Liam Kessler's kick gives St. Anthony's boys soccer CHSAA state championship
Liam Kessler of St. Anthony's, center, scores the winning goal against Xavier during the CHSAA boys soccer state championship at St. John's on Sunday. Credit: Derrick Dingle
The corner kick sailed off the foot of Nick Gentile, and as it turned out, the fate of the state CHSAA championship game was along for the flight.
That soccer ball headed from the right side through the box toward Liam Kessler near the far post in this first 10-minute extra period for St. Anthony’s and Xavier.
The senior center-back volleyed it into the net and pulled off his No. 5 jersey in sheer joy at the sight with 6:16 frozen on the clock above the stands at St. John’s Belson Stadium.
Winning goal in the state championship game, something that can be reminisced about forever.
“It’s hard to put into words,” Kessler, the game MVP, said, “but it has to be one of the best feelings of my life.”
This team had worked overtime to outlast Xavier, 3-2, Sunday, making St. Anthony’s an undefeated state champion.
“I’m going to sound like a broken record, but this is the hardest-working group of kids I’ve had the privilege to coach, and they showed it again today,” Don Corrao said after his Friars’ 19-0-2 finish. “We had a monster schedule, but this was probably the best team we went up against.”
The opponent from Manhattan showed up in the final for the first time, coming to Queens on a 19-1-1 run, having won its first city championship before beating McClancy, 5-1, in the state semis.
“They’re a great team,” Knights coach Tim Marshall said of the Friars. “And if they weren’t, they wouldn’t have been here and they certainly wouldn’t have beaten us because it was going to take a great team to beat these guys."
This great St. Anthony’s team took the program’s first state title in three years. It was the first time as an undefeated state champ in 13 years. The Friars ended up outscoring the opposition 87-10.
No. 87 carried the most weight.
“When that ball goes in, it feels surreal,” Gentile said.
His corner kick strategy?
“Me and Liam Kess have something going,” the junior wing said. “I just aim for him every time, and I know he’s going to put it in if it’s on target.”
There had been adversity to overcome.
After a scoreless first half, Matteo Kickasola put Xavier ahead in the 42nd minute.
Then the Knights got called in the 64th minute for a hand ball to try to prevent a goal — red card and a penalty kick.
Jayden Crespi equalized it with his 18th goal, then received a red card for taunting goalkeeper Matteo Ercolano.
"I went to go get the ball and the goalie had said something to me,” Crespi said. “So I just walked away and the ref flagged me down.”
Corrao said the Friars had “a difference of opinion with what happened with Crespi.”
But they were now without the sensational senior striker, the NSCHSAA’s offensive MVP, who could only watch.
“It definitely was tough,” Crespi said. “I know that I’ve been needed in the big moments for sure this year and I know that my team was missing me. But they said they were going to do it for me and they got the job done, so I’m proud of them.”
William Jablonowski gave St. Anthony’s a 2-1 lead on a long shot 2:06 later. Kickasola then tied it 2:18 after that.
Ercolano soon left because of an injury and was replaced by backup Leo Wahl, who made three saves before the Friars prevailed.
A supportive attitude defined them all season.
“No matter what mistakes we made, we always brought each other up,” Kessler said. “That’s what made this team so special.”
