defender Sam Suggs marked Maryvale's Hall, holding him scoreless all game.

DiNunzio also lauded the play during the regular season of junior left halfback Sean Mullane.

The Amherst-South game on Tuesday featured 11 Amherst Sharpshooters (nine current players, two former players) from the U17 Amherst Travel Soccer Club competing against each other. The players are Barrick, Beaudet, Lucas Harty, Peter Blanford and former Sharpshooter Peter Arlington from Amherst and Van Ee, Derek Caputi, Trevor Lawler, Kevin Burzynski, Hofschneider and former Sharpshooter Chris Toone from South.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com