×

Blue Bombers fall to Chazy

LAKE PLACID – The Lake Placid boys soccer team did some roughing up, and got a little roughed up, during a hard-fought 2-1 loss to Chazy at home on Tuesday afternoon.

The first half of the game saw no scoring, but plenty of physical soccer as the two teams battled on the pitch at the North Elba Show Grounds.

About seven minutes into second half play, Lake Placid’s Stuart Baird took a pass and drilled the ball past Chazy goalkeeper Ben Norcross for the first score of the game.

“It was a great wall pass, and I would hope I would score on something like that,” Baird said after the game.

But just a minute later, Chazy senior Gage Ducatte ripped a shot from the six-yard box that found the back of the net.

Lake Placid goalkeeper Kamm Cassidy played well in goal, and was able to save a few more shots before Chazy’s Josh McCauley beat him on the near post to put the Eagles up 2-1 when Cassidy was caught flat-footed.

Lake Placid and Chazy were evenly matched to start the game, but Chazy quickly showed more poise moving the ball around the field. While the Bombers tried to play the man, Chazy made easy switches, sending the ball through controlled passes across the field.

Lake Placid played well enough to have more shots on net, besting Chazy 7-2 in shots in the half, but failed to capitalize on those opportunities.

Baird came close to scoring midway through the first half, sending a free kick from outside the box on net. The ball bounced around in front of the goal, but the resulting follow-up shot sailed wide of the net.

Senior Kevin Geesler got another chance to score just a few minutes later with a free kick from roughly the same spot, about 20 yards out, but sent the ball straight to Norcross.

In a match that saw plenty of physical contact, the referees let a lot slide. But Lake Placid senior Bjorn Kroes received a yellow card for a tackle before the end of the half.

“I’m not going to blame the referees, but we get a card and then our goalie gets hit and there’s no card,” Lake Placid coach Stuart Hemsley said after the game.

Going into the second half of play, the Eagles started out with the ball, but were quickly dominated by a Lake Placid squad that came out with renewed enthusiasm and skill.

Chazy began the second half strong, with Connors and junior Josh McCauley sending a volley of shots to the Lake Placid net. But the Placid defense kept the ball out of the back of goal.

Placid kept up the pressure, laying off the physical style of play that dominated the first half. They moved the ball well and made crisp passes, but Chazy upped its shooting game and soon overtook Placid in attempts on net.

Chazy’s Hayden King fired a shot on net after Baird’s goal, but Placid’s Cassidy was able to tip the ball over the top of the goal for the save.

McCauley sent another shot toward net with a minute left in the game, but wasted the chance by sending it wide.

Chazy head coach Rob McAuliffe said the physicality of the game was no surprise.

“We came in here today knowing that it was probably going to be a one-goal game,” McAuliffe said after the game. “We knew that they are well coached and have some great players. Any time you can get a win against a team like Lake Placid you gotta be happy with it.”

Hemsley said he was disappointed with the outcome of the match.

“The ball was in their six-yard box, and the next time we’re touching it we’re pulling it out of the back of our net,” Hemsley said. “It’s hard to defend in the six-yard box.

“That’s not the best Chazy team, but they certainly fight. And that’s what we have to compete with all the time now, because we can compete with the best of teams.”

“We’re very young and green at the back. And then in the midfield we gave the ball away a few times,” Hemsley said.

“It was a close game. No team was ever out of it as Chazy proved.”

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $4.75/week.

Subscribe Today