Elmira District Boys Soccer

Boys soccer

Elmira 4, Union-Endicott 2: At Elmira, Logan Brimmer scored three goals as the Express opened its season with a STAC victory over Union-Endicott.

Elmira's other score came on an own goal. Tyler Prunoske, Eli Halperin and Owen Mason each had assists for the Express, which led 3-1 at halftime.

"We created a lot of chances, which is encouraging for our first game of the season," Elmira head coach Derek Hamilton said. "Logan Brimmer was clinical. He was only given a few chances and he finished them."

Elmira Scoring - Brimmer (3-0), Prunoske (0-1), Halperin (0-1), Mason (0-1), Own Goal (UE) 

Union-Endicott Scoring - Haley (1-0), Fazel (1-0)

Shots/Corners - Elmira (12-6), Union-Endicott (6-1)

Saves - Elmira (Mason-5), U-E (Hubeny-9)

Joe Mink 4:23 p.m. EDT August 27, 2014

The Elmira and Corning boys soccer teams each finished one game short last season from reaching the New York State Public High School Athletic Association playoffs. Both are looking to take an extra step or two forward in 2014.

Elmira posted an 8-8-1 record after losing to Ithaca 5-0 in the Section 4 Class AA championship game.

“I believe we overachieved last season making it to the sectional finals with such a young squad,” Express coach Derek Hamilton said. “That youth turns into veteran leadership this season, as we return seven of our 11 starters, including five players who are entering their third year of varsity soccer.”

Senior forward Kyle Johnson returns after producing six goals and six assists. He was a Southern Tier Athletic Conference Metro/West All-Star a year ago.

Midfield should be in good hands with senior Tyler Prunoske, an All-STAC West pick, joining senior Eli Halperin and junior Andrew Field. The trio combined for 10 goals and three assists.

Defense gets back seniors Jon Fleming and Robby Weiskopf.

Hamilton expects junior newcomers Logan Brimmer (forward), Owen Mason (goalie) and Joe Cerio (defense) to contribute.

“The team has no egos and enjoys working together,” Hamilton said. “Our goal is to continue to improve our play throughout the season, and we will play our best soccer as we enter sectionals in October.”

Corning comes in off a 15-4 performance and the STAC West title in Steve Mastronardi’s second season as Hawks head coach.

Vestal proved to be the thorn in Corning’s side, as the Golden Bears defeated the Hawks 3-2 for the STAC crown on Oct. 17 and 2-0 in the Section 4 Class A championship Nov. 2.

Mastronardi welcomes back major contributors from that 2013 squad, led by STAC Metro/West All-Stars Zach Quist, Luke Terwilliger and Isaac Davis. All are seniors, with Quist and Davis slated for midfield and Terwilliger for defense.

They won’t have to carry the load by themselves, as senior forward Alexander Tostanoski and sophomore defender Cameron Metarko are back along with senior midfielder Franco Summa and senior defenders Brian Austen and Spencer Kohli.

The top newcomers are Erik Eckstrom, Jacob Grano, Connor Nazarcyk and Trevor Kohli.

Despite the talent, Mastronardi isn’t calling his Hawks the STAC West favorites.

“We expect to be competitive within STAC this season. ... STAC is always tough, especially within the STAC West. There are a lot of good coaches and players. We will see who can put it all together,” he said. “Our keys for this year will be our organization on defense and attacking mentality.”

Horseheads: Close games went against the Blue Raiders a year ago.

Horseheads coach Mark Mucci said his team suffered seven one-goal defeats on the way to a 5-8-2 record. Three of those setbacks came against Elmira, including a 1-0 loss in the Section 4 Class AA semifinals.

Three seniors return on defense for the Blue Raiders, led by All-STAC West pick Gerardo Nunez. He’ll be joined by Marc Andrien and Carter Kabott.

“Defense should be our strength,” Mucci said.

Senior midfielder Sean Paul Owen was, like Nunez, a 2013 STAC West All-Star. Senior forward Jose Garcia and junior midfielder Samuel Nunez also have varsity experience.

New to the big team are sophomore midfielders/forwards Isaac Pastel and Nick Juan.

Putting the ball into the opposing net will likely determine how far the Blue Raiders can go

“I hope goals won’t be an issue. We’re looking to generate more offense this year,” Mucci said. “We had chances last year that we didn’t finish.”

So far, Mucci likes what he sees.

“We’ll be strong. We have a good core group. They can move the ball and they understand the game,” he said.

By BOB BENZ
rbenz@the-leader.com
Posted Jan. 6, 2014 @ 6:56 pm   

From Jasper-Troupsburg's run to a state co-championship to a program-record 14-win season in Corning, it was certainly a memorable season on the area boys soccer circuit.

Perhaps the most impressive individual accolade was bestowed on Noah Coons, who was named to the All-Region team, which encompasses New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

So it shouldn't come as much of a surprise then that All-Leader Player of the Year be added to Coons' growing resume.

