Boys soccer: Mount Academy tops North Salem to reach Class C regional final
STAATSBURG - This deep into the postseason, facing opponents who often are unfamiliar, it's incumbent on coaches to analyze the schematics and adjust. And, Paul Makaj said, for the players "to be the dogs they are."
By that, the Mount Academy boys soccer coach meant, they need to be aggressive and confident in playing their usual attacking style.
His team was slowed in the first half Wednesday, thrown off by North Salem's 4-4-2 formation, so the halftime powwow centered around countering that defense and creating legitimate scoring chances.
The second half also revealed the Eagles do, in fact, have that dog in 'em.
Mount Academy scored twice in 10 minutes after making those adjustments, powering them in an eventual 3-1 win over Section 1's North Salem in a Class C subregional.
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"That was huge," said Jake Maendel, who helped lead a quick-strike offense that capitalized in transition. "We've never seen this team before and we're scoreless in the first half, so getting on them early in the second half definitely raised our confidence."
The Eagles (14-1) advance to face Long Island's Evergreen Charter School in a regional final at noon Friday at Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale.
"We're excited about this win, but we're not getting ahead of ourselves," Makaj said. "There's still a long road ahead and a lot of things we need to continue working on."
What it means
Mount won a state championship in Class D two years ago but, after a move up to Class C last fall, the team fell to Rhinebeck in the Section 9 final. The Eagles avenged that loss last week and now their eyes set on another run to the state tournament.
"We learned that attention to detail is often the difference in these games," said Maendel, who was a member of the 2021 team. "Every little thing matters, even the way we warm up, and that's what I've tried to (impart) on the younger guys."
Turning point
Michael Meier opened the scoring 3:01 into the second half, taking a pass from Maendel toward the left post and finishing in the near corner. Maendel extended the lead five minutes later, taking a pass from Dwayne Arnold on the left flank and maneuvering around a defender before shooting into the corner.
Liam Keegan got the Tigers on the board in the 65th minute, taking a pass from Isaac Rouse and firing from near the right post. But Damon King answered, finishing a feed from Bruce Maendel to create the margin with 9:30 remaining.
Michael Hibbs made four saves and the Eagles defense excelled, allowing the offense the time to find its footing. "They were awesome," Jake Maendel said. "They've stepped up big in the last few games... They pushed it with a lot of speed and got us in transition."
George Naber had four saves for North Salem (11-7-1).
They said it
"I'm incredibly proud of them and how far they’ve come from the beginning," said Tigers coach Ron Hendrie, whose team held its own against a competitive schedule and surged down the stretch, including beating defending state champion Haldane in a sectional semifinal.
"It's about getting better and growing, and they look like a totally different team from when we started. The pain they feel now is a reflection of the dedication they have."
"Expectations and standards are always gonna be high, given the reputation, and we embrace that," Makaj said of the Eagles contending for a state crown. "We have (eight) seniors who've been accustomed to winning, and they want to accomplish what the 2021 team did. That's our goal."
Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com; 845-437-4826; Twitter: @StephenHaynes4
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: NYSPHSAA boys soccer: Mount Academy tops North Salem in subregional
