Derek Hamilton, James Kelly send St. Anthony's boys soccer to state CHSAA final
James Kelly of St. Anthony's dribbles past a Canisius defender during a state CHSAA boys soccer semifinal at St. John's University on Friday, Nov. 13, 2026. Credit: Derrick Dingle
Derek Hamilton put St. Anthony’s ahead with a header and James Kelly took out insurance with another goal. And the Friars were headed in the direction of the ultimate soccer game for them, the state CHSAA final, for the first time since they won it three years ago.
“It’s good to get back to the dance, right?” coach Don Corrao said.
The Friars defeated Canisius, the Monsignor Martin Athletic Association champ from Buffalo, converting those second-half goals and taking a 2-0 win Friday night in the state CHSAA semifinals at St. John’s Belson Stadium.
And so St. Anthony’s will be back here to play at 1 p.m. Sunday on this field atop a parking garage for the championship against Xavier, a 5-1 winner over McClancy in Friday night’s other semifinal.
“It’s everything I wanted when I came to [St. Anthony's],” said Kelly, the standout senior center midfielder. “I came to [St. Anthony's] to win a state final. Now we’re finally here to do it. We’re going all the way. Haven’t lost once.”
Indeed, their record is up to 18-0-2.
“I’ve said it all year: This is an extraordinary group of young men,” Corrao said.
This group, which has outscored the opposition 84-8, came out strong after the intermission. Less than two minutes in, Hamilton continued his clutch work, scoring off a feed from Jayden Crespi.
Hamilton had also scored the deciding goal in the NSCHSAA final against Chaminade.
“It’s a lot of emotions because I scored the game-winner going into this game and scoring again to go to the state final is just crazy,” the junior center attacking midfielder said.
It was also another impact play by Crespi, the senior striker and NSCHSAA offensive MVP.
“A successful team is more important to me than any type of stats,” Crespi said.
Kelly then scored on a sensational shot from the top left corner of the box into the far corner of the net with 22:04 left, off an assist from Kyle Godoy.
“I think they had the better of cleaner passes in the final third,” said Canisius coach Orville Roberts, whose Crusaders (14-2-3) had fallen 1-0 to Chaminade here in last year’s state final. “Overall, we played a good team today and just came up short.”
Matthew O’Shaughnessy made two saves in the Friars’ 14th clean sheet.
“That’s been our bread and butter,” Corrao said of the defensive work before praising the semifinal play of Kelly, Augustin Keena, Andrew Bridgemanhel, Liam Kessler, Niko Saporito and Godoy, who left for a hospital after suffering a leg cut in a collision late in the game.
“He had a very good game up until he got hurt,” Corrao said. "Hopefully, we don’t lose him for Sunday.”