The following is the 2013 All-Leader boys soccer team as selected by The Leader sports staff in conjunction with area coaches.

Sr. Dalton Cady, goalie, Jasper-Troupsburg

When you break down the accomplishments of Jasper-Troupsburg's senior netminder in 2013, nobody in their right mind would have ever guessed Cady had never played the position prior to the season.

Fourteen shutouts, nine goals allowed all season in a campaign that spanned 22 matches and concluded with a Class D state co-championship aren't the makings of a first-timer at arguably the sport's most important position.

Yet, Cady did all that despite learning to be a keeper on the fly. Cady – who proved to be a natural in goal – was an easy choice as an SCAA all-star.

Cady was named to the Section V all-tournament team and played a vital role in helping the Wildcats capture a share of a state title.

"Probably the best thing about him is just his thought processes," J-T head coach Herb Baker said. "To capture this position in one year and do the job that he did was tremendous. He's quite athletic and quite smart and the two of them got him through."

Sr. Noah Coons, midfield/attack, Corning

Long after the season concluded, the list of accolades kept pouring in for The Leader's boys soccer Player of the Year in 2013.

After being recognized in the STAC West, Coons named first team all-state and as a crowning achievement, was named to the All-Region team, which encompasses New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. It's the first time a Corning boys soccer player has ever been bestowed with either award.

No player in the area was more technically or tactically sound than Coons, who recorded eight goals and 10 assists as a senior, spending time at midfield and attack.

"Noah understands the game and he's one of the most hard-working and coachable players that we have," Corning head coach Steve Mastronardi said. "He's a great leader. He has the ability to finish with either foot, thread a pass for a nice assist or do anything else with it. He put us in position and himself in position to put us where we were this year and get his teammates to score. He's a very consistent player.

Sr. Alex Goforth, goalie, Corning

The number of goals some keepers allow in one match was same number surrendered by Goforth for an entire season, which spanned 15 games. That number: A paltry 4.

A STAC all-conference selection, Goforth was a wall in goal for the Hawks, registering a program-record 12 shutouts on the season.

A commanding presence in goal, Goforth helped Corning to a 14-win season, the most in the history of the program.

"He's the quarterback of the team," Corning head coach Steve Mastronardi said. "He yells out instructions, he sees everything on the field. He's grown so much in three years. He'll make the saves he needs to make and then he'll come up with some amazing saves when you need him to make them."

Sr. Garrett Heil, midfield, Bath Haverling

A Livingston County Athletic Association first-team all-star, Heil was Bath's top scorer for the second straight season, registering seven goals and three assists.

Heil moved from attack to midfield as a senior in order to better control things and still made a considerable impact offensively.

A team captain, Heil played in the Section V senior all-star game.

"He's just a very skillful player," Bath head coach Matt Hill said. "He sees the field real well and when he gets around the goalie, he does have a knack for putting the ball in the net. He's a great leader on the field."

Sr. Caleb Johnson, defender, Elmira

Few players were more skilled as 1-v-1 defenders than Johnson, who made a habit of neutralizing the opposition's top scorers.

A STAC West all-division all-star, Johnson played a pivotal role in Elmira's success in 2013.

"He's technically very solid," Elmira head coach Derek Hamilton said. "Tactically, he was very good and placed himself in good position to thwart the offensive attack."

Sr. Li Molingou, forward/striker, Elmira Notre Dame

Scoring machine isn't a term often associated with soccer, a sport where a 4-3 final would considered "high scoring".

Scoring machine fits the bill for Molingou, who netted an astonishing 33 goals and distributed seven assists as a senior.

The IAC South's Large School MVP, Molingou was an all-state fourth-team selection in Class C. And while Molingou is an unusually young senior who won't turn 17 until after he graduates, he displayed much maturity for his years, serving as a team captain.

"He was a great leader for us," Notre Dame head coach Brian Adams said. "He showed intuition towards the goal, was a great finisher, a great field presence and he's an excellent technical player. I don't think there's another kid in Class C in the state who scored 33 goals."

Sr. Joe Nugent, centerback defense, Elmira

Nugent was as dominant of a player as there was in the air, played very strong on the tackle and simply didn't get beat defensively very often.

A STAC all-conference selection who also nominated all-state, Nugent was one of the best individual defenders in the area.

"He's the top aerial threat in the conference," Elmira head coach Derek Hamilton said. "He gets at anything over the top because he's a big kid – he's about 6-foot and gifted athletically, which really helps."

Jr. Zach Quist, forward/midfield, Corning

Quist proved to be one of Section IV's most versatile players, excelling at forward and midfield for the Hawks in 2013.

One of Corning's top scorers, Quist netted 13 goals and dished out six assists as a junior.

A STAC all-conference selection at forward, Quist showed tremendous vision on the soccer field and displayed a knack for scoring goals in critical situations.

