Jericho wins Nassau Class A title
Jericho High School #22 Glenn Hyams reacts after scoring a goal after being awarded a penalty kick in the second half of the Nassau County varsity boys soccer Class A final vs. Island Trees at Hofstra University. (Nov. 9, 2011) Credit: James Escher
Jericho's Zach Cohen was taken down by an Island Trees defender and threw his hands up in the air. He expected a penalty for being taken down in the box but it didn't happen.
Cohen got back up and got to the ball and was taken down again. This time, a penalty kick was awarded. Glenn Hyams took the kick and scored with 17:15 left to give No. 9 Jericho a 1-0 win over No. 2 Island Trees Wednesday night in a Nassau Class A boys soccer final at Hofstra.
Jericho (13-2-2), which won it second championship in four years, will play the winner of Sayville-East Hampton in the Long Island Class A finals/Southeast Regional final at 4 p.m. Sunday at Adelphi. Island Trees is 14-2-3.
"The ball was right at my feet, so I got back up," Cohen said after the initial takedown. "I got taken down again and I'm sure that one was a penalty. I had 100 percent confidence in Glenn. He hits them all the time. He's the heart and soul of our team."
Hyams was a freshman when the Jayhawks won their last title. He admitted he had some nerves, but said he is used to taking penalty kicks and shot it to the lower left side.
"I just kept my composure," Hyams said. "I hit them in practice all the time. I saw the goalie move a little early and went to the opposite side."
Ari Lewis made eight saves in his fourth shutout in as many postseason games.
Jericho was not pleased to be seeded ninth after sharing the Conference IV championship.
"We thought it was completely ridiculous," Cohen said. "We were disrespected. We proved to everyone we should have been seeded higher than nine."
