Boys soccer: Sherman, defense lift Arlington over rival John Jay-East Fishkill

FREEDOM PLAINS - During a stoppage in play, as the crowd quieted briefly, shouts of, "We love you, Robert Sherman!" could be heard from a group of Arlington High School students. As the soccer standout turned to the audience, chuckling at their gesture, the cheers grew louder.

Those were friends of his in the bleachers, and the hollering was meant half-jokingly. Still, it sounded almost like fans screaming giddily while watching Harry Styles perform in concert.

"They were having fun with it and we enjoyed that," goalkeeper Nick Giorgi said. "We don't usually get huge crowds at our games, so we love having them and knowing they appreciate what they’re seeing."

Sherman later gave them an encore to end the show.

The forward took a pass up the left flank, dribbled around a defender and, while falling down, sent a shot into the far corner with 2:11 remaining, putting the cherry on top of a Wednesday sundae for the Admirals.

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He scored twice and the Arlington defense was superb in a 3-0 win over rival John Jay-East Fishkill that players said gave them a considerable "confidence boost."

"It's so important; that's momentum," Sherman said of beating the Patriots, who entered ranked seventh among Class AAA teams, according to the New York State Sportswriters Association. "Jay is one of the best teams out there, so we beat them and it's like, 'There's no reason we can't compete with anybody.'"

Of course, Arlington is only five games into its season and coach Kevin Davis warned that his team can't get carried away. But, this was a significant early-season victory, particularly for a group that lost several stars to graduation and still is adjusting schematically with a new head coach.

"Despite our record, we did start slow," Giorgi said, referring to the Admirals eking out close games for their first three wins. "This was our most complete game so far and we're definitely feeling better about what we can do."

The match wasn't without a sour note for Arlington, though. Gavin Flynn suffered what was believed to be a serious ankle injury seconds after he scored to make it 2-0 in the 69th minute.

"He means a lot to us and it's unfortunate," Davis said. "He's a very good player, and he's got a vibrant personality that draws teammates to him... We're wishing him all the best."

In its postgame huddle, the team eschewed the usual "Arlington on three" breakdown and instead shouted, "For Gavin!"

"You feel bad for him because he's put in a lot of work, and it happened right after he came through with an important goal. We're just hoping he gets well (soon)."

Alex Sturans, Martin Mlynarski, Davin Deleon, Miles Mayo, and Evan Simmons contributed to a defense that slowed a talented John Jay offense, denying them quality shot opportunities and dominating possession for stretches of the second half. Giorgi made four saves as Arlington improved to 4-1.

"We wanted to absorb their attack and counter," Davis said. "The first 30 minutes we didn't do that well, but late in the first half we started to gain traction."

The Patriots applied pressure early, including getting off seven shots, but Arlington seemingly took control about 14 minutes before halftime, including a two-minute surge with a free kick and two attempts from close range. The Admirals had a 9-2 advantage in shots in the second half, and Bradley Qiu made seven saves for John Jay (2-1).

The Admirals eventually broke through on Sherman's goal with 25:57 remaining. A missed shot was rebounded and sent inside to Dylan Manriquez on the left wing, and his shot ricocheted off the far post, before Sherman deflected it in.

"Dylan did the work; I was just in the right position there," Sherman said. "But it was big to score there. In a tight game, getting one in takes some pressure off and gives us a push."

The longtime rivals both are perennial title contenders in Section 1 and typically play close, intense games. They split two regular-season meetings last year, each side pulling out a 1-0 victory.

So, to win decisively against that opponent, in "one of those games you mark off," is reason for excitement, Giorgi said.

"There's a lot of season left, so we can't let this get to our heads," the senior said. "But this is definitely the kind of win you build off."

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com; 845-437-4826; Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Boys soccer: Arlington boosts confidence with win over rival John Jay