"He's played a lot of different places and he's not just a scorer," Corning head coach Steve Mastronardi said. "He attacks, hedefends. He's a player that is a quiet force on the field. He doesn't say much. But he's a very technical player and sees the field very well. He was able to find the other guys on the team to help them. He's great in there. He's great at winning a ball in the air or heading the ball. He can just go up and get it, which was great for us."

Jr. Franco Summa, def. center midfield, Corning

The program-record 12 shutouts Corning registered wasn't all just the doing of the goalkeeper.

As a defending center midfielder, Summa made Alex Goforth's life a lot easier by regularly keeping the ball out of harm's way.

And while Summa was certainly defensively sound, he also showed a scoring touch when called up, tallying 3 goals and 4 assists on the season.

"He was a player that, it wasn't on the stat sheet so much, but he held our midfield together," Corning head coach Steve Mastronardi said. "He could play where ever you needed him and he never came out of the game – tough as nails. A good technical player and was a great on-field leader. Good technical ability with his feet. Our midfield was the strongest in the league in my opinion this year and in our system, you needed that guy to direct what was going on."

Jr. Alexander Tostanoski, forward, Corning

When Tostanoski had the goal in his sights, he was almost automatic. A STAC West division all-star, Tostanoski often struck fear into the opposition with his scoring prowess.

Tostanoski was Corning's most prolific scorer, netting a team-best 15 goals to go with his five assists.

Even when marked by the best defenders the opposition could muster, Tostanoski usually had his way. He also showed a knack for coming up with big goal during Corning's program-record 14-win season.

"He's just a lethal finisher," Corning head coach Steve Mastronardi said. "You get him the ball, he's just so consistent – he scored in some of our most competitive games. He could finish with either foot, he had good vision on the field. He'd set up his teammates when he didn't have a scoring opportunity. He has that awareness, to find other people when you're not going to finish yourself, which was key, because a lot of people keyed on him after a few games when he started to flourish and come out of his shell."

Sr. Tyler VanSkiver, forward, Jasper-Troupsburg

Teams would mark VanSkiver with regularity.

And still, VanSkiver would score with regularity.

It's probably safe to say Jasper-Troupsburg's run to a Class D state co-championship wouldn't have been possible without the reliable scoring touch VanSkiver provided.

A Steuben County Athletic Association all-star and member of the Section V, Class D all-tournament team, VanSkiver scored 21 goals and distributed six assists as a senior.

Opposing teams that gave VanSkiver space to work in usually paid dearly.

"The big thing is his ability to come through no matter what the situation," J-T head coach Herb Baker said. "All of our playoff games, except the semifinal game, he scored in. He's a determined individual. I think his shooting was pretty good. He kept the ball low when he shot, he had that good quick first move to break open and then was pretty quick to get the shot off."

Staff Report - www.stargazette.com -  9:30 PM, Nov 22, 2013

Five players from Corning have been picked to the Southern Tier Athletic Conference West/Metro all-conference boys soccer team.

The Hawks won the STAC West title and were runners-up in the Section 4 Class A tournament.

Corning picks were senior goalkeeper Alex Goforth, senior defender Kevin Furness, junior defender Luke Terwilliger, junior midfielder Isaac Davis and junior forward Zach Quist.

Elmira all-conference selections were senior defender Joe Nugent and junior midfielder Kyle Johnson.

The rest of the West/Metro team included Vestal senior defender Kyle Powers, Vestal junior midfielder Conner McKnight, Ithaca junior midfielder Amir Omar, Ithaca junior forward Luc Sinon, Maine-Endwell senior forward Luke Osovski and Vestal senior forward Josh Wlostowski.

STAC West all-division picks were goalies Rhett Seeley of Horseheads and Geoff Twardokus of Ithaca; defenders Caleb Johnson of Elmira, Cameron Metarko of Corning, Jean Sinon of Ithaca, Gautham Sezhian of Corning and Gerardo Nunez of Horseheads; midfielders Noah Coons of Corning, Sean Paul Owen of Horseheads, Tyler Prunoske of Elmira and Mason Wolff of Ithaca; and forwards Ben Morse of Horseheads, Curtis Grant of Elmira, Alex Tostanoski of Corning and Tristan Cornell-Roberts of Ithaca.

Selections were made by the league’s coaches.

Sophomore Mike McGinnis was selected to the 2013 All-MSAC men's soccer team as announced by conference officials Wednesday afternoon. McGinnis was the lone Red Baron to earn this honor.

McGinnis stood out this season for his defensive prowess as his big plays spoiled numerous offensive attacks by the opponent. His 6'5 frame eliminated numerous scoring plans of the guys in the other color jersey. Although known as a defensive enforcer, McGinnis also contributed 3 goals and 3 assists this season. McGinnis becomes the first Red Baron men's soccer player to be selected to the All-MSAC team in the past three seasons.

McGinnis was a two-time All-Conference selection during his time at Elmira Free Academy.