It seemed that something was bound to happen in the waning minutes. Watching from the sideline, coach Jim Chappas said, the tension became palpable as the pace picked up and the action intensified, and it seemed a near certainty that this game would soon be decided.
Then his team had its potential game-winning goal negated by an offsides call. That could have been deflating.
But, senior Omar Ait Sidi Ahmed said of the boys soccer team Wednesday, “Grit has defined our experience.” Resilience as well. And, sometimes, good fortune is worth a fortune.
A late penalty resulted in Roy C. Ketcham being awarded a free kick and Ahmed capitalized, lining a shot into the left corner with 1:31 remaining and lifting them to a 1-0 win over John Jay-East Fishkill.
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“There’s no way to describe the feeling other than being ecstatic,” the defender said. “You’re happy, not only for the goal itself, but about the work the entire team had put in. There’s no more unifying moment for a team than one like this.”
As has become the norm between these rivals, the play was energetic, emotions charged, and the teams were about evenly matched throughout. Ketcham, though, possessed the ball well in the latter part of the second half and applied heavy pressure in the final five minutes.
Omar Ait Sidi Ahmed crossed the ball to his brother Outman, who then attempted a feed to Cameron Welsh on the left wing, but a John Jay defender was whistled for a handball. That infraction set up what essentially became a one-on-one opportunity against the goalkeeper.
“It was pure excitement,” Chappas said of his players’ reaction to the go-ahead score. The teams had played to a 1-1 tie in their meeting last month. “But the sentiment quickly switched to, 'Let’s lock down for this last minute and get this win.’”
That they did, putting the finishing touches on a defensive shutout as the Storm improved to 7-2-2. Anthony Abbatiello, Omar Ait Sidi Ahmed, James Townsend and Brayden McMaster anchored the back line along with goalie Billy Peru. That unit, Chappas said, has been “a strength of ours” throughout the season.
Ketcham also edged the Patriots, 1-0, in a Section 1 quarterfinal last fall. That turnaround season brought them to the semifinals, where they nearly upset eventual state semifinalist Arlington. After that run, though, several standouts graduated from their core and the Storm had a coaching change, so success this season wasn’t guaranteed.
“One of the biggest things I wanted to implement is forward thinking and a positive outlook,” said Chappas, who has coached Ketcham soccer in various capacities for 21 years. “I’ve known these guys for years and coached most of them on (junior varsity), so having that familiarity helped. The chemistry was already there. They’re also a great group of kids who've bought in.”
And done well. Welsh and Christian Guaraca are enjoying breakout seasons. Omar Ait Sidi Ahmed is one of triplets and the emergence of his brothers Outman and Ali has bolstered the offense, helping offset the production lost to graduation.
“Coach Chappas has fostered an environment where every member of the team has been able to step up in their own way,” Omar Ait Sidi Ahmed said. “The players who graduated are missed, but they helped build this team and we’re continuing (to make progress) the way they would’ve wanted.”
The win over John Jay (6-2-2) impacted more than just the standings as it was a morale rebound after recent losses to Arlington and Yorktown. It also prove to be an energizing boost, helping them complete a difficult schedule leading into the playoffs.
“This win is big for us, but we have to use it for momentum and keep our foot on the gas,” said Chappas, whose team has an upcoming stretch of five games in seven days. “We’re feeling good about ourselves right now, but we have to keep this going.”
Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com; 845-437-4826; Twitter: @StephenHaynes4
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Boys soccer: Ahmed's late goal delivers Ketcham over rival John Jay-East Fishkill
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