By Ted Waddell
FALLSBURG — October 13, 2000 – It was real nasty out there on the playing field during Tuesday afternoon’s Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association Division IV boys’ soccer game between the Chapel Field Lions and the homestanding Fallsburg Comets as a cold wind and intermittent rain, snow and hail chilled booters to the bone.
The hosts were coming off a pair of critical wins, but needed a victory over the Lions to remain in the hunt for the divisional crown.
Last Tuesday, Fallsburg pulled off a surprise 4-1 win over previously undefeated Florida, and two days later, beat Tri-Valley 6-2.
On Tuesday, however, the Comets lost to the Lions 1-0, thus dimming their hopes of a divisional title.
Chapel Field scored the only goal of the game on a multiple header in front of the Comets goal. With 18 minutes remaining in the opening frame, Greg Imbarrato scored off an assist by Jared Siglin.
In the wind-swept “keep,” Comets goalie Mike Hernandez earned cheers from his chilly teammates and a cold, but plucky crowd of home team rooters as he made a few incredible late game saves to hold the Lions to a solo goal.
“It was a pretty well played game considering the temperature,” said Leo Mattern, coach of the Chapel Field Lions. “I thought we dominated the ball during large segments of the game, but Fallsburg was always a threat.
“We expected they would be a tough opponent, and they were,” he added. “Their keeper (Hernandez) was a factor… we should have scored more goals.”
According to Fallsburg coach Paul Marsden, he thought his team “didn’t play very well” and did not win control in the midfield.
“When a team dominates you in the midfield, they’ll control the game,” he said. “We were outplayed by Chapel Field.”
Marsden said that not practicing in the four days prior to Tuesday’s game and the cold weather were factors in the Comets first loss in three games.
“It really hurt us,” he said.
“We’re a young team, mostly juniors,” he added, noting this year’s boys varsity soccer team fields five seniors: Matt Friedman, Mike Hernandez, Darren Kenney, Josh Moore and Nelson Soto.
Looking at the rest of the season, as they prepare for sectional competition, Marsden said, “We’re just going to continue to improve, [and] our learning curve has to improve with every game.
“We need to rebound, regroup and go back at it,” he added.
Stats: Shots on goal (Chapel Field 8, FCS 4), Saves (Chapel Field’s Dorian Mullings 5, Fallsburg’s Hernandez 7) and corner kicks (Chapel Field 8, FCS 2).