Down by two goals at Monsignor Farrell Wednesday night, Monsignor McClancy coach Michael Sylvester was impressed with his team’s heart, fighting back, literally, to beat the Lions, 3-2, in a CHSAA Class B semifinal at Alumni Stadium in Oakwood.
In a physical game that featured a melee at the end of the first half, the Crusaders rallied to stun Monsignor Farrell and advance to Sunday’s Class B final for a second straight year. McClancy will meet rival Bishop Ford, which defeated defending ‘B’ champion Salesian, 2-1, Tuesday.
“When all the emotion and all the pressure is there, one thing about this team is we’re able to rally up and do what we have to do to score,” McClancy junior Peter Scimemi said. “We did a good job of that.”
A combination of physical play and vocal fans from both teams created a charged atmosphere that reached a boiling point late in the first half when McClancy’s Sal Pipia, who three minutes earlier received a yellow card, was shown a straight red by referee Bill Potoroff for a harsh tackle on Farrell’s Anthony Rubilotta.
A skirmish broke out at midfield by the near side touchline between players from both sides. Farrell star Chris Nistico, who had a goal and an assist in the opening 21 minutes to put the Lions (6-4-1) in front 2-0, was involved with Scimemi, while McClancy’s Steven Jimenez had to be held back by several teammates.
After consulting with assistant referee Joe Morda, Potoroff also sent off Nistico, who Morda said threw a punch during the altercation.
“He claimed I threw a punch, but I didn’t throw any punch,” Nistico said. “I didn’t even see any punches being thrown. Apparently there was a kid rolling on the floor saying he was punched, but I didn’t see it.”
The game remained heated after halftime with four more cautions handed out. After playing seven extra minutes in the first half because of numerous stoppages, Potoroff ruled there were 11 minutes of stoppage time in the second half.
“I love it,” McClancy’s Alexis Escobar said of the atmosphere. “It just gets me more hyped up, gives me more energy to win.”
McClancy (9-2-1) bounced back from the early deficit and trailed by just one goal at halftime after Escobar played Jimenez behind the Farrell defense and the Crusaders standout put the ball past Farrell goalkeeper Shan Khan in the 31st minute.
The Crusaders then tied the game in spectacular fashion as Scimemi struck for a brilliant goal from 32 yards, putting the ball in off the crossbar in the 51st minute.
“I still can’t believe it went in,” Scimemi said. “I’m still shocked about that. It was pretty far out, but I liked it and it was good.”
Escobar added: “After that goal I knew we were winning. We had to.”
Three minutes later, Potoroff ruled Jimenez was taken down in the box and Escobar scored on the penalty kick, putting a low shot to Khan’s left.
That proved to be the winning goal, but it didn’t end the feistiness. After Rubilotta was again taken down hard in front of the Farrell bench, Osman Lunja, who headed in the Lions’ second goal, retaliated with a hard tackle in midfield, earning a 63rd-minute yellow card.
Scimemi was booked in the 73rd minute and Jimenez received a yellow card a minute later.
When Potoroff finally blew the final whistle, McClancy players and coaches poured onto the field to celebrate an emotional and hard-fought victory.
“When these guys are down, they just want to win so bad, it’s unbelievable,” Sylvester said. “They stick together and just take it to another level.”