Chris Tuohy's penalty kick gives Chaminade win over Kellenberg
Chaminade celebrates after Chris Tuohy puts one in the net during a CHSAA soccer game against Kellenberg on Tuesday in Uniondale. Credit: Dawn McCormick
Conference play in the NSCHSAA arrived on Tuesday and Chaminade met it with an attack.
The Flyers flashed their speed and elevated their aerial game as they swarmed host Kellenberg for most of the 90 minutes and emerged with a 1-0 victory that might have been a wider margin if they’d converted a few more of their numerous chances.
Chaminade (1-1, 1-0) got off 16 shots but the lone tally was Chris Tuohy's penalty kick in the 49th minute of the contest that resulted from a takedown in the box during an especially frenzied Flyer run at the goal.
“[In] that situation you have to know exactly where you’re going and bury it,” Tuohy said of the goal. “I knew I was going to the right side of the middle of the goal.”
Kellenberg’s back line did an admirable job holding the Flyers off with keeper Mario Lombardi making eight saves including a spectacular stop on a breakaway by Chaminade’s Fabio Sanchez and Aiden Mustafich and Angel Erazo each making big plays in front of him. But a half dozen Flyer shots weren’t true and sailed wide or high.
“We won but we’re not happy,” midfielder Luca Giannola, a Fordham commit, said. “We kept getting chances and we weren’t finishing.”
“More have to get to the back of the goal,” Sean Anselmo said.
The Flyers’ used their quickness early to press and disrupt Kellenberg (3-1-1, 0-1) when it tried to organize an attack from the backfield. Fending off Chaminade may have created some fatigue for the Firebirds; when Kellenberg forwards Terence Allen and Luca Coschignano were able to close on the goal, it was often without much support.
Chaminade also looked strong in winning most of the balls in the air.
Kellenberg’s last best shot at tying it came on a Brady Schmidt corner kick with about 14:35 to play. Tuohy rose above several taller players in front of the goalmouth to head it back out.
Giannola was part of Chaminade’s 2021 state title team and returned this season after a year playing academy soccer, as did forwards Sanchez and Francesco Vecchio. It’s a nice infusion for a group still smarting from losing last year’s Diocesan title to St. Anthony’s.
“With my college [decision] set, I wanted to get back with these guys,” Giannola said. “Chaminade is like coming home.”
“[Giannola] gives us composure in the midfield and the experience it takes to win a state championship,” Anselmo said.
For several seasons the NSCHSAA has felt like a two-team contest between the Flyers and St. Anthony’s. This season, Kellenberg appears to have the ingredients to change that.
“The difference today was that they had tactical discipline and we showed our youth with playing on the emotional side, which resulted in the penalty kick,” Kellenberg coach William Masiulis said. “We saw our weaknesses today and we will train to make them our strengths when we see them again in October.”
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.
