Back in August, before all the injuries, this is what Ray Voelkel imagined.
Weller Hlinomaz creating havoc for opposing defense up front; central midfielder James Fisch making a difference at both ends of the pitch; sweeper Elias Bresnick developing into a force in the back; and the team’s other many complementary pieces filling in.
Voelkel, the Collegiate soccer coach, didn’t get to see that team for the entire year, but three games ago the group was back and routed Hackley in its regular-season finale. Friday afternoon in The Bronx, the third-seeded Dutchmen demonstrated what they can do at full strength, putting forth a commanding performance in a 4-3 win at No. 2 Horace Mann in the NYSAISAA semifinals.
“We’re finally where we want to be,” Hlinomaz said.
The defending NYSAISAA champion will meet No. 1 Rye Country Day School, a 1-0 winner over fourth-seeded Poly Prep, in the final Sunday at noon at Manhattanville College in Purchase.
“I’m overwhelmed right now, I can hardly speak,” said Fisch, a senior who had never won at Horace Mann. “It was very emotional. I’m glad we’re back in the finals.”
Hlinomaz and Fisch led the attack, each scoring twice. Fisch’s two tallies, five minutes apart to start the second half, snapped a 1-all deadlock. Hlimonaz iced the match in the 77th minute, ripping home an Anthony Evans feed on a counterattack to extend a one-goal lead to two.
Hlinomaz (groin) and winger Imran Hassan (knee) missed much of the season’s first month, Bresnick (broken wrist) sat for five games, as did Fisch (head injury) and midfielder Emery Witt (Achilles) just recently returned. Despite all the injuries, Collegiate finished second behind Horace Mann in the Ivy Prep League, one reserve after another emerging, and earned the third seed in the tournament.
“We did a spectacular job of patchwork,” said Voelkel, who has led the school’s boys basketball team to four straight New York State Federation Class B titles. “We’re very happy and proud to be where we’re at. I thought with all the injuries we would be fighting for a playoff spot. We just really stepped up to the plate.”
It didn’t take long for the Dutchmen to mesh with one another as they regained health. This, after all, is virtually the same team as last year’s group. It was also a club that had championship experience, the confidence to beat the league’s best.
“I have total faith in my team,” Fisch said.
So despite losing earlier in the year at Horace Mann (14-3-1), Collegiate (13-2-3) felt good about itself entering Friday’s tilt. Voelkel remembered that loss on the Lions’ natural grass field, which makes putting together numerous combinations difficult. With that in mind, he changed the game plan – instead of Collegiate’s usual possession style, the strategy was to play the ball deep, use Hlinomaz and Evans’ speed.
The two created chances, namely corner kicks that led to goals. Hlimonaz struck first in the ninth minute, his cross mishandled by Horace Mann goalie Phil Perl. He assisted on Fisch’s second goal, also via a corner kick, when the senior scored from inside the penalty area, in the 42nd minute. Three minutes later, Hlimonaz’s cross was headed home by Fisch.
“They played aggressively, they man-marked us tougher, but our guys showed a lot of courage,” Horace Mann coach Neil Berniker said.
The Lions won their first Ivy Prep League title since 2008 and twice cut a two-goal deficit to one before running out of time.
“I’m proud of the guys, the season they had,” Berniker said.
It ended Friday afternoon. Collegiate, meanwhile, is headed to a second straight title match after the memorable victory that felt more like a championship game.
Its fans stormed the pitch at the final horn. The Dutchmen took a victory lap over to their rooting section, the senior class savoring its first victory at Horace Mann. Voelkel had to remind his players repeatedly they win did not crown themselves champions, not yet anyway.
He wasn’t overly concerned of a possible letdown. Fisch, the senior central midfielder, has a solution.
“We’ll try to pretend like their Horace [Mann],” Fisch said, smiling. “We’re gonna bring that same fire.”
