CRHS SOCCER: Boys Lose in Double OT

For the second straight season, the CRHS Boys Soccer Team was on the road for a night game at Class L Foran High School (Milford) with the season on the line.  In 2012 and earlier this year the two teams played to a draw in the game at Coginchaug.  Last year, Foran had already been eliminated from the tournament, but this year the teams stepped onto the pitch with the same record and in the same predicament; A win would advance one team to state tournament and one team’s season would be over.  Another draw meant that both teams would be eliminated.

Although the Class S Blue Devil’s were the underdogs, they were playing with the confidence of the recent triumph over Valley Regional and with the slight head-to-head record advantage of 1-0-2 in the teams previous 3 matches against each other.

Foran struck first for the only goal of the first half on a precision chip from Foran’s star player, Julian Yuliawan.  It was a hard fought half with 2 very different styles of play.  Foran was fast and strong, while Coginchaug played a more balanced attack.  “It was not our best first half of soccer,” Said Coach Cap, “But it was enough to keep us in the game.  In the second half we made adjustments and put pressure on them.  We took the game to them.”

It was clear in the second half that neither team had any intention of leaving this field empty handed.  Ten minutes into the period, CRHS put together a series of passes that led Sophomore Midfielder Kyle Judson down the right sideline.  He created space and sent the ball across the box to his waiting counterpart.  Sophomore Midfielder Alec Bogen hammered his 6th goal of the season.  Bogen was just getting warmed up.  6 minutes later he pounded in his second of match and game CRHS the lead.

CRHS was now in the driver’s seat, but like the Valley match, there was a lot of time left on the clock.  Against Valley, they had a 2 goal cushion and needed everything they had to hold them off.  Foran would not go away quietly. 

They threw everything they had at Coginchaug, and Senior Captain Goalkeeper Jeff Cummings and the defense held them off for 15 minutes, but that left 7 and a half minutes of nail biting left for the CRHS faithful.

With 7:31 to play, Yuliawan matched Bogen with his second goal of the night.  The game was tied at 2.

The newly resurgent Blue Devil’s showed the heart and character of the team.  Less than 2 minutes later Senior Captain Tyler Kovacs slipped a ball down the left sideline into space.  Alec Bogen ran onto it and completed his hat trick with his 8th goal of the season.  Coginchaug was ahead 3-2 with 5:27 to kill.

Foran turned once again to their hero and Julian Yuliawan tied the match with his 3rd goal.  The game was tied for the 3rd time, and there had already been 2 lead changes.

The game went to overtime, and in the second overtime period Coginchaug lost the game in the worst way possible.  Yuliawan sent a cross through the box just inches out of the reach of the diving Cummings.  In an attempt to clear, a misstep by a CRHS defender (who otherwise played an outstanding match) accidently redirected the ball into Coginchaug’s goal.  (Out of respect for the player the goal is intentionally omitted from the video.)  Foran won the game.  Coginchaug’s season was sadly over.

“We shouldn’t have let our season come down to one game.  There were games earlier in the season that we should have won,” said Coach in his postgame comments.  “I couldn’t have asked for more from the players.  It was a tough game with both teams needing the win, and the high scoring game indicated that.  I asked the kids before the game to leave everything they had on the field so that they’ll never regret it.  I think they did that, and none of them have anything to regret.  I’m very proud of all of them.”  Every player that stepped on the pitch seemed to elevate their game.  Coach agreed and commented that every player really stepped it up, “I think it was Alec Bogen’s best game of the year.  Not only his scoring effort, but the way he played on both sides of the ball.  Tyler’s effort was phenomenal once again.   Playing on one leg, he still had an impact on the game and that says a lot about him.”  He continued, “All the kids worked hard.  Jeff Peracchio had a great game and I could go right down the list of players that really worked their tails off; Decker, Temple, Judson…all of them.  Jeff Cummings played the best game I’ve seen him play in a long time.”

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