CHSAA A Championship Msgr. Farrell2Holy Cross1

Holy Cross beat Monsignor Farrell 10 days ago on its way to a state championship. But rather than having to spend the whole offseason lamenting that defeat, the Lions were

able to redeem themselves yesterday.

Farrell (16-1-2) won the CHSAA A soccer city title, 2-1, at the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, using its state semifinal loss as motivation.

“We were devastated [by the loss],” Farrell goalkeeper Dan Fennell said. “But we were able to keep our heads up and look to this game.”

Due to an unusual piece of scheduling, the state finals are held prior to the city championship. So a day after Farrell’s football team captured the CHSFL crown, the soccer team continued the school’s success.

“This doesn’t completely redeem the loss, but we wanted to prove we just had a bad game,” said Christian Cuba, who scored the game-winning goal. “Since we lost to them last week, this game became more important.”

Farrell showed that it was ready to play immediately. The Lions learned their lesson from their loss to Holy Cross (18-4) when the Knights jumped out to an early 2-0 lead.

“I told them that we had to come out strong in the first five minutes,” Farrell coach Franko Legovich said. “Last time, [Holy Cross] came out too fast and we never got back in it.”

Legovich’s team heeded his words. Less than two minutes into the game, the Lions had two good shots right in front of the net. Only brilliant saves by HC keeper Antonio Treglia prevented a score.

“I don’t think our intensity matched the magnitude of the game,” Holy Cross coach Paul Gilvary said. “I don’t know why.”

Certainly the oddity of playing another game after winning the state championship had something to do with it.

“I think in a strange way, it helped Farrell that they lost that game,” Gilvary said. “They had more to play for. But we had to be ready.”

The Knights managed to settle down with the score tied at 0-0 and when the second half began, it was HC that controlled the play. It was unable to convert on any of its many scoring chances, which came back to haunt the team.

In the 73rd minute, Farrell’s Adam Gage got off a strong shot that Treglia blocked. Cuba was waiting and headed in the rebound.

“It came right out to me,” Cuba said. “I was in perfect position.”

Just three minutes later, Gage dribbled into the box on a breakaway and put the ball past Treglia for a 2-0 lead.

Holy Cross came back in the 78th minute. Justin Williams scored to cut the lead in half, but as he said, “It was a day late and a dollar short.”

And unlike Farrell, Holy Cross won’t have another day to reclaim its season.

Led by three goals from Jim Hunt and two others by Rob Fucci, St. Joseph by the Sea beat Monsignor McClancy, 6-0, to win the CHSAA B soccer title.