MIDDLETOWN – Bethlehem boys’ soccer coach Brian Spina pulled Lennon Mane aside Sunday morning, before the Eagles’ Class AA state final against Vestal. The senior was coming off a big game, having scored the golden goal in double overtime in Saturday’s 1-0 semifinal win over Churchville-Chili, to send the team to its first state final.
“Are you good with the semifinal goal or do you want more?” Spina asked him.
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Mane looked his coach in the eyes.
“I’m not done,” he told him.
He was right – and the Eagles are now state champions.
Mane scored a goal and assisted on both of senior Ayaz Sajid’s goals, as Bethlehem dominated Section 4’s Vestal 5-0 at Middletown High School to win the Section 2 program’s first state championship. Ishan Chatur and Luke Tatro added goals in the second half, and junior goalkeeper Parker Mooney helped the Eagles close out the season with their seventh consecutive shutout and 16th clean sheet.
“I think this was some of the best soccer I’ve seen these boys play,” Spina said.
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“We know how good we can be when we play our roles,” Sajid said. “Spina was talking to us before the game. He said (that) if we play how he tells us to play, we will win the game – and that’s exactly what happened.”
Bethlehem pressured Vestal (12-4) from the opening whistle, putting five shots on goal in the first 10 minutes. Sajid sent an early free kick just wide, then put the Eagles ahead about 15 minutes into the match off a pass from Mane.
With about 10 minutes left in the first half, Mane took a pass from Ian NeJame, moved to his right and hit a shot over the goalkeeper to make it 2-0. Vestal had a chance to cut into the lead before halftime on a free kick from just outside the penalty area, but a leaping Mooney pushed the shot over the crossbar.
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Bethlehem had held the same two-goal lead in its season opener against Cornwall, only to give up two goals in quick succession. On Sunday, Spina reminded his seniors at halftime that they had 40 minutes left in their high school careers.
“I think the first half we played as well as we could have,” Spina said. “So it was more about keeping mentality and going forward, and saying it’s not done yet.”
The Eagles didn’t let up. Two minutes into the second half, Chatur made it 3-0. Then, Mane got past a defender on the right and crossed to Sajid, who volleyed it in with 26 minutes remaining.
Mane had both assists on Sajid’s goals and explained the chemistry they have on the field.
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“I know he’ll always be there when I cross it,” Mane said of Sajid.
“I love that man,” Sajid said of Mane. “He’s one of my favorite players I’ve ever played with.”
Tatro added the fifth goal with 14 minutes left, punctuating a dominant performance by Bethlehem that included a 21-2 edge in shots.
Two years earlier, Bethlehem’s season ended on the same field with a 2-0 loss to Clarence in the state semifinals. The Eagles lost 1-0 to Columbia in double overtime in last year’s Section 2 final, then graduated 18 players. This year’s team went 10-0-2 in Suburban Council play and finished the season at 18-0-3.
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“It means everything,” Spina said of winning the title. “It’s the most we could win, you know? So it’s great. Everything’s worth it, watching the smiles on these boys’ faces. It makes all that time off the field, on the field, like it makes it all worth it.”
“This is the best thing that’s ever happened to me in my career,” Sajid said.
Mane, grinning widely, echoed that sentiment.
“Best win ever,” he said.
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This article originally published at Bethlehem boys’ soccer captures 1st state title with dominant win over Vestal.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
