New York Post CHSAA boys soccer beat writer Dylan Butler breaks down Sunday’s CHSAA Class B intersectional final at Competition Field on the campus of Adelphi University in Garden City.
Who: Bishop Ford vs. Monsignor McClancy
When: Sunday, 1 p.m.
Where: Competition Field, Adelphi University
Bishop Ford Falcons
Head coach: Barney Cassidy
Record: 10-1-1
Player to watch: Oscar Castillo
How they got here: Defeated Salesian, 2-1, in semifinals, defeated Cardinal Spellman, 4-2, in quarterfinals
Monsignor McClancy Crusaders
Head coach: Michael Sylvester
Record: 9-2-1
Player to watch: Peter Scimemi
How they got here: Defeated Monsignor Farrell, 3-2, in semifinals, defeated Mount St. Michael, 5-1, in quarterfinals
Outlook: James Caicedo got just what he wanted. The Bishop Ford standout, who scored a remarkable goal in the CHSAA Class B intersectional semifinal against defending ‘B’ champion Salesian, was hoping he’d get to face archrival Monsignor McClancy in the Class B final. That’s just what happened. The Crusaders advanced to their second straight Class B title game by beating Monsignor Farrell in a physical and emotional semifinal win on Staten Island.
Down 2-0, McClancy scored three unanswered goals, two after Farrell star Chris Nistico was sent off with a straight red card during a melee late in the first half. McClancy’s Sal Pipia was also sent off and will miss the final as part of his two-game suspension.
“I know it’s going to be another game like this, a physical, hard-working game,” McClancy’s Alexis Escobar said. “It will be a good game and hopefully we come out on top.”
Emotional and physical is usually the description of every Bishop Ford-Monsignor McClancy regular season meeting. Each team has a big three – Caicedo, Angel Cordero and Oscar Castillo for Bishop Ford and Scimemi, Steven Jimenez and Escobar for McClancy.
Ford, which defeated Salesian, 2-1, on goals by Castillo and Caicedo, will look to avenge its only regular season defeat – a 2-1 loss on Oct. 16 at Aviator Sports Complex. The teams also played to a 1-1 draw at McClancy on Sept. 30.
“I knew we were going to play Ford,” Scimemi said. “We should win, hopefully.”
