Oneonta’s Wright National Soccer Complex was the stage for the Section IV Class B Championships on Oct. 29.
Owego Free Academy’s Boys soccer team brought home the championship, and where they defeated Oneonta with a final game score of 6-1.
The Oct. 29 win marks a repeat for Owego as Section IV Class B Champions. Last year, Owego defeated Chenango Valley.
Boys Varsity Soccer Head Coach, Alessio De Michele, and in his second season coaching OFA Varsity, shared that this year’s team is comprised of seven seniors. Of 11 starters, some, he said, played a role last season, and many being ninth graders. In total, De Michele said 13 players have been part of the winning teams from both seasons.
One tool, De Michele shared, is, “Players that play soccer year-round are always the secret to success. Soccer is an incredibly technical game, and to play at a high level outside of the school season prepares players for this.”
Pictured is the OFA Boys Varsity Soccer team. The team brought home the Section IV Class B championship on Oct. 29 – a repeat victory from last year. Next up are State Regional’s on Nov. 5. OFA plays Skaneateles at 2 p.m. at Fayetteville-Manlius High School. Provided photo.
De Michele further explained that Owego has a proven resource in Hiawatha Soccer Club, and where many players got their start and continue to play with Coach Joe Higgins.
De Michele, who also serves as the director of coaching at the Greater Binghamton FC, remarked, “I am doubly fortunate to work with many of our players at the premier youth level as well.”
Regarding the Oct. 29 game, and where OFA scored just three minutes in and continued that momentum throughout the game, Coach De Michele commented, “The first goal in any soccer match is crucial. We try to set a high tempo to the game – both when we have possession and when we don’t, which has been a big strength of this team,” adding, “Energy is always high at the beginning of games and the boys quickly figure out how to outsmart the opponents.”
De Michele continued, “To keep momentum going takes a lot of maturity, especially in a final; and I’ve said since the beginning that the star of the Owego team is the collective. Every player contributes to the style of the team’s play and we had, incredibly, 13 different players score a goal this season.”
Next up are State Regional’s on Nov. 5. OFA plays the defending state champions, Skaneateles, at 2 p.m. at Fayetteville-Manlius High School. The game is a repeat of last year’s regional final where OFA was defeated in overtime, 2-1.
De Michele added, “We are hoping that experience will help us go one better this year.”
De Michele explained that another secret to their success has been the quality of the training sessions, and where players hold each other to high standards.
Pictured is the OFA Boys Varsity Soccer team. The team was victorious at the Section IV Class B championship on Oct. 29, bringing home a win for the second year in a row. Provided photo.
De Michele remarked, “Each opponent offers a different challenge, so as we get closer to game day there are certain elements to our game that we are always working to improve upon.”
Coach De Michele concluded, “It’s been an incredible season! We had high expectations at the start, but it takes hard work and passion every day to achieve something special,” adding, “The championship game will certainly be a memory for a lifetime for everyone involved. The team has a strong bond, and all are proud to represent their community.”
The Owego Fire Department escorted the OFA Boys Soccer team home after their win, and where they met up with the team at the Grand Union parking lot. Accompanying OFD for the congratulatory championship ride home was the Apalachin and Campville Fire Departments, the Owego Emergency Squad, the Tioga County Sheriff’s Office, and the Owego Police. Community members gathered along the streets and at the OA Schools campus to cheer and wave as the parade of vehicles rode past.
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